Bathroom: A Thinker's Paradise

Ever wonder, why is it that our imaginations and ideas cross all boundaries while we are in the bathroom? Well, there probably is no science behind it or maybe, there is. Whatever be the reason, I have some theories of my own.

1.       It’s all about “ME”:  For many of us, the time we spend in the bathroom is the only time that we spend with just ourselves throughout the day. We are in an undisturbed communion with ourselves. We enable our brain to make a true connection with us, hence enabling our brain to think far ahead.

2.       Enhanced senses: All those beautiful fragrances around us, from our body wash, shampoo, moisturizer, etc, actually enhance our senses. Such enhancement helps in relaxing our brain and therefore increasing its capacity to think above and beyond.

3.       No one to judge: Alone in the bathroom, we no longer have to worry about being constantly judged by people around us. No wonder we get the best of our ideas in such a setup. We lose all our inhibitions and that makes our thoughts reach the heights we never imagined.

4.       Detoxified body breeds detoxified brain: Our metabolism works in a surprising way. When we defecate, we not only detoxify our body but also our brain. Have you heard the saying, “Healthy body breeds healthy brain”, the same things works here as well. When in the bathroom, our brain is at its healthiest best, leading to some greatest of thoughts.

5.       Brain works best after system reboot: When we get up after a good night sleep, it’s like getting up after a total system reboot and hence our brain is at its best. So when we get out of bed and get into the bathroom, along with all the above mentioned reasons, our brain produces magnificence.

I don’t know about science but these are some of the reasons why I think our best ideas are generated when we are in bathroom. Believe it or not, the idea to write this article too got generated at the same place. Hope you enjoyed it! LOL !

Do share your ideas, maybe you have something more interesting to add to the list. :D

A Different Shade Of Heroism

Heroism in day to day life is often associated with an individual’s act of bravery as a reaction to happening of an event that should not have occurred in normal circumstances. It could be saving someone from drowning in a well or a river, or protecting someone on being attacked by goons, or rescuing someone caught in fire. There are numerous such incidents where we witness how ordinary people from among us do the extraordinary things.

Today I wish to talk about another kind of heroism that although happens around us, but often goes unnoticed. Let me share with you a story of a man I came across a few months ago. While sitting at the guest house and having tea with my family, I was introduced with a man. He is a craftsman and his skill lies in sculpting wood into beautiful artefacts. He gifted us with one of his creations, which was indeed quite impressive. I didn’t get a chance to interact with him much on that day. After a few days, once again I came across him and this time he had with him a catalogue of his creations. The collection not only included pictures of wooden sculptures but also some really sophisticated cane furniture. I was amazed by the finesse in his work.

This man lost both his legs to polio when he was a little boy. Now in his 30’s, he literally had to drag himself with the support of both his hands, in order to move. He has now very conveniently replaced his legs with his hands and has accustomed himself to this lifestyle, for many years. It was hard for me to imagine someone making sofa sets and tables in that condition. Later, after about a month I found out something about him that added altogether a new perspective to how I perceived him. I found that he had married a girl who was a rape victim. This girl belonged to a local tribal community, like many other rape victims in our country; she too faced a tough time from the society and was shunned by almost everyone.

How many of us even think about something like that?, let alone acting upon it. I can’t think of anyone. I don’t know the reason behind his decision, so I am no one to judge. But irrespective of the reasons, his act of giving a lifetime support and respect to a woman who was publically humiliated for a crime she never committed, in itself is quite a heroic act for me. May be because of his physical condition he thought he might not have a chance to lead a normal life and so he decided to do what he did. But does that make him any less extraordinary?

We all talk about helping the victims of crimes in regaining their lost self esteem and hope for a normal life but how many of us truly act upon our words and actually do something worthwhile? Making a conscious decision like that, which affects one’s entire life in more than one way, is not an easy thing to do. For me it is a brave act, an act of heroism in more than one ways. There may be so many others like him around us, of who we simply aren’t aware of. I feel they should also be given their share of recognition, not just because they should be known but because they could inspire someone in ways we do not know.

Witnessing this different shade of heroism, makes me believe in the will and power that we hold inside us. We could make a huge difference not only to our lives but the lives of millions others out there, who need our support and care. We must remember that we don’t have anything to prove to anyone here. Overcoming and leaving past the hurdles in our lives is very much an act of bravery. You don’t have to be a hero to the world but yourself first. We don’t always need to read about the big and the famous to get inspired, we don’t always need to wait for an event to occur, all we need to do is to seize the moment we have. 

Heroism is about overcoming the obstacle and making a difference. I believe everyone faces difficult times and situations in life and everyone has his or her way of dealing with it. We all have a little hero present inside us; all we need to do is, find a way to bring it out. So the next time you need to get inspired, look into the mirror and feel proud of yourself.

All I wish for ...

Lying in the bed of time,

Are the memories most fine,

Each night before I sleep,

All I wish for, is to take one last leap.

Mornings echoed with papa’s songs,

It is that, what my heart truly longs,

No one knew how life would unfurl,

All I wish for once more, is to be papa’s little girl.

There was something magical about lunchtime,

Lunchboxes made amma’s love outshine,

Every bite made me smile,

All I wish for once more is to walk the same mile.

Playing with dolls all afternoon,

Having an elder sister was such a boon,

Someone to always take the fall,

All I wish for once more, is time to stall.

My little brother was such a delight,

I don’t remember a single day without our silly fight,

The bond got stronger as we grew,

All I wish for is those memories to renew.

Every summer break was a new story,

We kids added to our nani's glory,

The only time when getting fat was fun,

All I wish for is to play under the same sun.

I can’t travel back in time,

But can always cherish the memories that are just mine,

Time may have drifted us apart,

All I wish for is to keep these memories alive in my heart.

Why does innocence make no sense to some ?

"Becoming a child again is what is impossible. That's what you have a legitimate reason to be upset over. Childhood is the most valuable thing that's taken away from you in life, if you think about it.”
― Heather O'Neill, Lullabies for Little Criminals

Children are the purest form of human beings that can ever exist in this universe. Innocence can be best defined by a child's smile. As adults it is our responsibility to preserve this purity in our society. As we watch our children grow up, we relive our childhood. In a country where little girls are worshiped as living incarnations of Goddess Durga and little boys as Bhairav, almost everyday we read about little children being sexually abused and murdered.

What has our country come to become? What has happened to the people? Is there no humanity left? It makes me so angry to even think about such predators of innocence. It is so sick to read about children being raped and killed all across the nation. This crime has been spreading like a disease in our society. I wonder what goes on inside a child rapist's head? Such brutality is a ghastly truth that we face everyday in our lives. Children as young as 3 years old, have been victims of such sickness. 

No place seems to be secure enough for children anymore. Schools, tuition classes, parks, even our own homes are no longer a safe haven for our children. These criminals can be anyone, a complete stranger or someone in the neighborhood or even a relative. Trust no one blindly, but that does not mean we kill our child's freedom. What we truly need is awareness. We need to be extremely attentive to what our child is trying to communicate to us. 

Another very important aspect is to make our children aware about what is right and what is wrong, when they are interacting with relatives or some stranger. They should be made aware about how much physical closeness is acceptable and when is it right to say "NO". Also they must be nurtured in a way that they openly discuss everything with you. Safety of our children is first our own responsibility. We must do anything and everything to keep our children safe from this sick world.

We cannot change the sick mentality of people around us but we sure can condemn it and take a step forward in creating awareness. Keeping the innocence alive is the only hope for our society to remain civilized. 

It's high time we start having real conversations with our children !

Daily Soaps: Creating bubbles that are far from reality ...

Ever since the onset of daily soaps on television in India, this industry has been growing bigger everyday. We have experienced this revolution ourselves, in the past few years. These daily soaps have been a huge source of entertainment for many, and especially the homemakers of our country at large. And why not, I believe being a homemaker is a round the clock job and requires most of the time to be spent at home, managing the day to day lives of the entire family. These daily soaps provide a way of watching the stories that are related to society as a whole.

The concepts behind most of these shows are often related to normal households and its issues or the social issues in the society. While I think that it is important that we talk about the problems in our society, to create awareness among people, yet there is another face to these daily soaps. While trying to bring out the reality of our society and culture, these daily soaps often make the protagonist of the story an ideal character. This person is the highlight of the show, and it is this character, around which the story revolves.

This person they create is someone who is often ideal in every sense. For reference, let’s call this person “X”. So, X could be a daughter or a wife or a daughter-in-law or a son or a son-in-law or a husband or a father or a mother or anyone else. X never lies, X never hurts anyone, X never does anything incorrect, X is selfless, X can do anything to keep others happy, X is full of sacrifices, X is almost close to perfect. Is that how you or I are? Is that how others in our lives are? I don’t think so.

Everyone aspires to be ideal but let’s face the reality, is it really possible? Real lives do not run on scripts. Real lives run on our own actions. These shows that portray idealism are not doing anything wrong but probably the way they affect us subconsciously is what is creating problems. We may feel once we switch off the TV or change the channel, we forget about those characters, but actually we don’t. Over a period of time, when we regularly watch these shows, we begin to internalize them in our real lives. We begin to relate and compare ourselves and other in our lives with these characters. It is then that the real issues arise.

I mean come on, think about it, do you really think it would be right to expect a woman who sleeps late at night after finishing all the chores to get up early in the morning at 5, get ready with perfectly lined eyes and perform prayer? Well maybe it is true for some but definitely not everyone at large. What these things do is, they build up false expectations in the minds of the viewers. They create an image of a world which in all honesty is a work of fiction. The core issue behind is all maybe be real but the entire characterization and drama created to push that issue is simply too much to handle.

So the next time you watch these shows, watch and forget, try not to internalize them. Do not build your expectations around those characters. Daily soaps are meant to entertain you, so get entertained and forget them. I myself do not like to watch daily shows but those who do, well, just think about what I said the next time you watch them, you might see my perspective.

Have a great evening : )

Some Cause-Met-Icky Facts :P

Women used to pinch their cheeks to give themselves rosy cheeks before blush was invented.

So ladies, next time you forget to carry blush, you know what to do!

In the old days, make up was used to frighten enemies, show a social rank or make magic.

LOL, I don't know about frightening enemies but some people still use cosmetics for similar reasons, unintentionally perhaps. I feel all they need is a bit of honest feedback.

In 1400, it was popular for women to be hairless.  They would shave their heads and pluck their eyebrows and eyelashes completely out.

Now that is what I call, going a bit too far in the name of fashion. Heads I can digest, and plucking eyebrows is OK too as long as one leaves some intact but eyelashes ... REALLY ??? hahaha. 

The most common injury caused by make-up is scratching the eye with a mascara wand.

OK honestly, I can testify this one. It happens more than often. Happened once with me too. Hurts like hell : (

Coco Chanel started the trend to be tan after she tanned herself on a cruise.

That's called a lucky accident

Cleopatra was known to soak her ship’s sails in perfume so the fragrance would reach Rome (and Marc Antony) before she did.

WOW! ... quite grand I must say. Doesn't make much sense to me though. But then again, it's no big deal for a lady who believed in bathing in milk every single day :|

Dermatologist tested does not mean dermatologist approved.

Haha, we usually miss out the most obvious meanings. So next time you buy cosmetics make sure its dermatologist approved and not tested ! 

 In the 17th and 18th century, women dilated their eyes with drops from a plant called Belladonna, as it was considered attractive. Long term use damaged the eyes and lead to blindness.

So much to look attractive?

 In the 1930′s, a product called “Lash Lure” was sold in the U.S. as permanent mascara. It blinded more than a dozen women and killed one.

Must have been one of those dermatologist tested and not approved product :|

Nestle owns a quarter of the world’s largest cosmetic company, L’Oreal.

IMAGINE: "Nestle ... because you're worth it" =)) Thank God for just a quarter of ownership and separate branding. All that Nestle reminds me of is milk and chocolate and maggi and food food food. Nestle and L'Oreal ??? Who would have thought.

The first nail polish was invented in China in 3000 B.C. by mixing egg whites, beeswax, gum and colored powder.

Hmmm ... Some real science there. But I am glad I was born in the 20th century : |

I had fun reading them ... hope you did too ! Adios !

Cleaner brains as essential as cleaner drains !

"Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" or the "Clean India Campaign", is a Government of India initiative to make our country cleaner. It is a movement led by our own prime minister Mr.Narendra Modi. I absolutely and completely support this cause and think that "a clean India" is the need of the hour today. It's high time we realize the importance of keeping not just our homes clean, but our neighborhoods as well. Small changes in our personal habits can bring about a huge change to our country. Habits such as throwing the garbage only in the dust bins or trying not to litter around at public places or not spitting on at any random place, etc, can make a huge difference in this process.

All that said, I personally think that India will be clean, in true sense, when it's people will have clean minds. I find this cleanliness to be as essential as the other one. Just like we talk about cleaning our surroundings, I think it us our duty to talk about cleaning the minds too. The crime rates in India have been on a constant rise every year. There are several reasons why one commits a crime, but the most heinous crimes that are committed are directly linked to the functioning of the grey matter.

While there are many theories behind why people commit a crime, the fact is that no one is born a criminal, it is the circumstances and the choices we make that make us who we are. Our brain is where it all happens. While the influence of nature vs nurture, is a debatable topic, we simply cannot ignore the impact it has on us. I feel nature is something that we have no control over, yet nurture is absolutely in our hands.

When I say that nurturing is in our hands, I simply mean that our responsibility does not end at giving our own children the right upbringing. We must all make a conscious effort in being compassionate towards the world at large, to understand what the next person might be going through. Be it that kid who you see begging on the street or that young teenager you see walking by you while eating paan masala. No one wants a life like that, its the circumstances that make things good or bad for us, and it is our intellect that makes us take the right or the wrong path.

I don't say that you must go out of the way to help others but make small efforts. These efforts need not always be monetary, they can simply be in gesture. I remember once I bought this little beggar boy a pair of slippers on hot sunny day, he was sitting outside the cafe, by the wall, in its shade. He was barefoot and it was too hot to walk on the road like that. That pair of slipper for me was not more than what I'd spend on a cup of coffee but it meant way too much to that little boy. I still can't forget the smile on his face. This gesture of mine might have been a small one but it may have created some positive impact in his little head. I hope in some way I was able to help him keep some faith alive in this big nasty world.

So, the next time you want to make India clean, don't just clean the surroundings but help others keep their conscience alive and kicking. Help them keep their lives clean.

Adios
Happy Sunday : )