Pandora's Box

Spend the whole morning cleaning up my cupboard.

Omg ..!! It took me hours.

What’s wrong with me..? The clothes, cosmetics and junk jewelry I have wasted my precious time, money and energy to buy senselessly and hoard for years is amazing.

Why don’t I realize that shimmer and glimmer on the face only suits models on magazine covers?

That jeweled bidhis make me look silly and decked up.

That chunky ethnic jewelry I buy from handicraft shops looks so garish and gaudy on me that I finally just push it back after wasting time contemplating whether I should wear it with my handlooms.

They only make me resemble Protima Bedi on a bad day.


That bohemian style doesn’t suit my looks personality or my lifestyle.

That jeweled stilettos are only good to look at. They are h horrible to wear esp in evenings.

That organza makes me look fat. Organdie pricks my skin.

That drop earrings and huge hoops only make me feel my age. I would look foolish in them.

What makes me buy all thee things. Which of the seven vices..?

Is it greed? Or pride.?

Why don’t I realize that I will never use these things?

They give me some pleasure when I buy it.

But they are hardly used and just serve the purpose of irritating me. Cluttering my cupboard.

Making me realize that my lifestyle is too busy for all these things.. That I am getting old. ..


I should realize that I am a mature woman . A busy professional juggling her home and career.
That I should have a vision about the my lifestyle, personality and choices when I shop.

That I always end up wearing the same few soft simple snug handloom churidars with white Kurthas and shawls, tiny elegant jewelry and soothing light silks in mild shades that makes me feel feminine...

That my feet only tolerate soft, cushioned, snug footwear.

That all I need and use is a good cleanser, toner , moisturizer , a coral pink lipstick and mascara and a tiny black bindhi. And of course a perfume..

I was ruthless this time. Removed all the ‘hardly worn' clothes, cosmetics and footwear.. To be handed out to those who will use them, enjoy them..

And I have taken a resolution that I will only buy what I really need and use..

I will simplify my life..

Wish I could do it with my thoughts, emotions and relationships too..

Shut up..!!

“I hate it when you open your mouth.”
( angry and insulting)

“I TOO hate it when you TOO open your mouth.”
(Angry, insulted ,eager to strike back)

“Shut up! Both of you.. Don’t start in the morning itself..!!”
(loud and commanding)

:))

Snippets of conversation I heard from inside a hut during my morning walk today.. An old woman lives there with her son and daughter-in-law.

I couldn’t help agreeing with her..

We all have this tendency to score and win during our arguments.

We use hostility, rudeness, sarcasm, finger pointing and idle threats, to win at any cost..

We even bring up unrelated issues from the past..

These only serve the purpose of only hurting the other person.. destroying relationships..

The basic issue is often never addressed..

Let us avoid the instantaneous 'tit for tat' responses..

Let us try to solve the problem in a clear and honest manner.. Present our point of view respecting and validating the feelings of the other person..

Let us be conciliatory.. Reasonable..

It is always better to avoid emotive statements isnt it..?

Let us not jump into conclusions before the other person finishes speaking.. Let us face the facts with an open mind without trying to interpret (often wrongly) the other persons motive..

Maybe we need time to cool down before the discussion..

If so , let us shut up, hold out tongue, grit our teeth and if possible keep smiling..!

:))

Heart of a flower..

“When we look deeply into the heart of a flower, we see clouds, sunshine, minerals, time, the earth and everything in the cosmos in it. Without clouds there could be no rain, and without rain there would be no flowers..”

- [Thich Nhat Hanh]

Yes..! The heart of a flower.. One of the most beautiful things in this world..

Thank you jaguu for clicking this pix for me... Meeting you on that clouded afternoon was a lovely experience..


Ps. He is exactly as I had imagined him to be

:))


Well built.. and Rugged in a Tee-shirt the color of this flower..

Gentle brown eyes..

Sweet.. Sensitive.. Soft-spoken .. Unassuming..

Exactly the kind of young man I would love my boys to grow up to be..