I Hold my Key to Happiness

There are days when everything feels dull. Even rain fails to raise your spirit and mile long traffic jams make resistance futile even for the most resilient among us.

By afternoon you are angst-ridden, irritated and wondering, why did you even get out of the bed in the morning? 

Often, such questions defy answers - especially if it is a Monday like today! 

So, I try going existential and ask myself questions like, 'Can a whole life be lived in a single Monday? Or Can one evening of your life be the most important and most exciting of your life?

The answer I feel is, yes.

These moments that pass us by at breakneck speed are ours to either fill with happiness and laughter so that they become framed in our memories as happy events.

Why else would I hold on to a memory from age three, where my ma after dressing me in a yellow T shirt with a couple of dancing foxes embossed on it and dousing me in baby talc, gives me a hug calling me "shonamoni"?

Or when at age 5 I had to clean up all the toys after my toddling sister who declared very grandly, "I know how to play, but not how to clean up." I was not angry. Mildly irritated but, immensely tickled by her attitude. She had just learnt to speak.

   

I keep getting these flashes from far away summer vacations when we had stolen sweets from my grandmom's larder and hidden them in the coal cellar. We were of course caught red handed eating the exposed sweets and told, 'now you have eaten what all the cockroaches and bacteria has already tasted..." We thought, we were going to die!

I also remember how someone from Delhi upon looking at the Juhu sea for the first time from the double Decker bus in Bombay exclaimed, "Look. I never knew there was a desert in Bombay!"

I had looked around wondering, "did anyone else in here hear what was just said?"

Life is nothing but memories. I firmly believe that they should be happy rather than sad.

I have always taken a mental broom and cleaned out bad memories from my mind. It is easy, just clean up and throw inside a mental strong box and lock it up.

Keep the key safe. Ensure that only you should be able to open it and  no one else.

And coming back to Mondays, I have a similar strong box of happy moments where I have lived an entire short life. I just open the box and let it rain happy memories when stuck in a jam, facing a hard-to-please client or almost dozing off in a boring meeting or something much worse. Happy memories and happy times make you feel life's easy.

Also, when you look up in a bad situation and smile at another miserable soul, you make that person happy as well.

I try making happy memories in even the worst of times. I keep one eye out for that silver lining that most of us miss because we are busy being miserable. You never know when you'll need to open this treasure chest and cheer yourself up because nothing seems to be going your way at all. So, keep this key handy.

It is easy to do. Just smile and look around and everything will change around you. You are free to look away from the reasons that are causing you heartburn, ignore them even. After all, it is your life. You need to call the shots not anyone else.

Fifteen Great Ideas to do up Your Small Balcony

I love to be out in the open. I know that Delhi is polluted and dry with unfriendly seasons. But, that does not deter me. I still love to wander around and also sit outside. I don't mind spending a little bit of time everyday in natural surroundings.

After all, you can cover it a little and hide it from direct heat and dust or even prying eyes if it's out in the open.

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I hate air conditioners and feel that they are a necessary evil thanks to Delhi Summers that are relentless. I wish it would not be so aggressive neither winters such killers or eating dinner out with family would have had a different meaning altogether.

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But, I love siting out early in the morning or in the evenings. Having a cup of chai outside while waiting for the cows come home could be one of my top 10 pass times.

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There is this whole dream of mine that includes a happy place in the open where I can sit in the Sun during winters and watch the rains in Monsoons. I want to spend hours there reading, chatting, talking to friends and family...

I keep thinking of it as my secret place. Maybe, even a secret garden.

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I think plants. Lots of plants, hidden or dimmed lights and restful spaces. I think of blossoming flowers and chubby succulents.

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I think of colors. I love bold colors. Maybe a swing and some paintings on the wall.

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Maybe a desk where I can sit and work. Wouldn't it be kickass?

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Or entertain close friends!

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Last week I thought of start work on designing one and here are some great ideas I came across. I thought of sharing them with all of you out here in case you want to do up yours too.

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Happy designing your patios and varandah / balcony!

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