'Cause Pigs can Fly

We grew up watching cartoons or listening to fairy tales. Cinderella and all those princesses had a Prince Charming. They had their ‘Happily Ever After’ ending. Even in cartoons, Mickey Mouse had Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck had Daisy Duck. Pepe Le Pew, the French skunk spent his days on screen trying to win the heart of what appeared to be a female skunk, but what was actually a female cat. The bottom line is that each character had a special someone in their life. We females grew up with the belief that when the time was right, our knight in shining armor would ride along on his white horse. The men prepared for their role as the knights that rescue the damsels in distress, or so the world is told. We waited patiently for the day that knight arrived at our doorstep. He never did. Of course, there is a simple explanation for his absence. No matter what stories our parents tell us, knights in shining armor do not always exist. Yet, we grew up waiting for that day and for that ...

Can you really love someone in the past tense? Is 'loved' real? Or does that love find it's way into the present and thus the future. Do we stop loving people completely? Is there ever a way to not love someone you once loved? Doesn't part of that love always stay with us? That love may not always be there right in front of you. Maybe you don't wait for their texts or calls or waiting to see them. But that love is still there. That love will always be there. And this is why you must love carefully. For promises can be broken, but love. It can't be undone.

When people say "I'm happily single" they do mean they are quite happy to not be in a relationship. They also may mean that no one has been showing any interest in them. Which is fine. Not all of us have people trying to win our hearts, no Secret Admirers or Valentines. Some of us are just meant to be Forever Alones. Except that more often than not, we are to blame for our singlehood. We push people away and give the impression that we are not at all interested. So I have no issue with being single and I have no issue with people being single. After all how is the heartbreak worth it? <Okay, who are we kidding. It's nice to be liked by someone!> The real problem I have is how people always assume others aren't single. Sometime back I was part of a conversation I had spaced out of. So I did the whole, nodding and smiling at what seemed like the perfect moments. This went on, until the words, "she has a boyfriend" made my brain go all, "OMG!...

For someone quite young, I think about death a lot. Not the act of dying. Not the how, when or where of death. But death it self. I once planned on writing out "Shailee's Final Will and Testament" the day I turned 21. Now I have decided to have no will. My law teacher told me that even in law, a man still exists after death and this was through his will. So I thought I will specify who gets what. My books, clothes, money and other goods that collect in my life. Then I thought, should I really spend my life planning who should get what after I die? Does it matter if my enemy gets my most treasured book? Does it matter if a man who stole from me gets all my money? And finally, should it matter? I would be dead. Should I, even after I'm no more, tell what people can have and should have? The first step to not having to worry about what happens after death is to not let things collect. I can't easily give away my things. Books, gifts and soft toys. Clot...

Since the connections the mind makes between various things cannot be fully explained, today an empty train heading towards the commercial capital of the country made me think of the decisions and choices we make in life. We choose to hurt and sometimes, we choose knowing it will hurt us. It isn't easy, looking at a choice you made knowing it will tear you apart. Yet, a voice in your head will tell you that, sometimes, you make that choice because you can't always keep thinking about the future. Live in the moment, I always say to my self. This is what you should do. Don't always think about the consequences. Of course, you can't completely ignore the thought of the future and dig your own grave. But within certain limits, make that choice that makes you happy in the present tense. Sometimes, it feels like we have a choice, but turns out, we don't. Either someone else made that choice for us, or there never were multiple options. Of course, the mind wanders. ...

1. Eat on time. Do not skip meals. And when working, eat whenever you can for you don't know when your next meal will be. 2. Tea is way better than coffee for one simple reason. Tea is comforting, coffee is not. 3. Smile whenever you can. You may not be able to tomorrow. 4. Make the most of each moment count. Especially time with friends and family. 5. If you are wearing a dress, just don't ever get on a bike. Worst idea ever, unless you don't mind exposing your legs to the world. 6. Always carry money with you. Banks are never located at your convenience. 7. Don't trust everyone. Trust some people. Don't tell everyone your problems. Tell very few. 8. Keep your phone charged. Right when there is no way you can charge it all your friends will remember you and want to talk to you.Then when you really need it, your phone battery will be dead. 9. Get a good night's rest. Go to bed early, because you may have to wake up early too. And there's no h...

People fight for many causes, and people love finding various causes to fight for. Usually the fighting does not include guns or knives, but words; written or typed words. Most of the fighting also happens online, on social network sites such as  Facebook and Twitter. Status updates, images and pages are dedicated to fight for these causes while making many others uncomfortable. Further, the fighting is usually about spreading awareness. The causes of course vary from cancer or AIDS to endangered species and even ethnic differences. However, of these causes, vegetarianism is considered one of the coolest things you could fight for. You are even cooler if you are a vegan. I have nothing against depriving oneself of meat. Of course if you want to take a step beyond that and deprive yourself of all dairy products, no harm will be done. It may seem a little extreme, but if your diet is still healthy and you are happy, be a vegan. I don’t know any veg...

“Forever – is composed of Nows,” wrote Emily Dickinson. The past too is composed of nows. It is in the present that you read this, but soon it will be in the past. A few hours from now, you may not even remember reading this. That now which was the present just became the past. The past was once the present. The future, that murky distant unknown future, will soon become the present, someday will become today. The present is a gift, many have said. You can either make the most of it or try to get through it. You either live or you survive. Sadly, too many forget the present, and immerse themselves too deep in the future. Ask an O/L student what his plans are. Most would list out each step, pass their O/L’s and A/L’s in a particular stream, finish course after course in some already chosen university and finally work for a pre-decided company. Ask them what they would do if a step does not work out as planned, and many of them will not have a Plan B. They live in the fu...

Generally girls are thought to be the favorite of her fathers and boys, the favorite of their mothers. Psychology puts forth various arguments to back this or disagree with it, yet, society still considers this favoritism natural. I was lucky to come from a family where neither my brother nor I were favored. Of course he got the larger share because he was the oldest and I was taught this at a very early age. Sometimes it seemed like my parents bought me more things; yet, I know they spend the same amount on my brother. To an extent they spoil us, Amma bringing us our morning coffee or tea to our beds, washing, ironing and folding our clothes. Thathee too makes sure we have all we need and never says no to our many requests. My grandmother has a huge say in our lives, but she too has never favored one of us. She lovingly looks into all our needs and [lovingly] scolds us for all our wrongs. So we were never favored. But I’ve seen parents who favor one child in particular. I...