Unbounded Randomness

“I am sooooo stressed, I can’t even eat”, said a young friend of mine, who looked perfectly healthy to me. “But what’s the problem, Shruti?” I asked her. “My results are going to be out tomorrow” she blurted as she trembled by the thought. “So? What’s the problem?” I asked her again, still perplexed. “What’s the problem?? Don’t you get it? That IS the problem. I have no idea what is going to happen.” “That’s good then. If you have no idea about what is going to happen, it is just like any other day of your life. What are you worrying about?” “C’mon girl. The results could be totally bad and then everyone is going to think that I am dumb. Mom Dad will be upset with me, especially dad as he has very high expectation of me.   And don’t even get me started on, Pinky aunty” “Who is Pinky aunty?” I was now confused about what the real problem was. Pinky aunty or the results? “My neighbour yaar. She is a bitch. She will announce the results to the whole society...

The date had already passed. All the predictions had been proved wrong. And it had still not arrived. It was the month of June in Mumbai. I carried a summer cap, water bottle and my heat baked body craving air condition every time I went out of the house. The heat had got burned in my every cell and sweat was the second nature to me now. It is ok to be wet all the time, I convinced myself. As the days went by I actually started laughing on the intensity in which the heat was able to attack my body. This was completely new to me, especially for a person who had stayed in the northern cold temperatures for almost a decade. But it still rang a bell somewhere deep inside in my childhood. It reminded me of the unending play of summer vacations, the street treat called ‘Gola’ (ice mixed with flavoured syrups), pleasure of taking a cold shower any time of the day and the most promising treat of the season- Mangoes! I was loving every moment despite the heat and humidity tiring my body....

When my 4 year old son asked me “Mamma, is magic real?” I instantly started replying “No, it isn’t….” and then I looked at his wide eyed innocence filled face. His eyes were dazzling with pure wonder, excitement and everything that he thought he didn’t know. But is it really true? Does the magic not exist?   Well I surely can’t give any evidence of witches flying on broomsticks or wands with special powers or even fairies. But does that mean Magic does not exist? Then I looked at his face again. He had beautiful chubby cheeks just like me but had a dimple on one of the cheeks just like his daddy. The shape of his eyes was like me but their colour was same as his Daddy’s. The little munchkin loved all the food that I liked but played all the games that his daddy liked. What was all that? Was it the perfect combination of genes and chromosomes mixed with a predefined formula or was it unfolding of the beautiful magic that surrounds us? He then went on to play...

Its Sunday morning 6 AM in January. I am wide awake to the dark cold morning. Yes, the sun has still not risen and the coldness, well let’s say it is not restricted just to my body. The Jet lag has played its part. Despite of putting my head under the pillow number of times, I have finally woken up as my body clock made me think it’s time to be up. Well, you can’t blame it. It must already be noon time in India, when the world has still not woken up back here in the UK. We arrived yesterday from India, with our over excess baggage full of homemade food, shopping and numerous little things forced on us on the name of love by our parents which could hardly be termed as necessities for living. This happens every year. We swear not to exceed the baggage weight and end up debating either with parents back home or in the airport with the check-in assistant. I can’t fathom what I am missing at the moment? Is it the bright warm sun shining down on my face or the buzz of the radio,...

I remember getting caught looking out of the window in the middle of a university lecture. Once dreaming about my upcoming holiday when in the office meeting!   Or worse, I have also been guilty of getting engrossed in the TV soap, in the middle of a serious conversation with my husband! Can’t believe I manage to get into such silly situations very easily. How many of you are guilty of these humanly possible crimes?   I am sure, every one of you must have had your own moment of distraction when you really shouldn’t have! The question is ‘If everyone is guilty of this crime, should this be reconsidered for its title as ‘Guilty act’? The other day, I heard in the news that the groom got distracted by an incoming mobile message while getting married and forgot to say ‘I do’! Now, I am not saying that’s forgivable! It absolutely is not. But the question is, why did his mind chose to attend the incoming information and give up the present moment of focus? The s...

I like wearing bright red dresses, especially with white polka dots on it or a cute little bow in the middle. I also like withered Denim Jackets, ripped jeans or the high heel boots that make the loudest sound when you walk. The only problem with all of the above is, the moment I get closer to these in a shop, I make a very descent U turn and pick up a plain blue jeans instead. You ask why?   Well, isn’t it obvious? The cute little red dress doesn’t suit my age and the ripped jeans “supposedly” does not suit my personality. The high heels are out of question as I am already among the tallest females that live today (Exaggerating a bit, but its true).   So, I choose the medium length decent tops and trousers that redefine my personality to be the same old boring self. I confirm the fact that I am who I have been, I should be or who I am supposed to be. What makes me think that I am a certain personality type?   As a child, all of our looks are design...

I am a very logical person. I believe things can be explained as simple as 1+1= 2. If 1+1 is turning out to be something other than 2 then there is definitely an error. Most of my childhood, I have been believing that it is possible to find logic, explanation and equations to everything in life. Apples fall from trees due to gravity, clouds collide up in the sky and pour down the rains due to atmospheric pressure and electrical charge difference in them, seasons change due to earth’s changing distance from sun, so on and so forth. In fact, science has tried to define equations for the most complex events in our world and galaxies ranging from weather predictions to some far away galaxy explosions. Every beautiful event in nature as well either has a hidden purpose or an explanation ; like flowers bloom to attract insects for pollination, ocean waves are generated due to gravitational forces from Moon and the beautiful white snowflakes patterns are generated due to atmosphe...