Hidden Fortunes!

Once upon a time there was a cow who could fly.
Now that is such a lie!! ;)

Actually this not a story of a cow... It is a story of a man who was walking on his chosen path (that's more believable, isn't it?). We will call him JoJo (if you happen to be named JoJo, this story is not about you, it is purely fictitious).

JoJo had high hopes from life and had been walking for a while. This path was slightly bumpy and JoJo was starting to get tired. He could not see his dream anywhere on this path. So he began to wonder if this was worth his while. One fine morning, JoJo came across a telephone booth on his way and thought, "Maybe I could give God a call and ask for some help." He smiled and quickly went inside the booth to dial God's number. God was in a meeting so Angel-Girl, the secretary answered and told JoJo that God was busy but would be conveyed the message later. JoJo was disappointed but he couldn't do anything so he was soon on his way. The sun began to shine brightly and it became very hot n humid. JoJo was surprised by the weather conditions since this was November (hmmm... he must be walking in Mumbai). He stopped to get some water. As he was drinking water, JoJo had an idea!! He thought, "If I had a car, my journey towards my goal would become smoother. So why not call God and ask for a car?"

Excited about this, JoJo rushed to find another telephone booth. He went in and called God again. Angel-Girl answered and asked JoJo to leave a message. JoJo began to get impatient and told Angel-Girl about his wish to have a car. Angel-Girl said, "Sure, God has got your messages and has asked you to keep walking." JoJo was not convinced... yet he walked some more but didn't feel that God was hearing his prayers. So he decided to take things in his own hands. On the way, he met a man who informed JoJo of a junkyard where cars were free. JoJo could go there and pick a car of his choice. Delighted by this new found information, JoJo changed directions and began walking towards the junkyard. He was tired but excited to find a car that would assist him get to his destination faster.

As he approached the junkyard, he was over-joyed and spotted a small cherry red wagon. He thought, "Wow, this is ideal. Its small, its cute and it starts!" He quickly started the car and Voila... he was on his way to his chosen path. Five minutes into his dream drive, the wagon came to a halt. JoJo heard a loud noise as if something had busted. In the rear view mirror he saw black fumes. Oh, this car turned out to be a kill-joy, he thought. He stepped out and wondered, "Now what?" JoJo couldn't leave the car in the middle of the road, so he pushed it to a place where he could park this wagon. Now JoJo was even more tired and farthar away from his path. This made him nervous. "Whew!" JoJo took a deep breath, had an energy drink and started walking. He thought his effort to find a car went futile, it not only made him more tired but also wasted his time. Regretting his deviation, he kept going.

After a long walk, JoJo spotted something in a far corner. Intrigued by what it might be, he approached the object. To his surprise, it was a car! And not just any car, it was a brand new silver lambourgini. JoJo was thrilled to see such a beautiful car. Seeing no one in the vicinity he thought, "Wow, who must have put this car here, and whose is it?" Suddenly, he saw a phone booth and ran inside to call God. This time too, answered Angel-Girl. Before JoJo could say anything, she asked, "Do you like the car?" Confused, JoJo clarified which car was Angel-Girl talking about? She told him that the silver lambourgini was for him. God had placed it there even before JoJo made his first call. Hearing this, JoJo was appalled. Angel-Girl said, "JoJo, this was always there for you. This was part of your plan but you did not trust God. You took things in your own hands and managed to get a free wagon from the junkyard. Deviating from your path made you more tired, perhaps resentful and delayed your real fortune. Had you kept walking, you could have had this car sooner." JoJo aplogized for his foolishness and learned a significant lesson. He thanked Angel-Girl for her wisdom and this beautiful gift from God. He realaized that he was always meant to have this gift but only when he reached the place in his life when God wanted him to have it... no sooner and no later than destined. Like JoJo we too need to keep walking our chosen path in FAITH. There are hidden fortunes waiting for us on the way but we will only find them when we are meant to.

24 Days 5 countries and 13 cities

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page," wrote St. Augustine. Well, this caught on with me and re-affirmed my travel plans. I had been planning a trip to Europe with my friends this year but it kept getting delayed because of different schedules and changes in itenerary. I was all geared up to fly out so finally on September 1st I left for Germany and never imagined the trip to turn out as adventurous as it did...

The twenty four days of constant travel were amazing. I met a lot of new people from all parts of the world who were kind, generous and willing to go out of the way to help. I was touched by their generosity and felt I too needed to be more helpful. This was perhaps my first lesson towards becoming a better human being. There were other lessons as well, such as travelling light because one has to lug stuff around all the time with mulitiple trains to take, buses to catch and boats to get on.

With so many places to visit, we were constantly on the go. One city after another back-to-back got me high on travel. Initially it was very adventurous. We hiked, walked, ran to catch trains, got lost even with a map, sipped wine, ate gelato's, drank latte's, saw the most beautiful landscapes and explored life like never before. I felt great seeing old friends and making new ones.

Every country had something unique to offer and each day had something new to unfold. The castles, the bascilicas, the rivers, the landscapes were all a treat for the eyes. There was so much beauty in some places that the mind couldn't fathom it at first. My favorite was King Ludwigs' Neushwanstein Castle near Munich. The drive up there was breathtakingly beautiful. The Austrian alps looked gorgeous and the river amidst them added to the aura of the castle that is built high up. King Ludwig was declared crazy in Bavaria but I thought otherwise... the man must have been intelligent to have built a fantasy castle that works magic even today. I wouldn't mind living in a castle like that, would you?!!

Not just that, there were many other moments that took my breath away. The collosium and Vatican in Rome were extremely alluring. I didn't feel like leaving and stayed there in admiration for hours. Rome had history written all over it and to my surprise I loved it. The evening I was to leave Rome, I got lost an hour before my train, so I hopped in a cab and asked the driver to hurry else I would miss the train. I hadn't seen the famous Trevi fountain yet, so I asked him if he could take me to the fountain before we went to the train station. This was a close call and despite the traffic and time constraint, the old man got geared up and drove me to the fountain. I was all excited, I rushed out of the cab took some pictures and had him drop me to the train station. Wow, that was fun!! The island of Capri was another delight. Naples was dirty and not a place I would recommend, but Capri compensated for it. I had the best gelato in Capri and the ferry back to Naples at sunset created an unforgettable journey. It was the best thirty euros I spent... infact every time my friends and I saw something cool, we said to ourselves, "this is the best money we have ever spent."

Venice was another crazy place, easy to get lost in. Just thirty minutes away was an island Lido. While coming back from there in the night on the boat, Venice seemed like a dream. The place I was staying at had a generous host who took us out partying that night. Italian food, multi-coloured drinks at the pub, inspiring conversation, and charming Italian guys... hmmm... that was a perfect evening!! Italy had its own charm and felt very different from other European countries. Pisa was a delight to see and so was Michaelangelo in Florence... it surely tickled a funny bone.

Switzerland had its own charm endowed with nature. The alps, the rivers and the green grass.. and some more grass :) It was the most expensive amongst all the places I travelled to. A friend of mine had forewarned me but I got a taste of it once there. The tourist information center in Zurich convinved everyone there to have a Swiss card which let us use all kinds of transportation... the tram, the bus, the train, the boat, the cable car, and so on. I thought I would need all means of transportation to get around Zurich. Oh, was I mistaken?!! I soon realized that everything was within a walking distance and one didn't need anything except for an occassional tram ride. The swiss have it all though... Rich country! Interlaken and Lucerne were pleasant to see for a short while but not to stay for long and Bern was strange... Whew!!

From Switzerland I went on to Paris. Paris was just alright, not so easy to get around. Their metro system was wild and the stations were old... not my thing. Maybe next time I shall explore the South of France. Paris was a big city similar to Bombay, perhaps that's why I didnt find it all that great.

After Paris I needed to go some place calm and boring. It was time to wrap up the trip, so I took the eurorail to Frankfurt. Frankfurt to my surprise turned out super cool. I watched the Opera with my Australian friend. We ate, drank, laughed, drank some more, talked and chilled... it was all I needed after a long trip. After two days of eating, drinking and chilling, I saw my friend who I was supposed to return home with. We shopped a little, had some more wine... and boarded the plane to come back home. In 24 days I felt like I lived a lifetime. Amongst the five countries I visited Austria and Germany remain my favourite.

This was the best thing I have ever done - taken time to travel, explore different horizons and learn so much about myself and the world. Whether it was making noodles at midnight in a kitchen buzzing with energy in Lucerne or watching the Italian Opera (a language I neither speak nor can understand), whether it was having beer in a crowded pub or riding a bike by the calm river in Salzburg, this was indeed the best time I spent.

The entire experience made me feel content and complete. Being comfortable, having some wine, interacting with friends, eating good food, sipping coffee and laughing out loud were more than enough. I surely developed a sense of gratitude for the simple things in life, for all my friends who travelled with me and for the angels I met along the way who made my journey worthwhile.

24 days, 5 countries and 13 cities later I feel high on life and richer in experience. I am glad I did this and I would do it all over again... there are more countries to explore, places to visit and people to meet!

I was inspired reading a qoute of Mark Twian's that says, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So sail away from the safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Life in the Big City!

Today I felt truly inspired. I caught up with a friend at a cafe close to home and we ended up chatting for hours. We spoke mostly about work and life in the big city that we live in! My friend being philosophically inclined preached and I intently listened like a lost student seeking answers to life's questions.

My friend came to Mumbai four years back to become an actor and has since then never looked back. Being a young single professional in the city has its own issues. You live by yourself, manage your personal, social and professional aspects single-handedly and most importantly make several decisions every day. It might sound easy but it isn't so all the time. Life in a big city makes one feel dis-oriented at times, especially when things may not be going as planned. This is when one needs the right perspective.

My philosopher friend is indeed a positive soul and has a fighter's spirit which is worth admiring. He kept insisting that its never too late to try new things, to re-create the magic in life and to be successful. Every moment should be enjoyed and cherished, he said with a strong sense of faith in his dreams, despite the setbacks one may encounter along the way.

After our long discussion I went to see another friend who has moved into a new rented apartment. She is a flight attendant and she too lives by herself. She came to Mumbai a few years back leaving behind a simple life in a small town. She was over-joyed to have me over as she often feels homesick here. It was ironic to realize how much people who live alone value human connection and friendship. When you lack something you value it more, I guess. She mostly spoke of missing home-cooked meals... she must have been hungry I thought for an instance, but jokes apart, I felt nice to see how happy she was to have a friend. Today I learned an important lesson... that contrary to popular belief the so-called glamourous jobs do not seem to dilute the effects of this overwhelming city.

We all need periodic checks and inspiration to live enthusiastically. When I see things around me and hear people speak of their lives, I get something very valuable... A perspective!! That is when I begin to admire my life even more.

When seeking for answers they come in all different forms. At times they come through friends, at other times through books or even television. We just need to be open to picking up the clues and recognizing when life provides them. Making the most of our time, being happy in the present, doing good and sustaining a positive attitude is a great way to begin each new day.

My two friends re-affirmed this today in their own unique way and I returned with gratitude, lit some candles, turned on the music and smiled with contentment.

Gratitude

Last year while in Budapest for a TV show, I was invited to church by my friend Iwo, on a bright Sunday morning. As it was late September the leaves had begun turning red to greet the winter. On a quiet Sunday morning, I met Iwo outside the studio where we recorded our tv shows. Joined by another friend Patrick, we walked across the street where the tram tracks were hidden under the crisp leaves. We hopped on the tram that took us to Moscow Square. The square was vibrant with people dressed up going to church. I was eager to explore what the sermon would be like. I did not know what to expect, however when we reached the church, we were greeted by warm handshakes, joyful smiles... and hot coffee that indeed smelled great. On a chilly day, a cup of hot coffee and soulful music, being indoors felt blissful. Through the glass doors I could see the green garden and the valley. I felt great being in that environment. Soon the drums, the guitar and the singing faded and the pastor began the sermon with a story on gratitude.

The story was short yet intense and concluded with two simple words, "thank you." He spoke of how important it is to say, 'thank you' for all the good things we are blessed with. Often times, he said, we tend to become so focused on what we want that we become oblivious to what we have.

Hearing the pastor speak, I remembered this guy whom I had known in college. He lived in Washignton D.C... actually now that i recall correctly, he lived in The Future. He would call me and complain of how he did not have a job, but would forget to mention that he was about to graduate with honors. He often mentioned that he did not have a car, but never acknowledged the nice apartment he lived in. I always heard him aspiring for more and quite never heard him celebrate his achievements. This guy, I thought, could not be content and happy with all the great things that he was blessed with for he always looked at the glass half empty.

At some point or the other we have all known this guy. He visits everyone periodically. He is Mr. Negative (guys don't sweat, there are Ms. Negative's as well). There is a great way of keeping negative at bay... by be-friending the positive. We all have positive aspects in life yet at times we forget to celebrate our achievements. Often times the simple things go unnoticed or are taken for granted. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the education we receive, the fun we have, the support we get from our friends, significant others and the universe are all facets that contribute to our well being. Yet how many times do we thank and bless these things and people? I recently read somewhere that it is great to dream of what could be while being happy with what is.

Take a minute, rewind and think to yourself of what you aspired for five years ago? Did you put enough effort towards acheiving it? Do you have that now - even if its in small measures? If the answer is yes, then your dreams and aspirations are working for you. You just need to show gratitude, celebrate your little victories and wait for the magic to unfold. If nothing else, saying thank you will remind you of all the good things you have and bring you a smile. We could all use a smile. If you can not rejoice in what you have acheived this far, what makes you think that you will be able to do so even after you acquire a fortune?

Next time you tend to think of what you lack... stop and think of all that you have... and don't forget the two simple words, THANK YOU! Thank you for reading...

Simple Pleasures

The guilt of having gooey brownies baked by my lovely friend inspired a walk in the park this morning. At first it was as if I had to be initiated out of the sleep walker's club... but soon enough I started feeling upbeat and realized how lovely it was to connect with nature... the fresh air, the green grass, the chirping birds and music on the Ipod. Indeed... technology helps!

There are several things that appease the soul. Whether its connecting with a friend, laughing whole-heartedly, dancing, watching a great movie, snuggling up to read a book, or going for a drive in the rain. At times the small things in life offer great pleasures.

One of my favourite things is to wake up to the smell of coffee and indulge in hot french toasts dipped in maple syrup, while it rains outside! Its food for the soul. I love pets and find immense joy in playing with them.

To feel good everyday is an amazing way of life. Whether the joy is in playing an instrument, painting a picture, singing, reciting poetry, watering the plants, watching the sunset by the beach, sleeping an extra hour or writing a journal; it's a great getaway from the day to day nuances.

Often times we take things for granted, but the essence of living lies in savouring the good moments and showing gratitude. The simple pleasures are around and if we look for opportunities to enjoy something every day we will soon realize how the small things in life can make a big difference!