Path

Any path is only a path,

and there is no affront, to oneself or to others,

in dropping it if that is what yout heart tells you...

Look at every path closely and deliberately.

Try it as many times as you think necessary.

Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question...

Does this path have a heart?

If it does, the path is good;

if it doesn't it is of no use.

- Carlos Casteneda,The teachings of Don Juan

Back after a Long absense

After a Looooooonnnngg absence, I'm back in full form.
There are many reasons for this absence... I won't bother u with it... lets just get on with our life :)
I rejected the first opportunity I got to come to France. This was due to the riots at France and my family's concern. After that, I had to wait one long year to get back the opportunity.I'm lucky that opportunity knocked my door again :)
Roaming aroung in Paris is a wonderful experience. No matter where you go, you see something eye-catching!!! I mean... the art and architecture... 'coz if i were a guy, i wud have mentioned "eye catching French babes" too ;-)
Thought of sharing some rare snaps I took there... enjoy...

Angel above the opera hall...

Children posing... though not to me!! ;-)

When Psychology comes in Photography!!!

I was wandering in the web as usual, and I stumbled upon this page...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsuler/

Hats off to John Suler!!

Sea side drive

Moments frozen in time... It gives you pleasant memories.
Moments when you feel that there is a perfect blend of your soul with the soul of the world.
This morning, I experienced it.
Yes!! A view of beautiful sea shore with a gentle drizzle and cool breeze...
Listening to my favorite songs from nano...
What else can be more beautiful??

(I came back from Pondicherry to Chennai in the East coast road early this morning.)

moonlit sea

First time in my life, I watched the sea in full moon light...
“Ecstasy” would be the right word to describe what I felt.

Shimmering sea, roared as it splashed on the rocks,
busily turning it into sand...

the rock was losing a millionth part of himself,
to the sea, who was trying to reach the moon,
failed and hit him instead!!

I couldn't speak a word for a long time...
sat silently on one of the rocks
and stared at the mighty beauty
If u wanna feel what I felt, Go to a beach on a full moon night!!!

Halcyon days - part 1

7 of us... we have less than a month of staying together!!!
2 years of limitless pranks and growing up is going to come to an end...
my heart feels heavy... may be because it carries all these loved ones...
looks like most of my meager weight comes from there.
my friend uma calls it "giant wheel effect" her stomach seems to churn about our days of living together coming to an end.
Afterall change is a partner of life uma... it is a dedicated wife to life :(

Dream again!!!

I slept, and dreamt that life was beauty;

I woke, and found that life was duty.

Was thy dream then a shadow lie?

Toil on, poor heart, unceasingly,

And thou shalt find thy dream to be

A noonday light and truth to thee.

-Ellen S. Hooper

Have you ever dreamed you were a butterfly?

Fluttering here and there. Not a care in the world.

Then you awake, and indeed you are you.

Did you really dream you were a butterfly?

Or somewhere in the universe is there a butterfly, dreaming it is you?

(courtsey: to the one who wrote this... yeah i don't know who.)

Roads of India

I was wondering how ladies of the past who conformed to the *"rules of good lady", managed to be so...
Well, let me explain the basis of my doubt. I was walking from the cafeteria towards my work place... I was alone and lost in thoughts... so, i was staring at the road while walking... There was a profile of a Toad (hey this is not some DW tool, it is a real toad)... poor thing got smashed by one of the cars parked there... Yuck!!! So, I had to walk the way Mahakavi Bharathi (a well known patriotic tamil poet) wanted from a "Pudhumai Pen" (like me ;-)) : "Nimirntha Nadayum, Nerkonda Paarvaiyum" (that means, "Strides that are erect and a look that is straight" don't ask me if those old ladies had a crooked way of walking and looking... they just bent their heads down)
This made me think of our Indian roads. Don't ever dare to look at the road while walking, even out of "adakkam" or "thoughts" especially when u r @ chennai. you'll end up vomiting... As the road belongs to every man here... He makes use of it perfectly... as his dustbin, W.C, or a place to throw off his mucus... (to be fair, replace he with she wherever it is applicable)

* There was a tradition in India that women should walk with their heads down, (don't worry there was not much traffic in those days!!!, they won't be hit by tanker lorries ;-)) and Subramaniya Bharathi, A great poet protested. And tried to save women from this plight.

Weekend!!!

I cursed myself for sleeping all the time... Hence I decided to go to odyssey hoping to spend my time usefully!!! (atleast by staring at those unbought books!!) i happened to see this book "The joy of laziness" ;-) It had some facts like how being lazy reduces heart problems and helps you live a longer life!!! I was so tempted to buy it... but something in me screeeeeeeeamed... "you don't have to justify ur laziness meena!! u know damn well that its wrong!!! what is the use of living longer if u are wasting ur life out of laziness???!!!!! @#$%&" well... it sounded reasonable. Had to listen to that part of me. Still couldn't resist buying a book... finally bought "The Alchemist" - Paulo Coelho. Have read this excellent book b4 (thanks to my friend who lent it to me)... Now i'm a proud owner of it!!!

"I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires."

Dedicating my first post to my master and love, Kahlil Gibran.