Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Fresh Beginning

Finally after about a good three months i have managed to get back to being on my own and doing what apart from other things also delivers me from boredom/ loneliness and gives me happiness . Blogging!

 When the goings get tough for me i  insist on doing something creative to get over the sad feelings that boggle the mind and soul. Many almost all these days advocate about the soul cleansing effects of Yoga and Meditation. i have not an iota of doubt about that but personally what gets me up and going is doing something novel. Something which should satisfy my own aesthetic sense and be purposeful too. So when friends or family share their problems with me i always have one and one suggestion only-" Try and do something! get creative on something that only you can do. Don't bother about the outcome because it is not an exam you must take and pass with flying colors but something that makes you happy sans the anxiety " Period
i remember telling this to an acquaintance just recently when we were comparing notes about our own state of affairs," You like baking go ahead and try something new...maybe a time tested recipe but see if you can do something of your own in that...". She was not trusting me on my solution to her own problem and looked quite uncertain when we parted but i was certain about the cent percent result of my suggestion. That is if she subscribed to it. Don't really know how far she went with hers but i practice what i preach.

Being creative according to me is a panacea for all maladies brewing in the heart. There are situations over which we have no control and the best and most effective timely cure is some ACTION.
Thus in these past few months i did manage some action of my own which apart from educating me helped me banish away my own blues plus make something out of that which was pretty much useless.
The Education- Creativity need not be totally original. The idea being to create something novel out of that which already exists. Take for example this conch shell which was a beautiful night lamp created a lamp erstwhile by me and which during this recent transportation/ shifting got damaged in a way that it could not be functional as a night lamp for anyone anymore. Well simplicity is the essence here and not much labor but the end result was something which is not simply found these days. The pleasure of DOING and deriving PURE JOY.

i did many such and now the entire looks presentable and comfortable. Walking around the approx 2000 sq ft no longer feels morbid and desolate. Apart from making the space vibrant i am once again feeling colorful too. Enough to try my effort in jolting the colony out of its egoistic reverie. This morning today and now i have decided to walk across this posh/ diplomatic and silent neighborhood and surprise the vadday vadday log ( Punjabi for people in high posts)  with a big hello and some introduction. And i am not really going to be much bothered about the type of response. Warm or lukewarm at least i will get to see some face and have an image in my mind of the ladies who stay behind those closed gates. This particular gate entices. This one which has a beautiful canopy of Madhumalati (Hindi for Quisqualis indica) shrub and the shrub not only forms a beautiful canopy over the gate but envelops the entire surrounding with its divine fragrance.
  
We have finally got our official residing quarters and upon my first visit i almost cried out not so much with disappointment but with the lack of respect for the property over which each year crores and crores of the taxpayers money is spent. Apart from the anger at the disappearance of all that money, the poor maintenance and the lack of aesthetics and functionality almost made me weep buckets and crib enough to fill the bare rooms with long sighs of despair. As usual i started with the routine. Feeling heavy and burdened with all that effort one has to take when one realizes that after all these years you are back to square one. My calls to the Inspector of Works fell on deaf years and after waiting for as much as my sane sense could afford i decided to cheer myself with some effort of my own that could make drab look novel. So here is what i did to that niche in the wall of the staircase landing which in a way looked as lonely and morbid as the colony itself.
   
Waking up on time and having promised that i should get over that starting problem and go for my health walk...
And here i was sitting in my now made presentable patio with the day breaking ahead over my head resplendent in its glory . i ought to have admired and relished the eastern sky and absorbed all that positive energy of the Brahma Vela (Divine hours) instead i find myself looking towards words forming on my colorless screen as i typed away in anxious anticipation. Anxious about sharing that which also makes me happy if not forever but enough to banish hopelessness and disgust for the way things are and look forward to fresh beginnings...
Just before i quit for the time being i would like to add one more from my own experience...
Creativity whichever way it is also makes you confident about that over which you may have doubts earlier. How about that!


15 comments:

  1. Can't fault that logic. Recently I had to wait for something (completely out of my hands). Being a great admirer of DIY I built myself a raised vege bed. Really enjoyed the project. Love your staircase creation. Hope it blossoms and flourishes.

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  2. Yes trying to do the things that you are good at, brings out the best in you. Sometimes you also discover new abilities which you are not aware of. Gardening is one of those good options which brings you close to nature and mother earth. There is nothing like planting something and seeing it grow.

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  3. Great visiting you after so many days Shivani! :D Missed you!
    and Woww! to your creativity. I really liked your idea of growing plants in a shell. It is so beautiful, like a decorative piece with life. Great thoughts on creativity. I've learned something from your today.

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  4. Wow! That's so beautiful. Have always admired your creativity from your bindis... To your dressing style ... To your interiors of the house! Always learnt from you and still learning from you! Way to go... Just loved your blog!
    Love
    Pri

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  5. @KayEm thank you :)love the fact that we share this feeling.:)

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    1. now this is what i call an inspiration.

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  6. @Joe Zach thank you for stopping by.:)Couldn't agree with you more on this
    "There is nothing like planting something and seeing it grow." :)

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  7. @ Sri Valli beautiful soul missed you too girl but hey am back and will catch up with more of you. Never can have enough from you...your thoughts and ur compositions laced with the myriad emotions. Love this appreciation from you. Thank you so much and pls permit me to say...love u girl and blessings!!

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  8. @Priyanka Mathur thank you...much obliged. Will u be disappointed if i say that so far as dressing myself up...from the bindi to the earrings to the clothes to the shoes all have gone out somewhere with the wind.Nah...not for anything but just plain and simple laziness coupled with other attractions...
    Maybe i will get it all back...lets see...
    Sweetie pie and i learnt from you too...to be optimistic and take easy. In fact just thinking about you right now makes me smile with pleasure. Vivacious, bubbly you girl spread cheer around. Loved to see u here. Hopeful now of more of ur visits...:):):)

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  9. i guess i cant be more grateful to technology than now. The smartphone and whatts app...
    This time i could finally hear all those voices that lay like invisible whispers...
    Voices of frnds viz Salila, Anita, Asha, Jayshree and Ranjana...

    Says Anita on Whatts app - "Shivani link maine pada....great yar its really gud etna kahena kafi nahi hai ki accha excellent , ...tumhara telent tum use ker rahe ho its gud for u and good for others also
    My dear I'm proud of you...gm keep it up... ur sensible writing"

    Asha the artist of a frnd had words of appreciation too - "Shivani it was really too gud and excellent... words along with pic in between. Keep it up and keep writing. Everybody cant write like this. Congrats...Asha"

    Ranjana was pretty honest when she said - "Shivi truly speaking this is ur first write up I read full n found it very interesting. I tried writing comments but it did not work. Dam gud job... as it is u r very creative...
    I would like to share goodies basket made out of waste Shivi it does help to cheer you up.
    Ranjana "
    Salila felt- "...shell & staircase wala dono mast hai... gr8 job...Salila"
    and last but not the least my always there for me Jayshree- "Hey sakhi.. sach mein yaar tu shabdo ko kitna badhiyan piroti hai.. maan gaye ustad n that steps wala ceativity.. ufffff lvng it...Jayshree"

    Yeah sure it does feel gr8 when frnds appreciate but it touched me more to sense that each took time out of their busy schedules and allotted some special time to me. And this time each in her own special way conveyed their feelings.
    Thank you so much and love you all...:):):)

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  10. Doing something creative is all about exploring a better and calmer side of you. It's therapeutic. And when we combine it with nature, it's absolute bliss.

    Good to see you back.

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  11. Gladd to see you back in action..:)
    I so agree with you on this. I was introduced to a couple of handicraft hobbies years ago that I instantly took to and am so grateful for them. Scrapbooking and even bead jewellery are activities that have kept me 'sane' on one hand and less stressed when moments called for them. Actions that take time have a dffferent positive effect than reading or some other non-physical activity. Therapeutic ? Absolutely. I thank God for the friends who introduced me to them then and for letting me have that to 'keep busy' creatively.
    In the trying times that build up over the last few years, they were a godsend... what kept my mind occupied and and space for solace in my mind.
    I suppose tending the home garden will be another something to fill my time as the kids need me less and less.

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  12. This post was in September. Where are you these days, dear Shivani. I think flowers always captivate you and you are attracted to plants, trees, flowers and all such. Wonderful to see your handiwork in your building. And yes, you are right. One should try to engage in something new to keep oneself occupied.

    Come back soon.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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  13. Awesome post as always dear Shiwani! Loved every bit of it. Sort of relaxing it was :)

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  14. Nice post!we love visiting in your blog...we will come back soon.












    gclub

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