Idle musings

Sadness is a quagmire that readily draws you in at the slightest hint of unease. You wallow in it, let it swallow you up and your eyes run dry. When you finally let the light back in and your lips curve up, you realize a little late that grief stimulates your muse and art emerges forth. Strange are the ways in which our minds work!

It is almost always about a troubled childhood. In Sons and Lovers , Paul is the victim of said scenario. He is so troubled by the abuse showered on his mother that his protective instinct takes over, to such an extent as to transcend the accepted borders of the mother-son relationship. Gertrude, on the other hand, is highly possessive of her son and seeks in him the security and companionship that her husband failed to offer. 

Maintaining human relations is a delicate affair. People can boost your confidence as well as shatter it in a second. Do not let your mind dwell on the silences or the unsaid. Pull out the weeds of doubt and sprinkle your thoughts with positivity.

Sometimes, gazing at the clouds, one can't help but wonder if an army of them aren't following the Sun god, as He lights his mythical golden chariot, drawn by seven majestic horses. At the outset, we see only dark wisps floating gradually over an azure sky, though, which is nevertheless captivating enough to elevate us to flights of imagination.

Enough has been said about the need for humanity to slow down and take a breath from time to time. Take for example something as simple as a bus ride, something that might seem mundane, but can be done a little differently if you think about it. I am not claiming that travelling by bus through the dusty,clogged and often stinking streets of the city, barrelling ahead through honking traffic is romantic, but you could change up the pattern. Start out early in the morning, catch a different bus, take a different route, or choose to travel by train. Befriend a stranger. Gift an unsuspecting child selling knicknacks. Look outside and see life brimming around you. Feel amazed at how you missed so much for so long!

Why be arrogant? Anything could happen to you at a given moment of time. A piece of metal could fly into your eyes. You could sprain your ankle while walking out with your first paycheck, get pickpocketed or get run over by a speeding truck. Life can change in a matter of seconds. Be humble, always.

The smooth hands of slumber swept her in as the leaves tilted to the breeze and soft music poured in from elsewhere.

These days, the fact that people are increasingly attached to their possessions could not be clearer. You judge if someone is home by the presence or absence of their vehicle(s) on the porch. You assume someone is free if they are 'online'. Do go through this relevant piece written by Pico Iyer: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pico-iyer-author-technology-human-beings-india-today-conclave-2017/1/910748.html

Recently, I saw an ad of a renowned builder banking on sentiments (again), with a father declaring the need for his son to be connected to the earth - to walk barefoot on the soil, feel the rain, et cetera. You get the picture. Of course, your kids can do that only if they live in posh villas in the heart of the city. Splendid idea. Groundbreaking, really. Here's another one - a major electronics company has come up with a unique idea - artificial light according to the time of day. How convenient! You don't have to step out of your four walls and see the sun at all. One more reason to stay glued to your smartphone. Why am I even surprised? The way multiplexes cash in by cluttering one's movie-watching experience with tiring commercials is incomprehensible. As if the repeated cosmetics and tobacco ads are not enough, there are movie promotions and the exhibitor's self-promotion. It's exhausting.The newest development is a 'loo break' a.k.a intermission af...