Happy Birthday To Me!- 'You Have Been Loved'

Its Dec 15 and its my birthday! Well what made me write at 1:26 am. I know everyone is awake till late on their birthdays, yeah right! Phones blowing up. But I’m not writing because I’m awake, its because I feel happy! Birthdays are there to make you feel happy. Or I should say you are born to feel happy. Because you deserve to be happy. I'm literally astounded at the love and happiness I have in my life. Talking about my birthday wish, well do I need any, I'm already so much blessed. But I guess, a new pair of sneakers, a cool beanie and adding back nutella to the grocery list won't hurt right. I just love the concept of birthdays. It amazes me, in a weird way though. Just moments ago you were 18 and then the clock says ‘hey its 12!’ and BOOM! You’re 19! You can actually see yourself become a year older in no time. Amazing right. I know, thank me later.
So I’m feeling happy and I’m feeling kind of blessed. I know I’m no different, everyone feels the same on their birthday, you get wishes, you get calls from the most unexpected people. It’s kind of a good feeling.
There are certain people in our lives, who give us such significance and value in their life that you feel bloated sometimes. You feel full. There is this feeling of being blessed. Being blessed by people, who actually pay heed to you and pray for your good luck. Who do a little something to see you smile. To whom you are a little more meaningful than others. Who do their level best to find out what’s bugging you up. Who are actually more excited for your birthday than you are. Who bless you with such heart touching words that you couldn’t help but let loose your tear glands. It makes you feel special, a little more worthy. You curse that time you were cursing your life, feeling miserable about stupid annoying things, fighting with your own demons, living in your own insecurities, surrounded by people but still lonely at heart. At that moment you just forget such things ever exist. You just let go. Your birthday turns their happiest day. There are these hundreds of happiness capsules that burst open in your body. Whether it is the ‘most coolest sweatshirt’ gifted by your bffs as an early birthday present, or the ‘most special birthday message’ you received from a dearest friend, or an old friend whom you haven’t been in contact for a while saying ‘do meet me on your birthday cause I have something special for you’ or those words written by your best pals in their status for you, which they never said cause you’re too cool to talk heart to heart with each other. You feel like, you lived!
I wonder why do we feel miserable, when there is so much love we’re getting from all around. And we should value the love we’re getting. I believe water and electricity can be wasted but love shouldn’t be, because love is something which cannot be regenerated. So try to treasure the love you get from people and give back. Conserve love. And that's how I feel today.
Well I don’t like the whole idea of growing up. But just because I’m a year older now than I was, few hours ago. Let’s just say I did some growing up. Well, this year will be good. Wont worry, life’s a journey. Will enjoy the ride. No hurry. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.

“How dare we sit and cry and be and watch the world pass us by”

What World Are We Living In?

Gauhar Khan

Day before yesterdays newspaper was a bit of a shocker for me. The headline read ‘Gauhar Khan slapped for wearing a short dress’. The headline sounded a bit faulty and misconstructed or maybe the words were a bit erratic. I read it again. I wondered, how can someone be slapped for wearing a short dress? Gauhar Khan was slapped by a man, named Aqil Malik during the shooting of a reality show, for wearing inappropriate clothing.

After reading the whole news article, there was a bit of an outrage inside me. A feeling of boundedness, a feeling of enmity and a feeling of remorse. I cursed that man, I cursed the society for having such men, I cursed the nation for having such societies, and I cursed the whole world for having such a nation like India where a person can slap a women on what she wears. Why is a women being slapped? Gauhar Khan, a strong woman. My personal favorite in the last Bigg Boss season. An artist whose fearless fights on the camera and her ‘taking her stand’ capability made her win the reality show, was left in tears. Yes, this is what happens when you are slapped in front of a crowd of people. The incident has left her bewildered and shes still figuring out ‘Why? Why? Did he slap me?’

My head was popping with questions.

How can a women be slapped for allegedly wearing skimpy cloths? What mentality do ‘we’ Indians hold? Why even after 67 years of independence we aren’t independent with our thoughts? Why is this slap case not hyped enough? Why? I see less number of celebrities supporting Gauhar Khan and where have all the ‘women right activists’ gone?

What is the whole outcome of this incident? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. We continue to do what we were till another and more severe incident takes place. Do we need another incident like the ‘Delhi Gang Rape’ case to take a stand.

Almost 2years after the Delhi gang rape case, I see no change. Girls are still getting raped, publicly molested, eve-teased, slapped, etc.

On the other hand Aligarh Muslim University has taken a wonderful step and has banned girls from entering inside the library as it distracts the boys. Seriously I want to laugh my ass off on this. This is whats happening in our country.

On the name of morality and religion I think men are dominating over women. If dress is the only reason why a girl is being slapped and raped, then why is a 3 year old girl raped?

If a muslim women like Gauhar Khan is slapped for wearing a short dress, then why is Salman Khan still un-slapped till now for shedding his shirt on every movie he does.

Some communities wont let the change happen.

Today if a famous celebrity like Gauhar Khan can be slapped so easily, then what about the women who are walking on the streets?

I have a lot of questions that need to be answered. I want the government to take a step and find a solution. To start a strong campaign. To spread the need of education. To think over the existence of men who are slapping and raping women. There is a long way to go! 

Alas! Next day we’ll read another such headline and speculate ‘What world are we living in?’

The Fault In Our Stars - Book review

The book, the fault in our stars will take you on an emotional ride. Trust me its no Harry Potter neither it is a Twilight. Its just an out of the way simple love story of two cancer patients. He is battling with osteosarcoma that took one of his legs, on the other hand she is fighting with tumors in her lungs. Despite the lead characters suffering from cancer, this is not a cancer book, but rather a love story. Hazel Grace Lancaster’s life revolved around her favourite reality show Americas next top model and her third best friend after her mom and dad Peter Van Houten, the author of her favourite book An Imperial Affliction. However it takes a turn when she meets Augustus Waters. They both seem perfectly suited for one another. They aint your average teens. They have cancer, and spend a lot of time thinking about oblivion ,metaphors,life and how their death would have an impact on those who love them. Hazel who considers herself a grenade, fears when she’ll explode , she will kill everyone along with her, including Augustus. The story tells that no matter how badly you’ve been hurt before, you feel the pain again and again when you get hurt.

John Green is brutally honest quoting lines such as- “ the thing about pain is that, it demands to be felt” and “ the fault dear brutus, is in ourselves and not in our stars”. While the book also contains lines such as- “ im on a rollercoaster my friend that only goes up” and “ ‘okay’ will be our always, okay? okay” which you will definitely underline with a pencil, cause you might want to read these lines again and again. 

The fault in our stars will make you laugh and cry at the same time . you will fall in love with the characters so much that you will feel their pain, their helplessness, though they are happy in their little infinity, but still they desire to live with each other forever. 

While Augustus wants to leave a mark in this universe, he fears oblivion. Hazel do not want to hurt the universe and thinks about people who died but will never be remembered. They both have their own perceptions. 

From swaping their favourite books to their trip to Amsterdam to their first kiss at Anne Franks palace, everything seems imperfectly perfect. 

Its not a love story of a normal boy and girl , it’s a lovestory of a boy and girl who despite dying a little each day are making the best of their remaining time cause they are happy in their little infinity. 

The ending is not at all happy, it gives you tears. Its not that kind of book. Its harsh, its  sweet, its emotional , and….its honest! 

The fault in our stars is a great book and I recommend it to all who haven’t read it yet. John green makes u fall in love with the characters in the most beautiful way. The ending will definitely make u cry. The words are so powerful and touching. Don’t read this without a tissue nearby.

The story is sadder than the titanic. But there are many ways to write a sad story and this is a funny way.

- Pratik Aswal

Staying Strong- Love Who You Are

There are few people in your life who make u feel bad. No matter how less importance they might hold in your life. Their one reaction towards you might let you down and make u think
'we're am I going wrong' ? In this process of judging yourself you lose your own self. Stop bothering your pretty soul with such things that might not hold any importance to you. If you try to make a person happy, you end up annoying the other person.You cannot make the whole world happy, no one can . We're not perfect ,we're just a symmetrically shaped living beings who can think, eat, breath, make mistakes, feel happy, get sad given the name human. Do not ever get influenced by what people think about you or talk about you. If someone loves you, love them back and respect them ,cause they are the ones who hold their share in making you a better person. If someone hates you, give them a smile everyday and pray for them. Stop expecting love from everyone when you can love your own self. Shower as much as love as you can on yourself . The love you've been expecting from that one person you should give that love to yourself . My one advice is to keep your head high, believe in yourself cause you know yourself the best. Remember it takes a second for someone to break u down and shatter u into pieces. Its upto you how well you live your life. Its only you who can make it worst or the best. "Change your view ,and you'll see everything new" .Life is a pretty little thing. So Stay Strong.
"Love is louder than the pressure to be perfect"