Success

Owing to a particular subject in my institute, I have been putting so much thought into this word since the past few days. It almost seemed to dominate my mind and made me introspect upon my inner self. How does one define success ? Have we really, truly ever felt successful ? When was the moment when only the words "Mission Successful" could perfectly describe what you were feeling ? But is that what success is ? Till each and every cell of your body does not scream for joy, is it not called being successful ?

I would say overcoming something that has been bothering you since long is success.
To be able to spend that one extra hour while preparing for an examination when the only sane thing to do is to go off to sleep is success.
To bring a smile on the face of a loved one when everything might seem at a loss to them is success.
To help someone without having any ulterior motives is success.
To be able to complete a deadline when you thought the Universe was completely conspiring against you is success.
That little dance that your heart does, when you completed something that you were so sure you wouldn't be able to ? That's just what I call success.

It is often heard that success brings happiness. I'll modify that line to say that "collective" success brings happiness. When you have someone who went through just the same and undergoes the same amount of happiness as you do, the feeling is a completely different one.
Success comes in little packages, but most of us often tend to ignore it. We get so involved in our own lives, running in the rat race and setting high reaching goals for ourselves, that we forget to celebrate the little successes that life has to offer.
Celebrating doesn't mean throwing a party and calling up each and every acquaintance of yours to share the news with them ! Some celebrations are just meant to be with you, when you sit and value yourself, the work you did, and feel satisfied with all that you were able to accomplish.

Let's just stop trying to make our lives miserable by not keeping too high goals and relishing the little moments on the way to it.
The big thing at the present moment, college has finally started and it brings along with it a number of small opportunities to make the best use of.
As of now ? Mission Successful ;)

Stating The Obvious

This thing, this statement has been there in my mind since quite a long time now. I have been pondering upon this word "obvious" and still haven't been able to figure out what exactly it stands for.
Whatever it is that I am about to say might seem extremely vague, unconnected and not make any sense AT ALL. But then again, maybe it is after writing all this that things might seem A BIT clear and hence my next post might be something more meaningful ;) (Yeah, that's the first time I have used an emoticon in the middle of a post ! )
What is obvious ? What is the most obvious thing surrounding us ? How do we define obvious ? And why do people get so critical when we state the obvious ? Should we keep reminding ourselves and the people around us of the obvious ? Yes. These are the questions running through my mind right now.

According to me, something that is obvious is something that has been taken for granted. Something that we know is of utmost important, but we've just maybe stopped appreciating its existence on a regular basis.
But is that the right thing to do ? You might be able to draw a parallel to what I am saying maybe in terms of the person you've been with since quite a long time, the home-cooked food that your mother prepares everyday, the ironed clothes kept in your room each morning or maybe something as trivial as waking up each morning to the shining sun.
But then again, its not like you don't appreciate them ! It's just that you have become used to them to such an extent that it is almost like breathing. It just comes naturally to have such things, such people around you. You don't even spend a minute imagining life without them, because it is just so OBVIOUS that things will be this way always !

No. That's not how things work. Yes, the main reason for writing this was so that I might be able to understand the dilemma I was going through and maybe prevent someone else from going through just the same. Yes, I came to a conclusion.

If not all the obvious things, atleast appreciate each and every living soul around you. That doesn't mean you send them flowers or buy expensive gifts to show your appreciation, it just means acknowledging them once in a while for being the wonderful people that they are. I haven't been doing enough of that lately and I just hope it isn't too late already.
Stating the obvious isn't a dumb thing to do. Sometimes it the only right thing left.
Yes, that's just what I concluded.

Beginnings

Beginnings are scary. They frighten you. Shake you out of your wits. Make you wonder whether what you are doing is right or not. Creates doubts in your mind. One even tries to avoid beginnings just so as to remain in the comfortable routine that they have so become accustomed to.

On the other hand, beginnings can be exciting ! They give you the opportunity to begin your life from a completely new perspective. Provides you with the chance to meet new people, to explore life more and to get to know your own self better. Beginnings are great.

How does one define a beginning ? For someone each day that dawns might bring a new beginning, each year that ends might signify a new beginning, corporate houses might agree to accept the completion of one financial year as a new beginning. For a student preparing for major exams, achieving a pre-defined target of completion of syllabus might be a new beginning.
Beginnings lead to ends and an end signifies a new beginning. I'll say a beginning is that moment in our life when we decide to change things, when we decide to change ourselves. Sometimes it's not always what we decide, sometimes it's the circumstances that mould themselves in such a way so as to lead us to a beginning and then it is upto us how we approach it.

Where is all this coming from ? A new beginning in my life, second year of college is just about to begin. As excited as I am for this new beginning, I am more so apprehensive and worried because the coming semester, the coming year would change a lot of things. On one hand the pressure of studies and the travelling time will increase due to the shift of our college campus but it will also bring along with it new people, new moments and new memories worth cherishing.
It is not the time to regret all those things that ought to have been done in the past academic year or to be proud of those that we were able to accomplish, but rather to brace ourselves for the coming year, cause due to the lack of time-turners, going back and changing our actions would be an impossible task. The least we can do is to learn from them and move ahead confidently.
We all make mistakes. Who doesn't ? But to let those mistakes set you back is probably the worst one to make.


"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,When the road you are trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit -
Rest if you must, but don't quit. "

- Unknown