1. Oreo Cookie Shake – Yummy shake at Baskin and Robbins
2. Home-made pizza – Long live Mani
3. Playing with the iPad 2 at Croma! It was great fun!
4. Google docs! Don’t know how we shared documents earlier?!
5. Sashank – Thanks for keeping me company

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.

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

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..

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..

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

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!

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!

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…

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?