Life has a strange way of doing things

Life has a strange way of doing things. Not something you are hearing for the first time - is it? Well I am just stating the obvious which will be followed by some examples which you all would have seen at some point of time.

The days when you are very busy many of your friends will call you; you will have many visitors (welcome at all other times expect for this); your friends will come up with great plans(not at this moment though); even your family and relatives will give you a call; you will have plenty of ideas to blog; there will be interesting updates on facebook; etc, etc.

Then there are days when you have nothing to do no matter whom you dial everyone will be busy; you will run out of ideas for your blog; facebook won't interest you; and nor would anyone come up with something to do (leave alone something interesting); there will be no books/articles to read; etc, etc.

Sounds familiar? Doesn't it?

It even happens with books. When you don't have any book to read your friends will not have anything interesting to read and you won't get across to a bookstore and find something interesting. On the other hand when you actually have a book to read there will be few more comming up in the pipeline; in fact you would happen to be in a bookstore and find many books appealing.

This bit would be familiar with those who have a habit of reading. Others will have something similar to relate to.

Well this is how things happen. Didn't I tell you life has a strange way of working? And I guess you agreed :)

Tomato and Chilly

I have seen people who mix up with others very quickly; while there are others who take their time. It has got nothing to do with the nature or personality of the person but it is just one of the traits which could easily fall under either. And I have friends spanning the entire spectrum. Where do I fall? I will leave this for my friends to answer :).

Sometimes it feels great to find people get in a group in such a way that it doesn't seem that they are new. While sometimes it is very annoying to see someone trying to get involved in a new group. It all depends upon how the person - who is trying to mix up - is perceived by others plus the viewer's own nature. And it varies from time to time.

Thinking on these lines I remembered something told by my dad sometime back. Let me call it the 'Tomato & Chilly' theory. People can be put under two categories - tomato and chilly. If you know a bit of cooking you will agree that when a tomato is mixed in a dish (sabzi) while cooking the tomato blends in the flavor of that dish and adds to its taste. On the other hand if you add chilly it gives its own taste to the dish reducing the flavor of other ingredients. Its more like a tomato dissolves in a dish while a chilly tries to dominate the taste.

Similarly there are people who become part of the group getting involved with the group as a whole and adapts to the protocols of the group. On the other hand there are some who try to mold the group into their own ways. Sometimes people act one way sometimes the other.

So what are you - chilly or tomato?

Toy Story or The story of life

Went to see the movie Toy Story 3 with a friend. It was a 3D film and supposed to be a comedy; rather it was a comedy film. During the interval my friend said "Aren't we too old for this?" It looked as if he was getting bored but I was having fun and I replied "Well I am enjoying the movie. It is reminding me of my childhood days when I played with toys". Yes I played with toys when I was a kid. Most kids do I believe but there are a few exceptions and my friend was one of them. In the second half when the kid (now a grown up going to college) is going to college his mother asks him to separate all his stuff into 3 parts - trash, attic and college. When he starts cleaning he sees his favorite old toys which he hadn't played with for long but which he hadn't thrown away so far. At the same time the movie also shows the toy's perspective towards humans. The movie shows that toys love being played with and love their owners who take real good care of them. The toys dread being thrown away. As I was watching the movie there comes a time when the kid handovers his toys to another little girl who loves her toys. At that moment tears rolled from eyes. My friend asked me what's wrong I said "Nothing".

But why the tears? Was it because I loved my toys and haven't played with them for years now? Well its true that I still love them and still have them. But is the reason for the tears? I guess no. Maybe I was seeing a much bigger picture. Our life is similar to that of toys.

As we grow up we get involved in different things and as we move to next stage we dump the old ones. The things which were inseparable once are not required now. The games we played earlier are now games for the kids; we have grown up. The clothes change, the food changes, the style changes and so does the thoughts. Things get dumped just like toys. Even friends change. We change our jobs. We change our vehicles. The older ones are left behind; not needed anymore. There was a time when we used to force our parents to play with us. Then we grew up and spent time with friends. Then we grew up further and spent time with classmates. Now we spend time with colleagues. At each stage we take up new things and leave back the old ones. That's life I guess.

When your friends change some of your older friends are dumped. When your friend moves on you are dumped. When you switch job you dump your old firm while when your firm fires you you are dumped. When your friend marries their priorities change and so his time spent with you reduces. The more you grow up the less time you spend with your parents.

Does that mean life is all about dumping and being dumped? I guess so. And you fall into both sides from situation to situation. Were these the reasons for the tears? I don't think so. Maybe the tears were mix of all these and much more; maybe I got too much involved in the movie; maybe they were the results of the 3D glasses; maybe something went into my eyes. Was anything wrong? I guess nothing.

Never thought a comedy movie made specially for kids could resemble life so closely. Well I am going to take my toys out and find something to do with them. And you may go and watch the movie :)