Question Unanswered

Since childhood we have been writing letters. Purposes vary, situations vary, styles vary, even mode of writing varies but writing never discontinues and maybe this is the reason that every year, right from 5th standard (or maybe even before that) in each & every English exam, we are tested for writing letters. As we move on to higher class not only our methodology of writing letter ameliorates but also every other thing complementing it (obviously, after so many years of letter writing what else would one expect?).

Unfortunately or fortunately, it so happens that even when I've reached my second year of Degree College, I am still tested for writing letters. I was sitting in front of one of the teachers (or should I call them professors, now that I'm in college), ready to give my viva. She started with the typical questions of the viva. As time elapsed, I became more comfortable and answered more confidently (not that I was shocked by this). By now it had become more of chitchat than a formal viva. Then we came to a point where we started talking about the different layouts of a business letter.

Now anybody studying under the University of Pune, opting for a B.com degree and is in their second year and is referring to Sheth publications would surely know that there are 10 different layouts for writing a letter. When I told her this, she simply asked, "Aren't we making a mountain out of a mole?" Totally agreeing I said, "Yes, I guess we are."

She had asked me exactly the same question that I had been asking myself all the time while mugging the names and the ways of scripting the layout. But the answer to the question ' Why are we doing so?’ I hadn't figured out while I was learning, nor while the communication professor asked me & not even now, days after the exam is over.

Instead of adopting one single format, which everybody uses, we bring about 101 amendments in them and ultimately amalgamate 2 or more and create a number of totally new layouts. But what happens by the end of the day is that we only use one standard format and the rest all are only known to the people who study them (I wonder if even they know all the layouts!?!).

The question still arises in my mind every time I think about it. Why are we so keen in making our life so complicated? As if our life isn't complicated enough.

But as always the question remains unanswered . . .

Homage to a Mother

I woke up not so early in the morning, wished my mom a happy mother's day with a delicate hug and a kiss on her cheek. She thanked me smilingly. Then the daily routine began. While reading the newspaper I noticed that 5 pages out of the 18 pages contained articles about mothers, their gifts, their experiences, etc. and amongst the supplement there was not a single page that did not talk about mother or mother's day. Though this annoyed me a bit but out of this erupted a super cool idea. It stuck me that the best gift I could ever give my mother is to dedicate a blog for her.
So here you go 'Mom'--

It is so natural of anybody and everybody to say that they have got the world's best mom. I would not bug you by saying this globe famous phrase. All I would like to say is--

Thank you for the petty things that you've done.
Thank you for making my life full of fun.
Thank you for correcting my mistakes; big or small.
Thank you for all the "Don't worry" call.
Thank you for being a friend, philosopher & guide.
Thank you for never letting me step aside.
Thank you for making me whatever I am.
A thank you & a thank you is all I can say
To make your day happy and gay!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

The Before & After of a 15 mins drive ! !

My first ever driving lessons begun 5 days ago or meddling a bit with the dates, it started 5 months before my birthday. For more than a month I had been in a dilemma about whether or not take driving lessons. My ambivalent behaviour led me to no good. One fine day things got serious, or rather I got serious, and enquired in 2-3 driving school, joined one and awaited my first ever driving lessons . . . .

It was a bright sunny morning. I woke up with a jerk. No dream whatsoever could keep me in my bed for a longer time that day. I was damn excited about the whole stuff. As time passed my excitement increased and my endurance abated. I flung open the door, climbed down the stairs and ran to the main gate just like a child running to hug his mother after his first ever day at school.

An antediluvian car was standing outside the gate and the person sitting inside the car, I recognized as the person who was going to teach me driving. There were two others sitting in the car, both with the same intentions as mine (to learn driving!!). One of them, the male, was sitting in the front seat so I climbed on to the rear seat. He drove on and I sat patiently watching all the buildings and trees and lampposts and people jogging and a few other driving-school cars and . . . After what seemed like ages the car finally stopped (though it had only been 10 minutes). I thought it was my turn next and almost got down only to realize that I had to wait.

The hands of my watch did not seem to move at all. As though they had selected today as the auspicious day to be lazy or take an official off. But unfortunately enough the watch of the man next to me was also moving at an equally slow pace.

Finally after another 15 long minutes, the car stopped again. This time I was sure of what was coming my way. The moment had finally come. The moment I had been waiting for, god knows how long. I got down the car and sat on the reputed driver's seat. The basic instructions were given as to which is brake, accelerator, clutch and so on. His list seemed endless. Though it was important, I wanted him to stop and I wanted to start(not talking but driving). It was as though the whole world had plotted a plan against my 'the day'. The watch wasn't moving quick enough, the man and the lady taking longer time in driving and now this man- simply giving 101 instructions.

Then the moment finally came. I pressed the clutch, changed gears and the car started moving. From 1st gear I went to 2nd and then to 3rd and within no time I was driving with ease. I became so comfortable with the steering wheel that I felt like an educated chauffeur driving the honourable man and woman (sitting on the rear seat) to an untold destination. The only antithetical thoughts to this were that-- I was driving for the first time and the car was no porshe or not even a merc. It was a plain old model of maruti 800 (to which the word 'driver' suits better than a 'chauffeur').

I drove for 15 long minutes (this time it did not seem that long-- the hands of the watch were moving extra fast to take some kind of a revenge) but the drive was remarkable. I got off and watched the car go away far from my sight. Then I slowly started moving towards my home thinking about the most exciting 15 minutes of the day or of my whole vacations.

My first drive was fabulous. The pinnacle of my driving lessons (at least till now..!!).