The festivities.

 'The festivities'.... markets ….brimming with lights, flowers, candles, diyas..  handicraft, furniture and the furnishings...the food stalls, new cars, online discounts. It's all celebrations!

I wonder at times if we put life in celebrations or these celebrations put life in us. 

The message of life, lightness, party music.....is definitely there. What is it that celebrates  'you' during this time of the year? Asked one of my school time friends this morning.The spirit.Do you feel lonely? I'm sure you do. And how do you handle it?

Loneliness, I said to her....is like  sadness, joy, calmness  a state of mind and it's all about managing a particular emotion or a feeling.Accept it is there and you have a better control over it. Reject and it controls you.Yeah, she said yes, it takes courage to do that. 

Yes, I said you will do it if you want to do it.

How do you like to celebrate then? One thing I've been doing since ever is I put some Shagun in an envelope for myself, write a note to myself and give it to myself. A ritual for many years.

If you don't celebrate your life, who will?

Haan....woh tou hai...( That is there )she said. We hung up the conversation by sharing a joke on celebrations.The school where I taught the annual Founders Day celebrations have always been like the big fat wedding.

A friend got  a beautiful bed cover for me.The color is definitely negotiable. A good bed cover is like a warm hug and bed  the sanctuary only if you know if you respect the bedtime .

What made Ratan Tata.....

Ratan Tata.....respect for life, humbleness and many more. That's how he celebrated life. 

Are you celebrating life?

No.

Yes,

It is a complete sentence.

The sacred pause.

As Shakespeare said in the Twelfth night, 'Be not afraid of greatness'.