Let's go to the mall - Today!

I'm at a mall! Malls make me happy!

Take this food court, for example, The grandparents gladly chatting with their grand-daughter while she munches on the McD burger, that occasional young couple - obviously on a date, a small family with quarrelling siblings, a tired business man staring into his laptop with dire eyes, the small kid tugging onto his mothers hand while crying tears of frustration, a stout man devouring the extra large sandwich with complete dedication. All these people, they make me so glad! This is why sometimes, I absolutely adore crowded places. People are so different, yet so similar at the same time. Blame the ambience or the music, malls make me feel like as if I were a part of a slow movie. A slice of life!

Everyone is dissolved in their own tiny, yet infinite worlds. I wonder if anyone inside this enormous building is thinking along the same lines as me!

Malls are just one of those mediums, using which the nuclear families can move out of their urban households, and take a break from the hectic life. The feeling will not amount to the fun one might have in natural surroundings, but it feels good to realise that people would still like to take time out of their busy lives to do spend time with the ones they love, or doing things that they love to do!

Also, if you're living in the city for more than 17 years, the fact that you might bump into an old friend in a mall, during weekend, is as probable as not being able to find an empty seat in the food court during rush hours. Almost certain. And yes. I did meet an old friend! Came across a not - so - familiar senior student at my college too; but I chose awkward ignorance over awkward smiles. Silly me. Should have greeted him with a huge pat on his back... But then, he probably didn't know me. (Ignooooooore.)

The other best part, well, one of my favourite part in a mall, is the book store. I learned far more about the world sitting in that small comfy corner than I usually do while sitting in front of the laptop all day long. Fact: Toy Story saved Steve Jobs's career. Like whaaaa? Fascinating, isn't it? It's just one of the few things I learned today.

The concept of a mall is bloody brilliant. The days when they were considered to only be a shopping hub are far gone! The mall is now a place filled with grandparents, smart teens, crying infants, and workaholics - all seeking a days break, relaxing, learning, shopping... Or yawning. (Hello there, Mr. tired janitor!)

It's no secret. For those who embrace crazy, mall's are the perfect new playgrounds.

• Walk backwards on an escalator. (You're a failure in life if you haven't tried this one yet!)
• Wink at that clueless child in a non pedophile, yet cute way.
• If... (Or if not) you're a girl: Bat your eyelashes and pretend to be Julia Roberts while looking at that oh so hot - yet unattainable - guy with model like features.
• Talk to a salesman and share his grief regarding the thick headed customers.
• Skid and slip on the marble floors!
• Use the hand dryer in the washroom to blow dry your hair. (Works perfectly.) Try it next when the room is crowded. A sure shot way to make people giggle. (While smoothening your hair at the same time!)

I left the mall with a heavy heart. I guess I'll be coming here again, soon.

While leaving the premises, make sure you turn back and offer the building a genuine salute. The mall is the brand new urban temple after all! For all sections of the society to hop in and partaaaay all day long. ^_^

Focus!

Light. Let me be.

Your identity.

This post is based on what your identity is, and not on what, or who you are. There's a difference between the two. Having said that, let's begin.

Everyone wants to be accepted. Some try fitting in, whereas some change their surroundings, or even people, to suit their own preferential environment. I simply detest the people belonging to the latter group. Why change others if you're too thick to adjust yourself? Isn't it good manners to change yourself to suit the needs of others? An unsaid goodwill? 

We see a popular social pattern here. A pattern, most of us are familiar with as it can be observed during many circumstances. The bad, the one's with attitude, prevail. While the one's who try to keep other's happy, or simply hide, do not. 

So is it good? To have the air of an attitude around you? Or is it better to be helpful, and still be the saint?

I recently started off with my under grad college. New place, new people, new surroundings, pulled out of my shell, embarking on a new journey all together. I've seen people try to fit in. Some are good at molding others too. Perhaps the 'I don't give a damn attitude' works. To make a difference, to have an identity, you need to differ. If you don't, you're just another person, like a sheep, allowing the herd to guide you.

Mind you. I'm not trying to say that being the sheep is bad. You always have a choice. And no choice is wrong. Nothing is. But in this post, I'm purely going to try and figure out how one can make a difference. Cuz, admit it. Most of us want to.

One can differ only when he or she is confident enough to say no. Or if he or she perhaps has an opinion about everything. There will be a few people, who would prefer to keep quiet, already afraid of how others might judge them. But trust me, when you silently help others, while not trying to figure out your own self, you're helping them, but not yourself.

Don't beg to differ. But stick to your own morals and values. Speak about them. Don't be highly opinionated, but for building your own identity, which you rightly should, step up. Confidence is secondary. You need belief. That's the first step. Believe in yourself, and  confidence will follow. Shortly after, your own unique identity will reveal itself, which would have been built up slowly, with every word you speak, or every gesture you make.

Identities may change from place to place, depending on how you tackle situations in different places. The identity on a social networking profile, for example, could easily be different from the one you actually have with most of your closest friends. 

People identify you in their own ways. So even if say, you're in a group of 20 colleagues, there will be 20 unique identities of you. If you differ though, make a difference, stay, as I said, opinionated, these identities will merge up to form a better picture of what you are personally.

Your identity could be a positive, or a negative one. Negative identities are stronger, and the people who have it, might always have an extra edge. But it's a wrong way. A short cut. And short cut's never work. Be positive, hard working, and in a long run, it shall be beneficial. It's a stable way of thinking too.

What you truly are, is always going to be different than what you think you are. What you show though, can easily be changed. So even if you are being yourself, try and put forth your views a little creatively. How other's see you as cannot be changed much unless you are really good at tackling people and their psyche. All in all, nothing except the real you is true. And no one can ever describe that real you perfectly.

Until then, do try and make a difference. Even if it is in a small way, do try and have a positive identity. There's no fun in being the sheep. (Not that I'd hate you for being one! But it's simply not any fun.) 

Ciao! Fellow travelers!  

Crash and burn, then rise like a phoenix.

Sometimes, I feel, that the cycles of the daily rituals get a bit too repetitive. Take a phoenix for example. The poor mythical creature lives to die, then rises up from the ashes... Only to die again.

Shut your eyes right now. Think. What would happen if you were to live for only 10 seconds more. When one say's that the whole life flashes before you, as you're about to die, it's just an idea. For one truly doesn't remain, to remember enough the thoughts of his last second. We live as if we would live forever, simply forgetting that one day, at one particular moment, everything that ever was, or would be, is going to vanish into a mysterious abyss. A place we probably would never know anything about.

So why do we enjoy this daily roller coaster life? Action. That's what we need. An action on the spur, or perhaps stretched for a long time. But action is needed. Something for the community. Something for evolution. Stop and stare, to realize where you are. Once you have, gear up, and start moving. You're going to make a difference in this world, no matter by what magnitude.

The phoenix shall die one day. But it grows, heals, helps, while it lives. Death is just another start for the creature.