What are your hobbies?

'Ugh,here comes again. Another form, another field where I have to fill in my hobbies!'

Oh, how I hate that word. Hobbies. What are hobbies anyway? Let's see. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines it as 

'a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation'. Okay. Soo,for me, that is sleeping!! 

Yes I love sleeping. I'm not ashamed to admit it! (ok, maybe just a little!) The fact is though, that outside of my 'regular occupation' the only thing I like to do for relaxation is sleep. Nothing else calms my nerves like hours tucked away in my blanket, pondering over the meaning of life subconsciously. People want to come back home and sleep when they have had a bad day. I wonder if everyday is a bad day for me then? 

Trust me, I do not exaggerate when I say I love sleeping. I love sleeping so much that there have been multiple times when I have woken up tired by all the sleeping. I love sleeping so much that after waking up after a 13 hour sleep, I have chosen to voluntarily work out to get rid of the pent up energy inside me. I love sleeping so much that my naps are at-least  3- 4 hours long. I have slept in the middle of classes, in the middle of conversations. I have slept through earthquakes. If I were given an option between meeting J K Rowling and sleeping, I might probably have a tough time deciding... 

In that context, when someone asks me about my hobbies, I am at a loss of words. I cannot say 'sleeping' - because well, hobbies are supposed to be 'productive' and 'creative'. Sleeping isn't either of that. (Although I could debate for the creative bit!). 

Admit that you love sleeping, and you will be judged - you will be called lazy, you will be told that you are wasting your time sleeping away. Quotes such as 'nobody remembers the nights they slept' will be thrown at you to persuade you for a night out. (Oh, but I remember ALL the nights I had a good sleep!). People might mock you, they would give you nicknames relating to your love for sleep. But guess what? If you love sleep, it won't bother you. Because that's what true love is. It doesn't care for judgements, because others cannot understand that bond, that feeling. Oh, how I pity those who have not experienced such love... 

And today, I will be dreaming about the world where sleeping is a respectable hobby.. 

Would you be so kind, as to not visit me anymore?

Why do you arrive, with infuriating punctuality?

When you know how well I do without you?

When each time, I wish for your ‘homecoming’ to end –

But your schedule has never any amends!

Making me dismal seems to be your speciality,

How much I detest you – I don’t think you know the gravity!

(But of course, you must have an inkling –

because could you not have sensed my heart sinking!)

Oh, Why couldn't you be more like your cousin;

Whose arrival is awaited by dozens?

The One who spreads joy, one who doesn't annoy -

The One whose sole presence is a reason to enjoy!

The cousin who when goes, leaves behind fond memories,

And takes away with him all of life’s worries..  

The one with whom we all want more time

(Although - it’s true, he never inspired me to rhyme! )

Dear Sunday Night, here is a request :

Please go away, never to come back without consent;

And even if you must, please don’t bring along, the one who attracts even worse feelings,

You know it’s your close relative – the despicable Monday Morning!  

The Right of choice

It was a wonderful day for her.She was on cloud nine. Not only had she just got her dream job, she would also soon be going abroad for the first time! She was pinching herself repeatedly to believe that it was all true - that it was not all just a manifestation of her brain.
Five years ago, she would never have imagined that such events would ever happen in her life. All her life, she had been always struggling to find normalcy. She never knew the meaning of love, the meaning of care. She had felt always felt misfit, always felt alienated. Nobody ever knew what she was going through - In school, teachers dismissed her silence as a product of her being shy. After all, there are always some shy students in the class! 
Yet, it was far from the truth. She had lost her father in a war, and that was the end of a 'normal' life for her as she knew it. Soon thereafter her mother had abandoned her to be with a man who would not have accepted a daughter. Her parents had not married for love anyway, and it seemed a convenient situation for the mother to abandon her 'undesirable' child.
She had then been adopted by a seemingly benevolent man, who catered for all her expenses; in return for a small pay. He thought she was very lucky to have been adopted by him - and ensured that she always remained aware of this fact. 
She was a devoutly religious girl, and her faith in God only increased during these tough circumstances, Him being the only one she could turn to. She believed that there was a reason that all this had happened to her; and in this process of finding answers she devoured all the religious scriptures. She devoted herself to the study of religion. She may not have found an answer, but it definitely shaped her life to a great extent.

But now, she finally had dared to dream.She had escaped the horrors of her past; and was on her way to becoming an independent woman. She was one of the few women in her profession, making her feel even more accomplished, since the industry traditionally recruited only males. It was flattering, to say the least. And she had been offered one of the most competitive positions too!

It was an year before she went on the much awaited trip abroad. Her trainings had finished, and now she was on the way for a very important project - something that might even gain her international attention if everything went well. She felt that this was the day she had been preparing for all her life. This was the goal, the purpose of her life. This is why she had been subjected to such adverse circumstances in her life, because she was God's favourite child, because she was to attain heaven after her death...

And so, chanting the name of God, she flipped the switch on her explosive vest.

A Dialogue

“Long time, no see…” came the whisper to me

“Sorry, I’ve been busy, unfortunately…”

“But this is no way you treat someone you love….”

“I’m sorry, I promise to be careful in the moments that come!”

“We’ll see, you have made that promise multiple times,

Yet you forget me for months: I do not lie!

What happened to the days you would tell me your stories?

When you would tell me your experiences and your deepest worries..

You say you love me with a passion, yet don’t you realize:

You say the same thing every time you apologize?

My dear, I’m always there, you know it’s true

Yet, is it a crime to expect that from you?

You don’t meet me often because you ‘can’t find any time’?

Know that unless you do that.. you can’t call me mine! ”

“Oh, no! My love, you are the only constant in my life,

I long to see you too, but I don’t know what to write!

When I sit and try, all I come up with is incomplete verses;

Which are not enough to fill your beautiful pages!

Many a valiant efforts I have made,

But none could transform into anything worth a stay!

I promise you today, with the world to take record:

We shall meet more often than not, my dear blog! ”

So this happened when recently my blog came to life, and this is what it had to say.. 
No, it's not a figment of my imagination! 

A year has passed!

It was twenty(something) years ago, that I was born, and I ‘met’ the best person in my life, my sister.

It was some ten years ago, that I met the best person in her life. (I was replaced, *sob*!)

It was one year ago, that the best person in my life, and the best person in her life, got married (finally!)

It was during this year, that I also realized, that I would be irreplaceable in my sister’s life (Yay! *relief*)

Congratulations Di and Jiju, for completing one year of married life. I cannot say togetherness, because God (and you both) only know how long have you been together. Seems like ten years to me….yes, people, it’s been that long!

How often do you meet someone, make them your ‘best friend’ only to end up falling in love? Yes, this sounds like the plot of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, right? I know. Love for SRK probably inspired my sister to follow the plot line, and lo and behold, the epic story of ‘A n B’ was written.

In short, they met, on the first day of college. My sister, the arrogant girl from Delhi, my Jiju, a humble and down to earth boy from Banaras. As expected, sparks didn’t fly, from either side. Both were too busy being interested in other people to notice each other.  As destiny would have it, they became lab partners, and then ‘best friends’. They were such good friends that they helped the other (try) to get their dream partner. And neither of them succeeded… clearly, they suck at matchmaking! (So don’t even try doing that for me!)

And now, imagine a cloud lifting if you will... and romantic music in the background... autumn leaves flying. The cloud lifts, and they see each other in a new light. A clichéd story to the core, they realize – ‘the one I was looking for has been here all along!’

Yes, this is the story of How they met…and fell in love. How they got married is a completely different (and long, and adventurous) story. It was years and years of persistence that finally culminated last January.  28^th January, 2014 is etched in everyone’s mind as the day nobody ever thought would come. It was a gala festival, a big celebration, the best month of my life! To see both of them finally get married and be so happy remains till date, the best moment of my life.

My sister is still the arrogant girl, from Delhi. My Jiju is still the humble and down to earth guy from Banaras…and yet they make it work.  Seeing them together makes me believe in the power of love, and friendship and family.

Di and Jiju, wish you all the happiness in the world. Both of you are wonderful, awesome, amazing, caring people, and I feel lucky to call you family. (This last part for Jiju only :P)

I love you both lots!

(And now I want some return gift. Thanks.)

(Also, Didi will probably scold me for calling her arrogant. But now it’s done)