INDIA

I'm just another "Average Indian citizen",for the following reasons:
1.I'm 24,n I have voted only once.
2.I have given the government my share of criticism(which is quiet a deal).
3.I have the remotest idea of how my government really works.
4.I go about doing nothin for the betterment of my country.(No,no I'm not talkin abt things like the cheetah recently unleashed by our railway minister Mr.Laloo...But lets say,somethin on a smaller scale)
I'm terribly ashamed to admit to the above said facts and i grieve.

Having said that,it took 3 international vacations to wake the "patriotic me" sleeping somewhere in my head!I was surprised,shocked rather,to discover the feelings I had for my homeland.All of the places I visited were dream holiday spots.Like any religious tourist I did visit all the must-see sites in these places,tried new food,met new people,did my share of raiding their stores and wadding through the numerous lovely things these 3 different countries had to offer.

But all the while,something was amiss.Something kept nagging me!There was no life in these countries(and I would like to think of it in any other part of the world as well.I'm sorry if I differ)except for my very own beautiful India!!Yes,mine is a big beautiful country with 1 billion n odd people and with lots n lots of life.

By life I mean spirit,the spirit of living!I see a spirit,a life in the chaos here,its there in those traffic jams,in the roadside chaat stalls,in the sunday market in pondy,the rush in stores during a sale,bollywood.Its everywhere in my country,u just cant escape it even if u wanted to!

Thanks to my vacations I can now truly and happily say"I am proud to be Indian".I wouldn't want to be born anywhere else given the chance.I have taken a vow to reform my horrifying "Average Indian citizen" life.

I hope all Indians out there,do quickly take thier eye opening vacations.Until then,"May God save the Average Indian citizen".

THE IRON MAN

My little brother,yes I would like to refer to him as "The Iron Man".He is completely composed at all times,come what may.Nothing,absolutely nothing can shake his tranquility!

He applies to one of the most prestigious colleges of the country,gets the marks needed and meets all the other requirements.All set,now all that is left,is for this Mother of all institutions to open her gates and take my bro in.Wat happens....Some loser tries the college in court and word gets out that the court has passed a verdict,for the college to change its mode of admission!!
Scenario back home----MAYHEM!!Complete panic!
My Darling brother---Unruffled!

My ever so organized Mom,the hub of our routine life is at the zenith of her menopausal syndrome,finding every possible reason(most of them yet to be discovered/invented by mankind)to throw tantrums.
Status at home---An easy guess for anyone!!
My lil bro---He sails across untouched and unscathed!!!

He posts an important document via international mail and finds out 2 days before the deadline that it has not reached its destination yet!!
Darling bro's reaction---serenity!(yeah,u guessed right)

What can shake dis boy!!!Well I'm yet to find out.But until then I will be an ardent admirer of his superhuman ability to keep calm in some of the most nerve-racking moments in life.

And mind you,my little brother always has happy endings!Things always turn out for my lil bro,no matter how bleak everything seems.

May be,God has blessed each of us with a third eye to see through difficulties and at the happy endings,which only people like my Iron Man keep open!!

KITES

Passing by Marina beach,I did wat I always do when I go down that road,look up into the sky.The sky is at its colorful best over Marina beach.It is seasoned with kites flying about at all times!

Kites,I love them.I am fascinated by them.I can sit around just staring up at a kite for hours and be happy.Kites are such happy things(assuming things have feelings).They just fly about all day long without a care about anyone down below.Just flying away in bliss.

On pondering over it,i realize all of us are like those kites,happy to think we are flying high n free!But invariably and sadly,all of us have ever so obediently given the string that controls us to somebody else-be it God,some supernatural power or just another person on this planet.Yes we let somebody else control us and being the content fools,time has made of us,we are not even aware of it.

To the few kites that have truly broken away and flown to freedom-BRAVO!