The Oyster

There once was an oyster

Whose story I tell,

Who found that some sand

Has got into his shell.

It was only a grain,

But it gave him great pain.

For oysters have feelings,

Although they're so plain.

Now, did he berate

The harsh working's of fate

That had bought him 

To such deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government,

Cry for election,

And claim that sea should give him protection?

No-he said to himself

As he lay on a shell

Since he cannot remove it,

I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around

As the years always do,

And he came to his ultimate 

Destiny--Stew.

And the small grain of sand

That had bothered him so

Was a beautiful pearl

All richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral;

For isn't it grand

What an oyster can do

With a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do

If we'd only begin

With some of the things 

That get under our skin.

**This poem was not written by me. But since it has a beautiful message, I thought of sharing it with you, hope you liked it :)**

Lost sagacity.

Past 2-3 days, have been a blur, with political leaders flinging mud at each other, getting arrested and the chaos that followed.[Nothing new in this, though!]

The media, as it always does, focused on the riots that ensued, the losses incurred and the gory details of the news. Every news channel wanted to be the ‘first one’ to bring the ‘breaking news’ to you.

Playing the same clip of a bus set ablaze or stoning by furious mobs again and again, instills fear in the minds of common man, and the channels just cash in T.R.P. on this too clear logic. Even if the situation outside is normal, the people watching these stupid news channels, get scared and sit at home. . .I’m not saying that they  shouldn’t 'show the truth’, but hammering negative views into the grey matter of the gullible viewer is unacceptable! Instead they should focus on the core issues, like unemployment, which in the first place, caused the revolt!  India’s first mission to moon, such a significant step for the Indian Space Research, got sidelined in this hollow fracas!!!

Diversity, in a country like India, can be a boon or a bane. And communalism only fuels the latter one. . .Taking up a particular issue, and giving pessimistic revolting speeches is ludicrous! Working toward the same with a positive approach is imperative, and rarely done by politicians.Who else, but our own Mahatma Gandhi quotes better for the situation, ‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’. . .

 With our political leaders, nailing the coffin for India’s bright future, and using the divide and rule policy (!) to fill their coffers with votes, we have miles to go before the so called dream of; ‘Independent India’ is fulfilled. . .

 Cynical? Negative? Call it whatever you want to, but it’s just a 17 year old having her say at the sorry state of her country. . .

MTV reality shows.

Being a 12th standard student had it’s own disadvantages[What were the advantages?!]. 
Anyway so, the disadvantage was that the Tata sky subscription was not refilled, the purpose being ‘I’m in 12Th and CET etc.’ As if I had time to watch the T.V. with so many classes and journal completions! 
Being deprived of the idiot box, I was really excited when I went to my cousin’s place. Surfing through the channels, I came across MTV. 
After having degraded itself, with the ‘Roadies’ series, which went falling to new lows with each season, the channel has started a new Reality show, ‘SplitsVille’. I wasn't thrilled but just wanted to check out the show. Biggest mistake. The basic concept of the show is that some beautiful gals [read ‘stupid’] and 2 guys[read 'idiots'] come together and then two of these girls go out with the 2 guys and then vote out the ugliest gal. I don’t remember the details but this is the lowest possible depth MTV could fall to. Period. The channel has created the show just to cash in the TRPs. 


Is this what they think the Indian youth aims for? And that may be the case soon considering the amount of Indian youth glued to these channels. No media Sensibility, Channels like MTV have the power to change the mentality of the youth. They can create a better generation for the future India . I know that MTV is a channel associated with youth, Glamour, vogue, fun etc. But what they should realize is that 70-80% of the Indian youth does not relate with these stupid shows. They have to sail in different education streams and achieve their success.Our’s is a developing country and there is absolutely no need to ape the western countries in the concepts to be broadcasted on television. 
Today’s youth should be aware that there’s more to life than riding bikes and showing off your Dad’s money. They can make shows in which Simple yet significant things are made to look cooler [Pity that we need to do that!:( ]. At least that would have a positive impact on the gullible minds. 
How many times has MTV actually voiced social issues which are plaguing the country at present?Apart from some stars mincing their words saying, education is this and education is that. . .that doesn’t really make a difference, it really doesn’t! 


My idea: They can amalgamate glamour with some cerebral stuff like Global warming, fighting against the deep rooted corruption in the country, Getting rid of procrastination, Reaching out to their long term goals, Being earnest and aware of the various issues, Sticking to the ethics, Keeping one’s head on the shoulder during crisis etc, etc. . .which can actually help the viewer than just increasing the TRPs of the channel! It’s not that I’m not against MTV, but they have the magic wand to make important value-based things ‘hot and happening’ than bombarding the minds with glamour, fashion, riding bikes and being anorexic! 


Sorry, if I’m going overboard but I couldn’t stop voicing my overflowing concern! I just wish that MTV throws some light on important issues.[I don’t need to mention what the important issues are, there are so many! Duh!]rather than promoting stupid flirting, stripping shows whose contestants have no more knowledge than a 5Th grader! 
I realized that if I keep on watching the show, the TRP’s will increase and the channel will continue broadcasting such crappy stuff. So for the betterment of Humanity, I switched off the T.V. hoping that next time I get back, it would have changed for better. . .

Gratitude-a dying virtue. . .

As kids we were taught the virtue known as ‘Gratitude’.

‘Remember your P’s and Q’s’, was the moral science teacher’s favourite quote :)

We made presentations and charts on the topic, Got our grades and the virtue just remained a ethics topic for many.  Come to think of it now, ’Gratitude’ is a virtue many preach but few practise. When was the last time you said, ‘Thank you’ to your parents? Or, for that matter, to anyone who had helped you? However insignificant it may seem.

Saying ‘Thank you’ to your parents and people around you will elicit disbelief [Experienced :)] but they’ll feel good that you acknowledge their efforts.

A simple act of gratitude can please a person, and sometimes even brighten up their mood!

There is one scene in particular from the film ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ in which the protagonist embraces the sweeper in the ‘Jaadu ki Jhappi’ and says, ‘Thank you’!   The sense of satisfaction and well being is tremendous for both the ends! We can never fully repay the ones who have helped us.The only way to show a little gratitude is by helping those who are following.

A poem from a self help book is perfect and says it all,

THE BRIDGE BUILDER

An Old man, going on a lone highway

Came at the evening, cold and gray,

To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,

Through which was flowing a sullen tide-

The old man crossed the twilight dim;

The sullen streams had no fear for him;

But he turned, when safe on other side,

And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,

"You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day;

You never again must pass this way;

You have crossed the chasm deep and wide-

Why build the bridge at eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:

"Good friend, in the path I have come,

he said,"There followeth after me today

A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.

He too, must cross in twilight dim,

Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
--Anonymous

Result=Total Drama

June. In school days this month would signify a change. . .new books, rainy wear, the fun of getting along with a new class!

Cut to present. After giving the 12th and MHT-CET exam we were anxiously awaiting the results.Results that would change many lives. . .How clichéd was that!
Not that they stopped us from having our quota of joy :P . . .

And the D-day arrived. It was the morning of 14th June 2008.I was in a deep slumber [Yes! One day before the results!], and my nearly dead cell vibrated with all it’s strength.

A cell addict that I am, couldn’t resist taking the call. . .It was Rucha my best pal, ”Hey! Our results have been declared! What’s your score?”. . .This lady had called me at 1am to give me this news!
Of course the excitement was understandable!
Damn the DMER for declaring the results so early! I mumbled something like, “It was going to be declared at 11am. . .”.Nevertheless on her insistence I checked the website.[Hoping that it wouldn’t load!]

And lo behold! The result was declared!. . .Praying to God Almighty [As if that would have helped!], I entered my seat no. and DOB.. . .Loading. . .Loading. . .It took 10 minutes for the score card to appear.
.
.
.
.
.

Now, I hadn’t slogged away, day and night for CET [I admit that!] per se I had not expected such low scores!. . .
So now I have to wait for the Medical merit lists to be announced. . .and the chances that I get into the desired field are bleak:(. . .

This is when I remembered a song by Enya,
'Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...
Who knows?
Only time...'