Bieng "moms"

    Back in college I was most of the time only listening to some of the serious discussions that happen amongst friends. The context of the discussion can be anything - from relationships to opinions, confused state of minds, etc, etc ... Normally some of my friends used to do all the talking (with content though) and i used to be passive participant of any such discussions. May be because I didn't know what to speak or I didn't read as many books as they did so as to recollect something and speak.

   Now i think the times have changed. Today (25th February 2009) I played an active part in a rather serious discussion. I got to be "moms" ... for those of you who are confused "moms" is a term we use to address a best friend. There is a lot of emotion attached in the tone we use that word in. Just the tone you say it in conveys a lot of emotions like anger, frustration, agreement, etc, etc, Any way, coming back to me being "moms" ... one of my friends was feeling a lot down today ... so what did i do ? I stepped up to the occassion and spoke to that person. 

   We went to a place where we can sit down and then i listened (dono if i listened intently)  to what my friend had to say. I was initialy confused about what to say as i was clueless how to react. I took my time, and then started being "moms" - Basically her (alright it was a she) problem was frustration with some of the latest happenings.  So i started off by saying "leave office at office and go home being urself" although I myself didn't understand it! ... but then i started stepping in her shoes and tried out something.

   I had read an article which suggests ppl to remember something good about themselves before going to bed. This makes them to be filled with positive attitude and removes all the negative and bad thoughts filled in their minds in a days due course. The memory can be anything happy. It can be an instance which made you smile, laugh, proud, etc. So i told this person to go home and read some of the Orkut testimonials written for her. Soon i noticed a hint of frown reducing from her face. Then i went on ... "have a look at your college snaps with buddies recollect your happy moments - basically go to a happy place." No sooner i was done making this statement i noticed that the frown had completely dissappeared! it had become a smile! That's when it struck me - I had actually imparted some wisdom. Now i could see the face what "moms" did when my friends spoke to me similarly in the past.

  Trust me! its a great feeling. When u manage to get a smile on someone's face without even cracking a single joke! Its hard ... but totally worth it. In the end when I dropped her off at her place, I was feeling good about myself - that I was able to spread some joy and share some thoughts which are non-technical and made sense. On my way over to my place ... i was thinking about all those ppl and articles that have positively influenced me (there are others who influenced me otherwise also but let's not get into that now). So what's my conclusion - read a lot and observe situations a lot coz you never know when they may come handy. In the end - a biiig thank you to all "moms" 

    Man! this is one senti blog I think ... don't worry I'll be back with a funny one.

Mr & Mrs. College buddies

Today (the 19th of February 2009) is a day of many firsts for me. Today is the day i dared to take time off work to attend a wedding (if you know me then u'd agree that its low probability). Take time off is an understatement ... i took a whole day off! which wedding ? well 2 of my very very good friends from college got married today.

    2 of my class mates ... of the gang of about a bunch or so, where we had our good and bad times together ... bunked class together, despised some "lecturers" together, studied together, made each other laugh ... so on and so forth. Its not every time you get to be on both the bride and groom's side. Lemme tell you - the feeling is different. You get to tag along any relative of either one of them who's ragging the couple.

   We stayed at the wedding the whole day - until the time when they had to vacate the wedding hall! I also learnt a lot of logic and purpose behind some of the rituals that happen during our weddings - thanks to my friends again. Most of all i like to answer to a question like "neevu heNNin kade na gandin kade na ?" as "ibra kade noo!" We made friends with the bride's dad ... at the end of the day, he proudly told his daughter that he's found his gang! He was sharing some instances from the time he was as old as us ... he's got some interesting stuff to share.

   Well coming to the purpose of this blog: Arpitha and Kumar - the newly weds - i have known them individually and now i know them together - they couldn't get any cuter! 

poornamadah poornamidam

   poornaat poornamudachyate... so goes a Vedic verse which speaks about something that's complete. I have been reciting this verse all my school life without actually bothering to completely understand it. Today Gowri (my friend) brought up this word "poornamidham" in one of our on conversations over the internet. This one word brought out a whole set of thoughts, ideas, expressions out from all 3 of us (me Pavan and Gowri). Next thing you know ... we are trying to find out answers ... to sayings like "history repeats itself" and in what tone/sense its used.

    This might seem gibberish for a third eye ... but for me, I feel one word is all it takes to ignite some real good thoughts in a persons mind. Next thing you know, you are thinking about things that you think is not so important ... but in reality they are. Well am i sounding philosophical - i'd like to blame Gowri for this ... or should i say thank Gowri.

    Coming back to Poornamidham, the Vedic verse when translated (its impossible to correctly do it) means: "something that is complete and when given away, remains complete and the part that is given away also is complete." I believe in learning with an example ;) and so I start searching for a real life or real time example of any thought or concept. Then its struck me - what is still complete even when you give something away ? Knowledge! of course... its knowledge - 

    If you understand something completely then you are knowledgable. You can transfer the same knowledge to someone else ... but your knowledge will still be the same - complete. And the part of your wisdom that u've impressed on someone is still complete - poornamadah poornamidam. So true!