Today, I came across an amazing confession of a 27-year-old girl Holly Butcher from Australia who was facing cancer and just after posting this note in night she passed away next day. Her note is very much revealing of what life is and what we are doing with it. Sometimes DEATH teaches you the value of life.

Here it goes.

A bit of life advice from Hol:

It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming; Until the unexpected happens. I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and grey- most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts. 

That’s the thing about life; It is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right. 

I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go. I love my life. I am happy.. I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands. 

I haven’t started this ‘note before I die’ so that death is feared – I like the fact that we are mostly ignorant to it’s inevitability.. Except when I want to talk about it and it is treated like a ‘taboo’ topic that will never happen to any of us.. That’s been a bit tough. I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bullshit. 

I have dropped lots of my thoughts below as I have had a lot of time to ponder life these last few months. Of course it’s the middle of the night when these random things pop in my head most! 

Those times you are whinging about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s okay to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively effect other people’s days. 

Once you do that, get out there and take a freaking big breath of that fresh Aussie air deep in your lungs, look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are; It is so beautiful. Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that – breathe. 

You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. Your new fake nails might have got a chip, your boobs are too small, or you have cellulite on your arse and your belly is wobbling. 

Let all that shit go.. I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more Birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more. 

I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise – Be grateful you are physically able to. Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things … until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them. 

I tried to live a healthy life, in fact, that was probably my major passion. Appreciate your good health and functioning body- even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is. Move it and nourish it with fresh food. Don’t obsess over it. 

Remember there are more aspects to good health than the physical body.. work just as hard on finding your mental, emotional and spiritual happiness too. That way you might realise just how insignificant and unimportant having this stupidly portrayed perfect social media body really is.. While on this topic, delete any account that pops up on your news feeds that gives you any sense of feeling shit about yourself. Friend or not.. Be ruthless for your own well-being. 

Be grateful for each day you don’t have pain and even the days where you are unwell with man flu, a sore back or a sprained ankle, accept it is shit but be thankful it isn’t life threatening and will go away. 

Whinge less, people! .. 

And help each other more. 

Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more. Since I have been sick, I have met the most incredibly giving and kind people and been the receiver of the most thoughtful and loving words and support from my family, friends and strangers; More than I could I ever give in return. I will never forget this and will be forever grateful to all of these people. 

It is a weird thing having money to spend at the end.. when you’re dying. It’s not a time you go out and buy material things that you usually would, like a new dress. It makes you think how silly it is that we think it is worth spending so much money on new clothes and ‘things’ in our lives. 

Buy your friend something kind instead of another dress, beauty product or jewellery for that next wedding. 1. No-one cares if you wear the same thing twice 2. It feels good. Take them out for a meal, or better yet, cook them a meal. Shout their coffee. Give/ buy them a plant, a massage or a candle and tell them you love them when you give it to them. 

Value other people’s time. Don’t keep them waiting because you are shit at being on time. Get ready earlier if you are one of those people and appreciate that your friends want to share their time with you, not sit by themselves, waiting on a mate. You will gain respect too! Amen sister. 

This year, our family agreed to do no presents and despite the tree looking rather sad and empty (I nearly cracked Christmas Eve!), it was so nice because people didn’t have the pressure of shopping and the effort went into writing a nice card for each other. Plus imagine my family trying to buy me a present knowing they would probably end up with it themselves.. strange! It might seem lame but those cards mean more to me than any impulse purchase could. Mind you, it was also easier to do in our house because we had no little kiddies there. Anyway, moral of the story- presents are not needed for a meaningful Christmas. Moving on. 

Use your money on experiences.. Or at least don’t miss out on experiences because you spent all your money on material shit. 

Put in the effort to do that day trip to the beach you keep putting off. Dip your feet in the water and dig your toes in the sand. Wet your face with salt water. 

Get amongst nature. 

Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone. Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo.. enjoy the bloody moment, people! Stop trying to capture it for everyone else. 

Random rhetorical question. Are those several hours you spend doing your hair and make up each day or to go out for one night really worth it? I’ve never understood this about females. 

Get up early sometimes and listen to the birds while you watch the beautiful colours the sun makes as it rises.Listen to music.. really listen. Music is therapy. Old is best. 

Cuddle your dog. Far out, I will miss that. 

Talk to your friends. Put down your phone. Are they doing okay? 

Travel if it’s your desire, don’t if it’s not. 

Work to live, don’t live to work. 

Seriously, do what makes your heart feel happy. 

Eat the cake. Zero guilt. 

Say no to things you really don’t want to do. 

Don’t feel pressured to do what other people might think is a fulfilling life.. you might want a mediocre life and that is so okay. 

Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have. 

Also, remember if something is making you miserable, you do have the power to change it – in work or love or whatever it may be. Have the guts to change. You don’t know how much time you’ve got on this earth so don’t waste it being miserable. I know that is said all the time but it couldn’t be more true. 

Anyway, that’s just this one young gals life advice. Take it or leave it, I don’t mind! 

Oh and one last thing, if you can, do a good deed for humanity (and myself) and start regularly donating blood. It will make you feel good with the added bonus of saving lives. I feel like it is something that is so overlooked considering every donation can save 3 lives! That is a massive impact each person can have and the process really is so simple.Blood donation (more bags than I could keep up with counting) helped keep me alive for an extra year – a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend it here on Earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life... 

’Til we meet again. 

Hol 

Xoxo 

Born Free | Short Film | Sumeet Vyas, Mukti Mohan

Something to be looked upon.

Trust

Today I came across a conversation which compelled me to think how breach of trust has been perpetrated in the society by various elements and how is it affecting our day to day lives.

I was talking with a teacher of Central School, IIT Kharagpur. I wanted to start Sri Sri Sankar Kendra activities in the school. What she told me was shocking to me. She said, "even if your intention is noble and the principal has a high regard for IIT students he may reject your proposal"
I asked on what basis she is saying this. She told me, " The recent event at Ryan International School has perpetrated a shiver to school administrators and any principal will think n number of times to allow activities and people other than the scheduled by the School Committee. CBSE has sent 5 notices till now to each school and has warned against any such possibilities. It has made decision makers risk averge."

Yesterday, I was reading an article - corporate rules for happy life. I was shocked to see, "Trust nobody." as the first line of suggestions!

I was watching a talk of Captain Raghu Raman on Terrorism a few days back. What he revealed was amazing and far beyond any one's conscious thinking. A gory act of slitting the throat of a person by ISIS has far more effect on people's mind than the death of our security forces on daily basis combatting terrorists.

During my undergrad days, I conducted an experiment which I repeated at IIT Kgp as well. I wanted to assess the amount and frequency of loss when I trust that a person can't cheat my belongings.
I kept my singlet room door without locking it. Can you guess how many times I get cheated?
Zero.
Yes, can you believe?
No, because we have been asked to doubt on people around us from childhood. In a controlled boundary setup like an organization or a college, it makes the administrators' work easy and ensure accountability.

I wonder if I can't trust few people in my hostel for my belongings what kind of society are we living in. The how can you ensure a student to trust his teacher, an employee to trust his employer, a citizen to trust his nation. Mistrust is a dangerous poison whose effects are far-reaching than we can think.
Let us not lose our trust in our friends because one of them cheated you.
Let us not lose our trust in our teachers because one boy got killed in that school in their vigilance.
Let us not lose our trust in our caretakers, servants because one of them stole money from your house.
Let us not lose our trust in our doctors because one of them sold kidneys of their patients.
Let us not lose our trust in our bureaucrats because one of them asked bribe from us.
Let us not lose our trust in politicians because one of them looted the country.
Let us not lose our trust in ourselves because once a time you cheated yourself.
Look beyond that 'one of them', 'once a time'.
There lie the people who have trust in humanity, integrity, love, hard work and just need one gesture of your affection and trust to open before you, serve you in all the capacity they have.

Thanks Maa

Amazing acting of all five child actors. Tapori language along with purity in mind of a child has ornamented the script and showcased how much filth society has created. Thanks Maa https://youtu.be/-gqMUZMhg88

काशी की बात

आज जब यह short फिल्म देखी तो बनारस की यादें ताज़ा हो गयीं.

इन गर्मियों में काम के सिलसिले में बनारस जाना हुआ था. कानपुर से बस लेकर इलाहाबाद होते हुए बनारस पहुंचा था. रात के लगभग 1 बज रहे थे. बस स्टैंड से ओला ऑटो लेना उचित समझा. घाट से कोई 1 किलोमीटर पहले zostel नाम के एक हॉस्टल में रुकना हुआ. वहां तक पहुचते पहुचते हिचकोले खाती ऑटो में धूल फांकते बनारस का पहला दर्शन संपन्न हुआ. उतनी रात को राज भई ने एक कॉल में ही फ़ोन उठा लिया देखकर आश्चर्य हुआ. वह घर के पहले माले के ऑफिस में सोता था. दूसरा ऑस तीसरा माला मुझ जैसे अतिथियों के लिए तैयार कर रखा था. Hostelworld पर इतने कम भाड़े में रहने का प्रबंध देखकर चकित हुआ था मैं. इसलिए oyo की बुकिंग कैंसिल कर यहाँ आया था. जिस रूम में मुझे रुकना था उसमे कुछ विदेशी लोग थे और उस वक्त गांजा चढ़ा रहे थे. मेरी स्थिति को देखते हुए उन्होंने दूसरे कमरे में रुकवाना निश्चित किया. वैसे तो कमरे में AC का इंतजाम था पर नवोदय जैसे ऊपर और निचे बिस्तर वाले चार बेड लगे हुए थे. निचे कोई सो रहा था इसलिए मुझे ऊपर का बेड दिया गया. फ़ोन को चार्ज में लगा कर मैं सो गया. सुबह काम के सिलसिले में गंगा पार कर मुगलसराय होते हुए वहां से भिषमपुर जाना था. राज भाई ने बनारस का विस्तृत मैप वाला A2 साइज़ का एक पम्फलेट दिया जिसमे सारे घाट, मंदिर, खाने के नुक्कड़, रेस्टोरेंट, चाट, लस्सी के दूकान और रास्तों का विस्तृत वर्णन था. इसी उत्साह में मैं 6 बजे जग गया. वह मानचित्र लेकर मैं घाट की ओर चला. जैसे जैसे गंगा जी का किनारा पास आ रहा था भीड़ बढती जा रही थी. हवा में गोबर, धूल, कचौरियां , फूल, अगरबत्तियों का गंध मिलकर एक अलग ही सुगंध फैला रहा था, एक अलग ही तासीर. यहाँ बम्बई जैसी भागदौड़ नहीं थी न ही गाँव जैसा ठहरा हुआ समय. हर व्यक्ति अपनी गति से गतिमान था एक सहज भाव से. गाएं, कुत्ते, लोग, पक्षियाँ सब मिलकर एक हो रहे थे. शरीर में एक स्फूर्ति का एहसास हो रहा था, एक ठहराव, एक सहजता का वहीँ मन वातावरण में रमा हुआ था. सब्जी बाज़ार से होते हुए दसाश्वमेध घाट पर निकला और कुछ देर तक गंगा की अनुपम छवि को निहारता रह गया｡