from a caterpillar to a butterfly

She waved her magic wand and uttered a spell, Into her magical world, we all fell, Laughing between tears, Crying out our fears, We lived with and cherished the Boy who lived. Like millions worldwide, Harry Potter was part of my growing years. I had always known the life of its author, JK Rowling, was a magical rags-to-riches story. Recently I watched a movie that depicted her life story, which was profoundly inspiring. It brought me closer to a forgotten part of me, that of a fearless dreamer. As a child, I used to be an uninhibited dreamer. Being an average student, I dreamt of becoming a chartered accountant. Working for a small firm near my house, I dreamt of becoming part of the top investment banks in the world. Rain fills the size of the vessel. The beliefs we hold determine the direction of our life. My dreams became a reality. But as an adult, somewhere along the way, I became too practical and realistic with my dreams. It was a revelation to me that I had limiting beliefs. Ho...

  What is the trickiest thing to manage and is very difficult to control in life? It is a master manipulator and has us dancing to its whims most of the time. Getting a leash on it is something most of us struggle with all the time. Any guess? Many of you think it is news or social media related. Interestingly the thing I am talking about is in our head. It makes us set a wake-up call the previous day and not wake up to it the next day. It is what makes us cheat meals on a diet we voluntarily chose. It makes us go back on our word and not meet our commitments. Yes, our mind is the part that both desires and dislikes. The human mind, they say, is an excellent servant but a terrible master. Taming it is both a materialistic and spiritual pursuit. Many take different routes to reach this destination, like discipline or deprivation. I kept searching for mine, hoping to find the magic spell that could do the trick. It took an email from my mentor to help me see the obvious. One line in ...

Not even in my wildest dreams had I ever comprehended this answer to the question, who you are? It was one of the most transforming and inspiring speeches by Oprah Winfrey that I have ever heard. It changed my perspective on life, how I view myself and to what is the purpose of my life. This question about who you are and what is the purpose of your life has several answers. It is a very personal and subjective question. Each of us responds to it based on our goals, dreams, circumstances, family, history, passion, inner calling etc. Oprah Winfrey gives us comprehensive guidelines on how we can approach it and make the best out of it. She starts by saying that who we are is not our role in life. A daughter, mother, spouse, friend, husband and father are all roles we play in life. Our designation, the business we run, and the social initiatives we are part of are all positions we hold in society. Who we are, she says, are the children of God. We are spiritual beings with human experience...

My dear little one, I saw a movie that was a beautiful revelation. It is called “The shift”, which shifted something deep in me. It answered so many questions I had in my mind. One of the most potent things I realized at the end was that we all change. You, me, our relationship, the world around, everything changes. In this changing life, I want to capture these realizations that I had, for someday, it may be your solace when you look at the afternoons from the mornings of your life. Purpose: There will come the point in your life. As early as you are fourteen-fifteen, the world around you will ask you to define your life's purpose. To choose the subjects you have to study, the profession you wish to pursue, the life you need to live, you need to have a purpose. Don’t ever make the mistake of etching this in stone. At forty, many of us are still searching for our purpose. Understand this, my little one; the purpose is not a thing to achieve or become. At this age, and always the pu...

It was six o clock, I got out of my bed to welcome another day. I am a person of routine and habits. Discipline and rules are my second nature. It is this strength that has kept me going and brought me this far in life. My day usually starts with brewing a sizzling hot coffee. Inhaling its aroma and sipping it while watching the morning news, undisturbed… ah, sheer bliss. The household usually wakes up after me. I am ready for them, sometimes as a parent, sometimes as an advisor, sometimes a driver, sometimes a gardener and most of the times as a babysitter or just a helping hand. I am anything my children want me to be. I find joy in being part of their life. I feel valued in contributing in my own little ways.  It was not long ago; I was in a race of my own. Earning and providing for the family. Running behind money to give my children a life far superior than my own. Gathering information and knowledge with the hope to guide my children someday. I never had the time to enjoy the...

I woke up to the sound of thunder. It was raining outside. I groped for my spectacles in the dark. Ah there, I took and wore it and switched on the bedside lamp. The clock showed the time was 4:30 AM. It was half an hour before my usual wake up time. Lying on the soft bed, wrapped in a blanket, warm and cozy, I contemplated on what to do next. The sound of rain was becoming distant. It became really quiet, maybe waking up early was a good thing.  Winter mornings are always difficult to wake up, the cold makes my bones brittle. But it is a 40-year old habit and I want to keep it going. I am not budging to the cold or rain today. Twenty minutes later, I was ready in my walking clothes, with my shoes, coat and black umbrella. I walked out to the living room to see my son, getting ready for his morning jog. Today I am not taking a ‘no’ for an answer. At 75, how much life do I have left, to not experience a walk on a beautiful rainy morning? I picked up my mobile phone (something I am f...

I saw a face, round and fair. It looked back at me with twinkling eyes and a loving smile. I was mesmerised, captivated by the beauty. Who is this person, so happy and peaceful? She reminds me of the spring breeze carrying the fragrance of freshly bloomed flowers. She reminds me of the smell of earth after a shower of rain. She reminds me of a cup of hot chocolate on a gloomy, rainy day. Yes, that blissful happiness. She reminds me of life and what it is to be happy and alive. I stood there transfixed, unable to take my eyes off her, taking her all in. I captured the moment forever in my memory, cherishing and feeling one with her. Suddenly a doubt crept in, what if she left abruptly, without a word or a smile? My heart started racing, I wanted so much from her. I wanted to talk to her, touch her, hold her, listen to her, feel with her and know her. I looked again, bringing all these emotions into my eyes, I asked, ‘Hi there, who are you?' There she stood, looking stressed, tired a...