That Winter night felt icy,
Touch of your hands kept me warm;
My Summer had finally arrived!
Summer
Tag: Friendship
You are all you have….
Today while cleaning my bookshelf I came across my old diary. I randomly opened a page where I read the below excerpt dated May, 2014…almost six years back…
“Melbourne, the city of music, food and culture. The city which has embraced the culture of the world in itself. The city knows how to enjoy life, how to sing fearlessly, dance frictionless and live endlessly! It’s been more than a year here and I have never even looked at it honestly. But today, when I smell Autumn, I feel I am still alive, somewhere inside.
What do I love most about the city? Oh, the maple leaves, just love them! Red, green, brown, yellow, so many coloured maple leaves, I just love them! They teach me life, they make the city colourful, they are just so Victorian!
Now it’s Autumn here, the city is all Red! The smell is fresh and wild. The weather is calling. When I walk alone and the strangers smile back, I feel less scared, I feel more like home now.
Do I love Melbourne? Why not! The city has changed my life in just a year. It has taken away everything but returned back my own self to me. I am knowing myself now and honestly am much better a person than many! I now love myself, take care of myself and don’t have to rely on anyone! I love this unconditional me. Everything is gonna be okay.
When I see people, street artists dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, so carefree, on the road, with all their passion, I feel strong. I feel I can make it…make it to live, to love and be loved.
Melbourne,
May 24th, 2014”
I couldn’t stop smiling and also had tears after I read this. The innocence in the writeup and gust of emotions hit me, but what amused me the most was my positivity!
Today we live in a strange time. COVID-19 has taught us many life lessons, shown us the reality of many friends and family and also made us value both things and people more. Life is never easy and you don’t need a virus to remind you that! But we have to sail through, we have to at least try…after all these years, whenever I see someone on the road, walking sadly, I smile at them because I know that once I was that sad person and how powerful a simple smile can be. The tiniest gesture of kindness can heal a soul, mend a broken heart and bring happiness to someone. We all are flawed, none are perfect, we make mistakes and learn and then make the same mistakes again. We all are fighting our own battles and hence kindness matters, more than before now. Treasure your loved ones but most importantly, treasure yourself, you are all you have! 🙂
The Human Touch!
Last few weeks I have been feeling fervently quite low due to several reasons. Mood swings, unsolicited tears, drifting apart in solitude etc. Guess we all go through this phase once in a while in the journey of life. Not everyone is perfect or let’s say none of us are perfect!
When I have my lows, I feel that, the moment a dear one comforts me or even speaks to me in a kind way, I feel like I’ll break down and can’t control my tears. Even if someone just touches my shoulders in a comforting way, I feel like a kid and start crying. It’s probably an accumulation of my emotions which just comes out with the human touch. After the tears leave me, I feel so much better!
I have observed that the human touch work wonders to me. Holding the hand of a close friend while walking the known pathways, giving a good-bye hug, greeting someone with a peck and a hug and similar small gestures of being human is sometimes healing. Many of us stay by themselves and don’t have family nearby. There is understandably a feeling of loneliness and solitude. But when another human, who loves you, makes their presence felt, you feel happy, you feel there is someone who cares!
The world these days is delimited by definitions, it was not so when I was a kid. If two guys walk with their hands on each other’s shoulders, we blotch them as ‘gay’, similarly if two girls kiss, we say they might be ‘lesbians’, or if a guy and a girl hug each other, we say they might be dating! Things were not like this when we were kids, we used to happily walk hand in hand with our friends, be it a guy or a girl. We would kiss and hug each other without thinking even once! It’s so easy to show hatred, have fights, arguments, even kill each other, then why is it so hard to love each other just as humans without the discrimination of race, cast, creed or sex! When our parents love us, when our grand-parents hug or kiss us, when our friends cuddle up next to us, it’s all a very human touch! It makes us feel alive, feel a part of the world, feel human!
The human touch is therapeutic to me when am feeling low. I used to cling on to my bestie all the time whenever we would travel, and she would always shrug me off from her and ask why I am ‘glued’ to her all the time =)! I would reply saying that we live in opposite hemispheres, when you are with me, I want to feel your presence! Well, each of us is different in our own ways and how we feel or how we heal. But I guess the small gestures of love which I call as the ‘human touch’ is necessary to signify the presence of love in this world without the precincts of demarcations!
If it’s easy to show your hatred, trust me it’s easier to show your love! Just hold your friend’s hand while you walk, give your mom a hug when she is angry on you, tell your sister how much you love her and care for her and that you are always there, call your father more often, smile at the passer-by on the road. We all have our pains, all have our own battles to fight, the small gestures of love keep us going. Life is all about the small things, cherish them and smile! xoxo
Noosa – Sea, Sand and Sunshine
The place
My friends and I decided to travel to Noosa this year January. Noosa is located on the southern end of Queensland, an Australian state and is in the Sunshine coast. Noosa Heads, a town and suburb of the Shire of Noosa is located approximately 136 kilometres north of Brisbane, the state’s capital and is in the main hub.
We flew to the Sunshine coast airport from Melbourne and then rented a car from the airport and drove down to the Peregian beach where we had booked our accommodation. It’s a scenic 24km (approx) drive along the coast with the sea in sight now and then. We had booked our stay through Airbnb and must admit that it was one of best houses we ever stayed!
On the way to the Peregian beach we stopped for lunch and had some wonderful Thai food. The weather in January was hot and a bit humid too. However, the sunshine was welcoming and the beautiful beaches stole our heart.
The beach was even more mesmerizing in the night! The starlit night, the lashing of the waves, the quietness and the companionship made us cherish every moment and feel at peace.
A Day well spent
The next morning, after a good night’s sleep, we decided to explore Noosa by ferry. We boarded the ferry from the Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club and there begun a wonderful journey in the Noosa river waters. It was a beautiful sunny day, the sky and the river water was clear blue and the weather was impeccable for a river cruise. We disembarked at the Sofitel Noosa Heads and gallivanted in the Hastings Street famous for its boutique shops and restaurants.
We had a wonderful Indian lunch at Kali Gourmet Indian restaurant . The restaurant had delicious Indian food and warm and welcoming staff. We then explored the beach at the Noosa Heads and the colourful boutique shops in the Hastings street.
We took the return ferry in the afternoon and then decided to view the Sunset from the Laguna Lookout in the Noosa National Park. It was a spellbinding sunset. We were captivated by the landscape and life felt good!
Fraser Island – Adventure reloaded
The next day we had planned a day trip to the famous Fraser Island. The Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island stretching over 120km. We got picked up by the tour providers at 6am and then headed off to our first stop where we boarded a four wheel drive tour bus. We crossed the Noosa river in the cable barge and stopped at the Rainbow beach for morning tea. It was a scenic journey so far and the rainbow beach was true to its name.
Next, we had a rocky ride inside the forest area to the crystal clear freshwater Lake McKenzie. It was an absolutely beautiful lake with tropical turquoise water, fine white sand and surrounded by forest. After our rocky ride, the lake was welcoming and we immediately jumped onto the water. We spend time in the lake exfoliating ourselves with the white sand and splashing water on each other. It felt like we voyaged back to our childhood! Soon we felt hungry and were served delicious “Aussie style” bush barbecue with a varied assortment of fresh salad and drinks. We stuffed ourselves and soon it was time to head back to the mainstream.
On the way back, we dropped by the magnificent Rainforests. We walked inside the cold, dark pathways of the forest. It was thrilling and we praised nature at every step. The luxuriant canopy of palms and vines made each moment memorable.
We returned back by evening, tired yet rejuvenated!
The Experience
My friends and I have a busy life in Melbourne like many others. We planned this trip to Noosa with an agenda of relaxation and holiday. On the last day of our trip, we had checked the boxes! Noosa is not only one of the most beautiful places we had visited but it felt like the sea, sand and sunshine have hitched to make Noosa magical! If you love beaches, Noosa is where you should be! Every moment we spent here was full of awe! Australia has many beaches and I have visited many of them, yet Noosa had its own appeal and will make me come back again when I want to liberate and revive myself! Noosa, you stole our hearts with your charm, see you again someday! Till then, keep travelling!
Bendigo..a quaint Victorian city!
The Journey
It was the Easter weekend and my friends and I had decided the weekend away to Bendigo which is around the centre of the state of Victoria and approx.150km north west of Melbourne, Australia. The best way to travel together was to go in the V/Line train which departs from the Southern Cross station at regular intervals and reaches Bendigo in approximately 2hrs.
After having a delightful train ride with picturesque view on both sides, we reached Bendigo. The weather was perfect and the sun was shining bright. We walked our way to our accommodation at the Old Crown hotel which was around 10mins walk from the V/Line train station. The city was well organised with small unique shops and cafes. There was zebra-crossings at every place for ease of the pedestrians and the people around seemed warm and friendly. We placed our bags in our hotel and then headed off to explore the scenic city.
Central Deborah Gold Mine – a thrilling experience!
We had pre-booked our tickets at the Central Deborah Gold mine which boasts of Bendigo’s golden heritage and was a “must-visit” in our list! An old gentleman greeted us at the gold mine and guided us towards the mine tour guide Natt. Natt welcomed us with a big smile which spoke heaps of how passionate he was of his job and presented the safety instructions in his soft yet firm voice. We went down the gold mine in an antediluvian lift where we were equipped with safety gears like helmets with lights on them. It was all very fascinating to us and we could already feel the thrill of the underground mine trip. The temperature was quite less underneath and the pathways were wet and sometimes a bit muddy. Natt took us through trails inside the mine and stopped at designated stops and shared us the history of the place and also made us aware of the life of a miner, the equipment they used and the hardships they faced operating in mines!
We were both fascinated by the facts and sad envisaging the challenging life of a miner. The trip ended in around an hour and we came out in the bright sunlight with a bagful of memories and cognizance. We also visited the Gold Mine museum, attended the gold-digging workshop and had some fun finding precious gold and gemstones!
The Vintage “talking” Trams – time travel to History!
After the Gold mine tour, we grabbed some food near the Pall Mall and decided to do the Vintage tram tour! We could see frequent trams plying in the city and jumped onto one of them. An old tram conductor approached us and gave us the tickets. He also obliged us by posing with us in one of the photographs inside the tram, for our memory! He was such a kind, wonderful gentleman. He told us that he is a volunteer and that two-third of the members of the Bendigo tramways are volunteers. When we asked why he was volunteering for this fascinating profession, he said he is trying to conserve the endangered species called ‘tram-conductors’!
The tram took us to multiple stops including the Bendigo Tram Depot, Central Deborah Gold mine, Lake Weeroona and Joss House Temple. There were two or three different trams which were painted artistically and looked distinctive.
Bendigo City – quaint and contemporary!
We visited the major sightseeing spots at Bendigo in the Tram and we got down from the tram near the Pall Mall. The city was full of vibrant colours of autumn, busy cafes & restaurants and happy faces. Some astounding vintage cars zoomed across the city and made us awestruck! There was also a Vintage car exhibition and Easter carnival which attracted tourists from far and near considering it was the Easter weekend.
Another remarkable spot in Bendigo city is the famous Shamrock Hotel which is known for its historic and architectural significance. The hotel was built in 1854 as the Exchange Hotel and then rebuild and rebranded several times. The hotel was the accommodation of choice of visiting dignitaries in Bendigo during the gold rush time! The hotel not only boasts of the history of Bendigo but also is one of the best accommodations in the heart of the city and a suitable eatery.
The Bendigo Information Center is also worth a visit with the friendly staff, an exquisite collection of souvenirs and heaps of information on Bendigo and the places to visit.
The experience
In short, the overall experience in Bendigo was very peaceful and relaxing. The city has its own history & culture, some nice eatery, beautiful scenic views and warm & friendly people. Would highly recommend if you want to experience the small-town-life of Victoria and the one of the best weekend gateway from Melbourne. Easy to access and nice to visit. Leaves a smile on your face all day and you return feeling fresh and rejuvenated! See you again Bendigo and thanks for your hospitality!
My friend at the Cafe!
I have a friend at the coffee shop. I don’t know her name but she knows mine. She also knows what coffee I usually order. Every morning, one of the motivations I have, to come to office, is my coffee and a small chat with my friend. We talk about everything, about the weather, the food, my evenings, her evenings, about flowers and life in general.
She is a beautiful young lady with a warm smile. She talks to everyone very nicely; everyone likes her I believe. She has very beautiful eyes. Just the other day, my hands were very cold and I was freezing in the Melbourne winter. When she met me for taking my order, she was feeling bad for me and said I should buy gloves. Later, when I was going out for lunch, she offered me to wear her gloves, in case I am too cold. I felt really gratified with her gesture.
We don’t know each other well, neither we spend so much time together, but the small gestures of love make my day warm. Such are the effects of ‘being human’.
Today when I went to grab my afternoon coffee, the café was quite empty. My friend came over and offered me a cookie from her own share. I gladly accepted. Then she said today is her last day in this café! I felt a gush of sadness crept inside me. I didn’t know what to say! I looked at her and she smiled and said, “You’ll make new friends”. She said she is travelling to Northern Australia and after she comes back, she would join some other café, somewhere else. She also shared her gratitude towards me and said how nice its been talking to me all these last five months in this café.
I finished my coffee and walked up to her to say the final good bye. She gave me a hug and said, take care. I started walking back to my work and didn’t turn back.
They say, “Goodbyes are never forever”. I wonder why I felt bad when she said she is leaving, why I never asked her, her name. This is life! We make friends and then bid them farewell and then make new friends again in the journey of life. Sometimes you suddenly don’t see that same face you see everyday and search for it, faces change, everyday. Sometimes you can’t even say good bye to everyone you love. That’s the truth.
Just be nice to everyone you meet, say hi and ask how are they doing. Life is too short to have grudges. I will miss my friend at the coffee shop tomorrow, but who knows, maybe I will see another warm face saying, “What coffee would you like”? 🙂
What’s your song?
They say, “Everyone has their own song”. A song that connects them to eternity, to love, to life and to themselves. Similarly, every relationship has its own song. A song that is reminiscent of time immemorial or of something exceptional. A song is your own because it relates to some specific personal event, it is own because our life finds its rhythm and music in that song. Whenever we hear that song, we remember the event or the person to which this song is allied and treasure our solace at heart.
Some songs remind us of a journey, some remind us of home, some of our parents or grand parents, some songs remind us of friendship and some of love. Sometimes the tune of an old song takes you back to the memory lane and you even land up making a call to an old friend or a lost love. Some songs make you cry while some make you smile but every song stirs a feeling inside your heart. The tears are the witness of some painful incident with which this song was concomitant. The smile on the other hand is the evidence that this song is part of some happy memory. A song reflects the state of your heart at that instance of time and that in turn makes a song your own. You hum the tune when ever you want to revisit that occurrence of time.
Humans are very possessive. They don’t want to let go of time. They want to cling on to time either in form of a photograph or a song or a video or something tangible that takes them back to the memory lane. A song is a way to capture a moment forever. Sometimes on a gloomy day, I remember the lullaby my mom used to sing for me when I was a child, it’s a vent to revisit my childhood days. When I miss my best friend, I remember the songs we sang together on our journeys and in many of our memorable trips. My favourite songs have changed over time. Some new ones have become my favourite now and some old ones are slowly fading away from my memory with time.
I guess life is also like a song. People come and go, some stay forever and some fade with time. Lucky are those who find their song and for the rest, have you tried finding your song yet? 🙂
Companionship….
Humans have managed to define every relationship, be it mother, father, husband, partner or friend. Every relationship has their outlined protocols and precincts. We behave the way we are supposed to when we fall in one of those defined categories. But sometimes the heart subjugates the brain and the frontiers are traversed.
A companion is a person who’s just there with you, like a perpetual company. A companion can be your best friend or anyone who is with you in your journey of life without much of an expectation. Companionship is beyond just friendship even if they are sometimes synonymous. The feeling that someone is there for you whatever may happen in life is what companionship is all about.
There are days when you don’t want to talk to anyone, no one! When you just want to talk to that one person who you know will listen to you without being judgmental and just smile and say, “Everything is fine”! You might not meet your companion everyday or even every year but you know that they are there with you every single moment. This feeling is very serene and comforting. We all are so lonely in this modern world. Social media connects us but is only a reflection of our social existence, which we want to share. No one cares what’s deep inside the heart and the mind, which is personal and never social.
Companionship is a bond, which is build in a certain moment and nurtured over time by being sincere to the relationship. You will only ever be lucky to have a companion if you are true to yourself and your companion. You don’t need any commitment other than that strong feeling inside your heart to trust this one person when the world seems void. Just lend your hand and you will feel the other hand holding on to yours. Life’s good when you have a companion 🙂
The Random Conscience!
I am still a kid. I argue, I fight, I be adamant and then I cry. I am possessive, obsessed and sometimes even jealous. I break rules. I say sorry and do the same mistakes again. I am crazy, unreasonable but loveable. I like to watch the sky, the birds and the airplanes high up in the midst of the clouds. I love to get wet in the rain and play in the mud. I have a best friend. I want to drive a car and speed. I have no limits when I love. I have a mind which wanders around anywhere, anytime and comes back home once in a while. I hate definitions and boundaries. I am uncontrollable sometimes. I am loyal. I can confess. I stammer sometimes. I don’t hate pets. I am soft. I read books. I like poetry. I have favourites. I have innocence. My love is quite raw and unpolished. I like silence. I love noise. I love friends. I love music. I can’t dance but I love trying. I play games with myself. I am impractical. I am irrational. I can fight. I can win, even hearts. I love old people. I love surprises. I give surprises. I give gifts. I love camera. I love pens. I love memories. I dream. I dare. I fall and get up again and sometimes I again fall. I don’t give up. I hurt myself. I lose myself. I sometimes even find myself. I speak the truth. I am blunt. I am sharp. I am intelligent. I am the greatest fool. This is me, deal with me or let go.
P.S. I care.
My Best Friend…
She was the first one I shared my childhood secrets with. The one with whom I watched the first adult movie. Her absence taught me what “missing someone” is. She was the one to have never-ending chats and night-long discussions. Enjoying the festive seasons, crying on the regular break-ups, sharing ice creams and stupid jokes. She was just there.
Teenage transformed into adulthood. Best buddies to travel buddies. Guiding each other, celebrating our togetherness, dancing all night, singing songs while we forget the lyrics and laugh for hours. Always up for a drink. Shopping mates. Exploring life and the places together. Never busy to take calls. She was just there.
Slowly our life extended, people came and went. Bonds sometimes lasted, sometimes lost. Carefree girls became vigilant women. Life changed with the ticking of the clock. Sharing ice creams had changed to sharing the complexities of daily being. Our innocence had turned into being judgemental. Happiness sometimes was overshadowed by pain. But she was just there.
Life took different paths, went to different destinations, countries, but homecoming was always her. The mere presence meant healing. The warmth of the hugs could be felt for ages. Happiness was just looking into her innocent eyes. Her rebukes were life’s facts. Winter till summer, spring till autumn, she was just there.
Sometimes we prioritize our relationships based on our feelings, our love, our understanding. We cry for undeserving people. But we forget that one person, with whom we travelled the most cherished days of our life. Such unconditional love, so much innocence in the touch and so less expectations. That one person, whom we call “best friend”, is just always there.
Disguise Me Forever 