Time-pass!

I'm back after a short hiatus. A little vacationing, a little time-pass!
Time-pass; is a quintessential Indian word. While I was growing up in Mumbai, picking up the local lingo and enriching my Hinglish; somewhere unknown to me time-pass became the all encompassing term without which no day would come to an end. It wasn't just meant to be the perfect description of a procrastinator's list of things-to-do.
What would we all do without time-pass? It can be used to describe anything from khana to people to movies to nothing at all! Terrific word I say! Why am writing this blog post? If I could then I would've written a bhai-type number in praise of time-pass. It's the kind of word which reminds me of vada pav and cutting chai. It's a little about killing time; a lot about watching the world go by without having to think too much; a little like suspended animation; a lot like the feeling you get when you kick open your shoes, slump on your couch and don't know what to do next but then again you're in no hurry to find something to do either! That is time-pass! When something/someone is just about average; they're time pass ;) That's the irony of the word; on one hand it describes a feeling of unhurried enjoyment of your time and on the other hand it could very well be the epitome of mediocrity!
Unlike pass-time, time-pass isn't meant to be filled with useful things; it's meant to be full of stuff which you will not be able to substantiate; it's meant to make you feel a little useless and at the end of the day is meant to bring a smile to your face until you kick yourself and say,"Aaj bahut time-pass ho gaya!" and then it motivates you to work; perhaps the next day or so; until you indulge in a little more time-pass! ;)

Friends

The simple joy of hanging out with your buddies; sharing thoughtless moments and laughter which will resonate through the years to come; comforting silence and jokes which only you can understand is incredible!
They make your day and know when you're down; know what makes you happy and what kills you inside; your inner circle; your favourite people; people who are just a phone call away; people who are just a mind moment away; people across the continents and people who mean the world to you! If you wanted to count your life's most precious earnings; your friendships will make it to the top of your list! It's difficult to imagine a life without these special people who make you who you are as much as your family; sometimes they just become an extended family! Take the time to say thank you to all those people you've been taking for granted in your life because you know no matter what they'll always be there!

The Missives

Some on the wings of wind;
Others at the speed of light;
Some moving as fast as a thought;
Some traveling like they fought;
Some just don't make it;
And some just wait to be lost;
Some make you laugh
And some make you cry.
Some foil your plans
And others are a perfect foil
To your day and plans.
Some have been around for years
Some were just created to live on.
Some add nothing and some everything
And some take everything away.
Missives; missives coming your way
From my generation to yours;
Did you get entangled yet?

Chefs and the world's best cooks

When I think of food which satisfies my soul, I can only think of ma's food. Moms and grand moms infuse love in their cooking and I guess you can replicate their recipes and if you keep wondering why your food doesn't taste like theirs; well where's the love? You need a heart big enough to make the world seem really small and you need hands that can nurture lives and enable people to become all that they can be :)
Now that's a huge responsibility; wonder how they do it everyday; day after day; all our lives creating wonderful memories at the dinner table unfailingly. When you're away from home, it's that love and simplicity you miss and think of fondly as you re-heat food from the depths of your refrigerator and sit in front of the T.V.
Then as I take in some food network staple, I can't help but wonder why do men outnumber women chefs? There is finesse in their cooking, you can see the love as well. I have a feeling that if dads and grand dads decided to invade the kitchen, their love would shine just as well through their perfectly cooked meals!

Cheers to families which cook together, eat together and pray together! Now, there's the love! :)

the wind's cry

i can hear the wind feeling the chill;
his bones are creaking and his spirit is breaking
but he keeps moving on; lonesome and loveless;
he is weather-beaten;
he thought that winter would keep him company but it only stole the warmth away from his heart!

i can hear the wind feeling the chill;
as the snow comes down, it'll unsettle him more
and he'll cry in pain but no one will pay heed;
they'll be too busy nursing their wounds.
lonely, lonely wind as homeless as you are, i wish i could help
but i'm afraid i can't befriend you.
be patient for the winter will tire out too
and you will get a fresh lease of life.
bid your time like you have in the past and move on wind; move on!"