Category: Communication

Dearly Beloved Diary

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diary old

I’ve lost some friends

I truly cherished,

For whom I’m greatly sorrowed

These friends aren’t humans who have perished.

They’re books that humans borrowed.

This little poetry, I could not recollect the name of the poet, was published in Reader’s Digest years ago. I had written it down from my habit of collecting quotes and poetry. With time, my habits changed and the sources of happiness were many in the offing. And the collection of quoted wisdom was lost in the familiar surroundings of my home.

Abandoned to the point of being burnt, recently, the oldest of the diaries was recovered from the amassed fortune of old and out-of-print publications. It has a cover print of Mughal miniature painting, the precise reason for making it a precious book.

The years rolled backwards. I glanced through the pages of quotes/poems. From Bhagavad Gita to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s words and H.W. Longfellow to W.B Yeats, there were many known, anonymous and translations.

Some philosophical and some practicality, yet they all spoke the same language – Language of Life. I felt, as if, I was having a secret communication: the words that weaved a way of life to humble living and deep thinking. The book appeared to be life personified.

Old and yellowing pages, delicate to touch, made it difficult for me to leaf through the pages. My emotions reined my thoughts. Ironically, the page that turned without much fuss was to the poem “Dearly Beloved”.

The diary was my dearly beloved possession long time ago, not “borrowed” or shared. Yet, I lost her in transition for reasons I cannot recollect. However, the fading handwritten words promised a reunion, and held a lifetime teaching… (A Malayalam translation quoted on the facing page of “Dearly Beloved”)

“As the sand drifts away below our feet when we stand on the seashore, the days roll on, never to come back.”

Street Shopping, A Bargainer’s Delight!

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A friend, who had come down to Mumbai on a short visit from the United States, was very keen on shopping. She had a day in hand. Her idea of owning ‘a party-wear salwaar kameez( Indian dress), fancy bangles, and mouth watering chaats (Indian snacks) ’, made me select a mall in the vicinity that had all ‘possible brands, cleanliness, and cool environment to beat the heat’.

Surprisingly, she made a humble request to go “street shopping” instead. Wow! Now, for someone who likes to wander, wonder and wriggle through the crowd of fellow wanderers by the roadside, the experience at street markets like Linking Road (Bandra West) and Fashion Street (South Mumbai, near Churchgate) is joie de vivre. Clothes, bags, accessories, sandals, including the latest fashion trends – you just have to name it.

What is even more enticing is the price quoted for the products. In ordinary words, the look-alike of any branded clothes come at half its price. “So cheap, you see!” She was overjoyed. Within minutes she was busy scouting for her goods. And with every shop she stopped by, she was gaining confidence in bargaining. At a point she mentioned “how much she enjoyed persuading and convincing.” It was a surprise indeed.

Of course, bargaining is a skill that comes with practice. In fact, I see it as a tool of communication. Here, the seller and the buyer both are aware of the rules of bargaining. Each has adorned their persuading and influencing skills to the finest. However, some of the buyers are so convincing with their reasoning that, the stall owner gives up ultimately.

Apparently, some of these stalls have a regular customer relationship. Yet, the shoppers/customers bargain and the shopkeeper/seller hands over the goods, saying “sirf aap ke liye” (only for you). But those shops/stalls that don’t encourage bargaining make their position clear with a ‘Fixed Rate’ board.

Well, there are interesting tips on bargaining pointed out by many like-minded bargainers on the World Wide Web. However, not many of us are good at bargaining. When it comes to the “real” thing, we oblige the sellers blindly. As for my friend, her happy hours in Mumbai were a dream come true, and with the “savings” she bought food and shared it with an elderly destitute.

Want to Write, But Don’t Know How

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Writing comes naturally. I agree. But when a student asked me, “How to write?”, I had to think differently. Reason, writing may come naturally but what makes a good writing requires serious preparations.

Learning to write well involves mastering the language, practicing daily and expressing well. Here are some tried and tested simple steps. For a quick read, I restrict them to FIVE points.

1. Reading improves language: Writing requires a good command over language and grammar. Whether you are planning to write in your mother tongue or English, it is through reading articles/ books regularly that, you can strengthen your language.

2. Begin slowly, but write daily: Forget what you have been doing all these years. If you are determined to write, make it a habit to write everyday. Always remember, practice makes a man perfect. In fact, it is by practicing that you develop your own style of writing.

3. Endless subjects and creative thinking: Without wondering “what should I write about”, select your subject/topic from things that inspire you. It can be a newspaper article on wrist watches, beautiful scenery on your way to a holiday destination, the baseball game you had viewed on the internet or your pet dog that keeps you company. Use words to the best and think creatively to make your subject interesting.

4. Re-writing, a practice tool: Sometimes, you may lack the confidence to deal with a subject on your own. However, you can make an attempt to rewrite an article from a newspaper or magazine, and realise your strengths and weaknesses.

5. Presentation and content matters: The aim behind writing is to convey your subject/topic very well. But it is a good presentation of the subject that draws attention of an audience. There is nothing to worry if you manage to write only a few sentences as a beginner. Gradually, you will master the art of expressing in pages.

Writing is a slow and steady process to a sure win. There are no short cuts to good writing. Hence, if you are a beginner, it is essential to remind yourself to be patient and keep working hard towards your goal.

Breaking The Ice

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First impression varies from person to person and situation to situation. It is human to feel nervous about the “first”. However, overcoming the awkwardness by being aware of yourself and the situation, and more so by simply being natural and confident, helps in making the right first impression. Never will life give us a second chance to create a first impression, but being aware of yourself and not faking it to create the first impression will be the lasting impression.

Read the complete article on:

http://wordwiserr.com/