Can you control your thoughts?

Am I the only one suffering with this problem or are you sailing in the same boat? It is nearly impossible for me to just tell my mind ‘SHUT UP, DUDE’. I constantly have something or the other running through my head. Why can’t I control my thoughts? Just like we can control the television with a remote; is there a remote for our brain…?

This has been my numero uno problem for past several years. I think too much. There are few people with whom I’ve expressed this and their casual response was ‘everyone thinks, not a big deal’. So, I’m assuming it’s pretty common among all of us. Would you comply with me? I believe half of my energy is consumed in my thoughts. It’s like putting your brain in a workout mode. One can go absolutely bonkers if tries to understand how human brain works. How can it run constantly for twenty four hours…that too without any energy pill!? Out of the blue, some random thought will hover around my brain and it’ll lead to a trail of stories. I wish there was a way to divert your brain from such formation of mental thoughts. According to my husband, the best way to relax and soothe one’s brain is Meditation. Okay, I get that. I hear the big word from all sorts of people. However, if only I could blank out my brain for a single second [with or without meditation], then I wouldn’t have felt forced to write this article in the first place.

Do you suffer from this? I’m not sure why, but I slightly believe that many of you can relate to this situation…or I could be totally misguided. Am I?

Benazir Bhutto

A role model, an idol, and a go-getter…that’s how I will describe Lady Benazir Bhutto. I clearly remember the time Bhutto got assassinated in Pakistan. I had just completed my bachelors and came back home. It came as a shock to not just Pakistan but the entire world. She was such a quintessential personality and possessed radiant charisma.

My cousin recommended me a documentary on Bhutto and I decided to watch it. Not that I’m minutely interested in Pakistan and its politics but I simply wanted to know about her. The way she presented herself in public and articulated her speeches were astonishing. I was totally taken back when I saw what Bhutto’s father wanted to accomplish. He wanted to see Pakistan as a democratic nation. He wanted to change the look of Pakistan altogether. He was one of the few people who treated men and women equally. He didn’t mourn when the doctors announced, ‘it’s a girl’. He felt proud. He saw her completely capable of handling political affairs. He didn’t pester Benazir to wear a Burqa. According to him, it wasn’t necessary. Coming this from the PM of Pakistan is a big deal because they are the people that general public looks up to. Not in this day n age but in old times, yes.

One thing which petrified me while watching the documentary was a notorious law: a law which forced a women to provide four witnesses while she was getting raped; else she will go to jail for performing intercourse outside her marriage. Things like these were itching Benazir the most. She wanted to introduce equality in her country. She wanted to compose her nation as one world and not men’s world. She saw the downfall of her father; saw him serving jail time; and eventually saw him getting hanged till death. The pain didn’t end here. Bhutto and her family faced house arrest and afterwards confronted imprisonment in the worst cell of Pakistan. The conditions described in that jail can terrorize any human being. Fear of heat, ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, bees, bugs and so on…

Regardless of all she bore; she still wanted to serve her country. When she became the Prime Minister, she wanted to show the world that a woman is no less than a man. She holds equal credibility and authority to run a country. Almost all of her family members got murdered but she never lost hope. Benazir was very focused in her life and wanted to bring her father’s dream alive. Coming from a political background, automatically classified you as a corrupt person. Corruption is a norm in a country like Pakistan. Benazir too, was entangled in corruption and controversies. However, she was the only face who could change the entire look of her country. A country where women’s are stoned to death and asked to hide their mind, body, and soul underneath a burqa. A country where education is expensive or optional or not available. A country where carrying guns is like carrying chocolates in your pocket.

Benazir knew her death awaits her in Pakistan. Nonetheless, she still went ahead with her heart. She wanted to see a new and reformed Pakistan.

Salute…!

Lies & Deceit

Last night after gulping down dinner at seven thirty, I had too much free time on my hand. So, my hubby and I decided to watch a movie. The Debt is based on Israel and their spy agency Mossad. Three spy agents were sent to Berlin to capture a Nazi criminal. Throughout the movie I kept observing the protagonist behavior. As if the director only wanted the viewers to feel the discomfort and regretfulness of Rachel; the protagonist. Upon returning from her mission, she and her partners lied about their mission being accomplished. Rachel was pestered by her partners to utter a lie for the rest of her life. Back in Israel, she became the talk of the town. She was the ‘hero’ for many students studying in university; comrades serving in the army; journalists; media; and most importantly her daughter.

It’s hard to imagine a life which is completely soaked in a lie. Rachel’s quietness all along the movie portrayed how much she’s suffering from one lie. People around her were living in a misconception. It was as if she’s living a dead life. Her past did not let her breathe fresh air and her present forced her to remain mute about her lies.

Lying seems to be quite a common thing in humans. At times you lie to hide your emotions or to make a little boy or girl happy or you want to save your job from your manager and so on… It’s very normal to see such behavior in one’s life. However, if a lie is holding back your life and comes between you and your happiness then it’s time to spit it out. I’m sure my readers now will say, ‘easier said than done’. Yes, I totally and whole heartedly agree with you, however, it’s better to blurt it out at once than to live with it every single day.

Recap of 2011

Phew…so where do I begin?! It was the last year of Osama and the best for Obama. Shockingly, we saw the demise of OBL. Definitely takes the top row in every chart. Facebook brought revolution in Egypt and the country joined hands to show the power of people. They no more breathe under Mubarak. It’s a free nation. Libya followed the same footsteps and declared them as a democratic nation. Hail to the power of people!

A year wholly dedicated to Anna Hazare and his team; his fast; his rally against corruption; his dedication to fight until the last breath. India finally opened eyes to corruption and came together with team Anna Hazare. Lokpal Bill got introduced to every citizen of the county and youth decided to stand by in creating a corruption-free India.

It was a year of Chamak Challo and SRK. Kolaveri Di took the country by surprise. Staggering song which made everyone dance to its tune! A year when media anxiously awaited the arrival of Beti Bachchan. This might offend some of the readers but the world seriously revolves around the ‘B’ family.

It was a year when we lost Steve Jobs. The man who invented iPhone and modified the entire meaning of how to use cell phones. 2011 also the demise of Shammi Kapoor, Jagjit Singh, Dev Anand, Surinder kapoor, MF Hussain. It was ridiculous to see condolences tweets every week from countless people. An article can be written alone on the number of deaths witnessed by the world. May they all rest in peace.

2011 will remain the worst year for Japan. A tsunami ripped apart Japan from its place and left catastrophic marks all across the country. God bless Japan. Mother Nature took a toll on almost every continent and gave numerous indications of the so-called-2012-the-end-of-world. So, if it is the last year of life on Planet Earth…live it up guys!

I’m off to create some new moves on ‘Why this Kolaveri Kolaveri Kolaveri Di?’…