- Oreo Cookie Shake – Yummy shake at Baskin and Robbins
- Home-made pizza – Long live Mani
- Playing with the iPad 2 at Croma! It was great fun!
- Google docs! Don’t know how we shared documents earlier?!
- Sashank – Thanks for keeping me company
Revisiting Gratitude Day 3
Now for today’s gratitude list:
1. Learning:
I’m grateful that DRI is a learning company. It’s amazing sometimes how much I resent having to learn and grow, but in DRI there is no other way. Just being there makes me want to learn, be better and grow. Bhumi, which is the other organisation I am a part of, is also like that. I am thankful for these opportunities in my life!
2. Our team lunch:
It’s awesome when impromptu lunches happen We get to hang out, crack jokes and have fun!
3. The Deep Red Ink office:
I’m thankful I have a place to work.
4. Our Chaiwallah:
He makes the most awesome chai!
5. Time to unwind and relax:
Don’t have it on all days.. but today I did. No urgent, pressing deadlines and no extra pressure
Thinking that I need pictures, maybe I will make it a photo-only post tomorrow.. that will remind me to be in gratitude all day.
Revisiting Gratitude Day 2
I didn’t actually write this post on Day 2! Was actually too depressed to write at first and “loitered” online for sometime. Eventually, I did find enough things to be grateful for, but was too sleepy. So here goes,
1. A monthly salary:
Working in a start-up is tough! I sometimes still can’t believe I co-founded Deep Red Ink. I knew nothing about entrepreneurship or how one conducts business – not in a formal way anyway. After one and a half years, I can thankfully say that I am paying myself. It still gives me a great kick that I write and sign my own cheque every month. And, it is a matter of pride. Thank you Deep Red Ink, I’m greatly honoured.
2. Teachers:
Kiran figures here again! He and I had an enlightening chat conversation last night – gave me a lot of insight and made me feel loved. Before I had the chat with him though, I made the customary SOS call to Mujeeb. Thank you Mujeeb for being the wise man you are. And thank you for being my friend and teacher.
3. My computer:
It’s been over a year since I bought my Mac Pro. It has served me well. I’m really grateful that I own it
4. People who miss me!
Every time someone says that to me, I feel really loved. I’m grateful that I have enough memories and wonderful relationships
5. My car:
It’s awesome. It takes me places. It’s still a pleasure to drive. It’s also a place were I feel safe and comfortable
Revisiting Gratitude
Been kind of down in the dumps lately… At the end of the day I’m left feeling tired and complaining. Mostly my complaint is that I don’t have fun any more.
So… What am I doing about it?
On Monday, I read these lines in ‘Notes from the Universe’ a delightful newsletter I subscribe to
“All that you need to have all that you want, Deepti, will be provided, as if by magic, once you know what you want and do something about it every day”
And today, Amulya, an intern who joined us, read my blog and came across my 7-day positivity experiment.. So I thought, why not revisit? Let me try this for another week and see what magic unfolds.. Here goes
Today I am grateful for
1. My family – I am so grateful to be part of my delightful family. These days I am so occupied with work that I barely spend any time with them, yet my parents always look out for my well-being. Lately, I have been able to observe that they have their own challenges but they have always, in their own way, kept my happiness as a priority. Thank you Mamma and Papa. I am also grateful for my little brother who’s the light of my life! I am grateful for the relationship we share
2. The Notes from the Universe- This is the most awesome newsletter I’ve subscribed to. Speaks to the believer in me.. Thanks also to Kiran for recommending this to me
3. My phone! I love my iPhone! So I started using the phone with a lot of reluctance.. But now I’m hooked! I am using it to blog right now and I find it amazing
4. Yoga – I am so grateful have the opportunity to learn and practise Yoga. I am also grateful to my teachers Apoorva and Saras for being so incredible. I am glad that I have had the chance to learn and explore the Sutras through Apoorva, Saras and Raghu – each with their unique style of teaching. Thank you!
5. Mangoes! It’s almost the end of the season.. I am glad I have had the chance to experience a summer full of the most delicious mangoes. Thanks to Reshma aunty for sending Alphonsos from Pune and to various other friends and relatives in Hyderabad who have sent mangoes grown in their farms/ gardens.
That ends Day 1. More tomorrow..
Two years..
I stop to look at myself in the mirror
I think of you as I look at my reflection
At night when I’m about to get into bed
You smile back at me,
Your photograph at my desk
It’s almost as though we have a conversation in my head..
I remember you in desperate times
When I badly need a friend
I cry out for you in frustration
When I open my closet and see your clothes
Sometimes I don’t know what to do
With the dull ache in my heart
When I think of this day
Two years ago
Other times I am happy
That we could share crazy memories
And fun nights
Two years have gone by
Many things have changed
But I still wish you were here
Love you a lot..
Colours
Little sticks of wax
Red. Yellow. Green. Blue
So pretty on their own
Blend into different hues
Little tubes of liquid
White. Gray. Purple. Gold.
Have a story to tell
What secrets they hold!
Pots of precious glitter
Pink. Silver. Orange. Brown
Like bits of magic stars
Delight as they shine down
These pictures capture
The years I’ve left behind
The look of awestruck wonder
And the giggle of a child
Must I really write?
Must I really write
To feel complete?
Must I really drop my thoughts
and not compete?
Why should this flow
Stop me on my tracks?
Why must the lyrical
Tease me till I crack?
It’s as though a torrent inside
Waits to break free
As soon as I see blank spaces
I’m issued a decree
A word’s not really a word then
It becomes a brush
With which I can paint
The song of a thrush
And the moment becomes beautiful
More than I can describe
All I want to do is
Be nature’s scribe
Then there’s a dizzy spinning
A quick blood rush
And I never want to stop
Though my mind goes ‘Shush!’
And then sometimes, my heart,
It knows this is the end
And the flow says
‘Goodbye! Later, my friend’
Sometimes I write poems
To figure things out
At other times
The poetess just calls out
And when I read to myself
The songs that I wrote
There’s a funny feeling
At the base of my throat!
Sometimes my heart
Just wants to be heard
At other times it’s inspired
by ‘the song of the bird’
Everytime, I think
Can’t do this anymore
The ‘One’ inside says
“Here’s another one, and then some more!”
“So when does it stop?”, I say,
“Well, I hope never!”, says the wise one,
“It’s a gift”
“It’ll stay”
Till then I guess I must write
To honour the call
And hopefully to some
This verse will enthrall!
Dil Ki Aawaz
Woh kya hai jo duniya chahti hai mujhse
Mere dil ki ghazal
Mere mann ka taraana
Ek boond hasi ki
Woh muskurana..
Kyun bhatki hu main darbadarr?
Jab dil bas keh raha hai
Meri aawaz suno
Pyaar ka raag suno
Yeh raag hamesha hai tumhare saath
Bas pakde rehna hai apne dil ka haath
Itna chota itna saral kaise ho sakta hai woh raaz?
Kyuki pyaar hi hai dil ka saaz
Pyaar yahaan hai
Pyar abhi hai
Ise dekh paana
Bus yeh hi zindagi hai!
The Treasure
Bare white walls
When etched with the name Divine
Become sacred
A blank canvas,
When splashed with colour
Becomes a picture
Sheets of paper.. gone awry
Become a story when
Adorned with words strung together
A dash of vermillion
On the forehead
Speaks of love and loyalty
And commitment forever
The empty hollow.. of the bamboo
Becomes sweet music
When touched by lips
When your thoughts
Of love and gratitude
Become my gift
It becomes a treasure
To be cherished forever…
Moments..
Tender moments
Of words unspoken
Quiet smiles exchanged
Of promises unbroken
Glances that speak
Lips that seek
Of childish glee
And sometimes gilmpses
Of stark reality
Of heart-stopping looks
Of wonderment
and excitement
Of soft touches
tight embraces
A flash of anger
A tear slips by
A suppressed sigh
Heart melting
when you brush my hair
out of my eye..
A pat on the back
A look of delight
A pinch on the cheek
My nose you tweak
Gentle whispers
That speak to my soul
Laughter that threatens
To go out of control
Infectious giggles
Torturous tickles
Sour looks
That remind me of pickles
I live my life
For moments like these
Give me some more..
Won’t you please?
