Tag: life

  • From Chaos to Joy: My Incredible Vacation Experience

    From Chaos to Joy: My Incredible Vacation Experience

    Daily writing prompt
    Describe your most memorable vacation.

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    One of the most memorable vacations that I ever went to spanned across two weeks…

    The struggles…

    It was a plan that was being put on hold for two years,
    and eventually,
    we (my friend, one of his friends and myself),
    got fed up with things not matching,
    someday it was just dates not aligning,
    vacation days for some,
    for some it was a family emergency,
    others were just struggling to make time from their schedule…

    Impulsive acts…

    So,
    the week before Christmas,
    we decided to just go along,
    and started to make payments in advance,
    to the travel guide,
    to the homestay,
    and a few days when all others bailed on us,
    I took my cousin with me,
    and my sister to the trip,
    so in total I booked the ticket for the 4 of us to reach the nearest state through train,
    from where the route was halved,
    and my cousin brother picked us from a railway station in Haryana,
    along with the taxi driver in his hatchback…

    Our arrival at our destination..

    The trip was complicated and messy,
    around six hours later we reached,
    but,
    we were a total mess,
    all of us throwing up,
    as we weren’t accustomed to the change in the atmosphere and the environment,
    as we climbed what seemed like an infinite flight of stairs,
    praying to the Almighty,
    holding our stomachs in pain,
    we finally found ourselves a place to sit outside,
    and wait till they cleaned the homestay…

    On seeing the place where we were supposed to sit and rest it brought tears to our eyes,
    as we picked out spots in the room,
    and opened our bags and went to shower and later eat something to replenish our lost energy after throwing up,
    and after eating out fill,
    we went out for a stroll,
    watching the sunset,
    snacking on our way back,
    and grabbing a few bottles to drink as we came back to our homestay,
    and we lit a bonfire and took our solo cups and smashed 1.5 bottles within us 4 (one sober guy)..

    Things We did for fun..

    We went to sightseeing,
    climbed a hill,
    did adventure sports like ziplining,
    ice-skating (during which I took so many falls and ended up with bruises),
    playing in ice (My first time seeing real ice),
    visited a temple,
    and returned back to the homestay in the evening,
    the running waterfall was the best thing to ever see,
    as we took a bath and came back shivering…

    Last day…

    The day of our return was the saddest,
    as the night before we emptied all our bottles and got piss drunk and all of us fell dead asleep,
    on waking I saw my first snowfall,
    a very real event that I haven’t seen before,
    bringing me to tears,
    as we were packing to leave,
    we took some of the stuff that was popular in the area as a parting away gift,
    and a bundle of memories to remember them by…

    One of the most memorable of my vacations,
    that I ever took,
    flashbacks till this day…

    Cheers (to good times) πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • Crafting Authority: Daily Learning in Writing and Life

    Crafting Authority: Daily Learning in Writing and Life

    Daily writing prompt
    On what subject(s) are you an authority?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Well,
    when the topic of authority comes in,
    I like to think it this way,
    one can never master a skill,
    no matter how much time they spend on it,
    but,
    a level of expertise comes in,
    after dabbling in a single field…

    After spending around three years,
    and writing at least half a million to quarter of million words,
    and given countless of them to writers and individual organizations,
    it’s safe to say there’s some level of authority that I have been blessed with,
    (On this),
    But,
    even saying this feels wrong to me,
    because there is so much yet to be done,
    so much yet to be achieved from this,
    and coming from a background that has nothing to do with this,
    makes it hard as the way has to be paved as I walk on it,
    for someone to follow the same…

    The field that I’m working in other than this,
    makes it polar opposite,
    Working in an industry where I learn new things each day,
    and return home drenched in sweat and covered in a layer of soot,
    but,
    even there,
    the learning continues on,
    and it happens on the daily,
    a new way to achieve results quicker and cheaper,
    this tussle continues each day,
    tomorrow too,
    and the day after too…

    So,
    the struggle continues each day,
    both ways,
    But it’s a good life,
    that continues perpetually…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • The Importance of Gratitude in Friendships

    The Importance of Gratitude in Friendships

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you express your gratitude?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Another day another good prompt,
    There are a few instances where I take help of those who are around me,
    and,
    If I do,
    I do let them know that I’m grateful for that…

    Often,
    it happens that they talked to me,
    when I was feeling low,
    or,
    If i was in the need of something and they came in like a savior and handed me the thing that I needed,
    or,
    swooped me out of the bad situation,
    by telling a simple excuse,
    knowing I was feeling agitated,
    and when we are out of that situation,
    I usually thank them for it..

    Just the happening of last week,
    I picked up a friend of mine from the nearest metro station that was to my workplace which I visited during my day off,
    and we went from one cafe to another in search of good coffee,
    and when we were done with the first one,
    we had latte and a filter coffee with some brownies,
    But,
    we didn’t like the ambiance as the shop was packed and we had to sit outside,

    So,
    we went to another one,
    had a cold coffee,
    they ordered a lemon iced tea,
    and we ordered some snacks to go with it,
    And after having it we went to an art gallery,
    and looked at these beautiful paintings,
    as the artist themselves invited us in,
    to look at them,
    and they were one beautiful,
    Of course,
    we couldn’t take any pictures,
    but we really thanked the artist as he walked us through,
    the paintings their expression,
    and what message it conveyed…

    And after thanking him and getting to know his schedule,
    we told him that we will send some art enthusiasts his ways,
    one of them who paints as a hobby,
    another one who does this as her profession…

    After we were done and they waited for their uber to come pick them up,
    I told them to sit,
    and later I dropped them off outside their home,
    and they thanked me and as they were going,
    they reminded me of how much of a good friend I was,
    and they’re forever grateful that I came into their life…

    And they told me to drop them a message as soon as I arrived home,
    but,
    I got late as I had to pick up essentials,
    and they got worried for me,
    as I texted them,
    that I was happy that we could spent time together today,
    and they were too,
    wishing the same for the next week,
    and I told them I hope they’re free next week too,
    so we can spend time together…

    Just these little things,
    spending time with loved ones,
    exploring things and new places,
    which makes them happy and gives me exposure,
    broadening my horizon,
    all the while being a better person and thanking anyone who becomes a part of this life,
    My life…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • Personal Accounts of Surgery: Lessons from Loved Ones

    Personal Accounts of Surgery: Lessons from Loved Ones

    Daily writing prompt
    Have you ever had surgery? What for?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Thankfully,
    I haven’t underwent any surgery up until this point of time in my life,
    but,
    I’m surrounded by people,
    who are close to me,
    very dear to me who underwent surgery,
    To save them,
    or try to save them from a life-threatening disease,
    that was looming over their heads…

    My father had to go through a colectomy,
    to remove a part of infected small intestine,
    which developed had developed into a fast-growing cancer,
    that had already spread through his soft tissue,
    but,
    his conditions deteriorated after the procedure,
    as the medications stopped working and we ultimately lost him in late ’23,
    extremely hard times those were,
    May his soul rest in peace…

    My aunt had to go through multiple of them,
    another person stuck with cancer,
    first,
    the doctors ordered to remove her uterus,
    which was the center,
    where the problems began,
    later it metastasized to her other organs,
    and detection were made,
    where tumors were found in her breasts,
    which had to be removed too,
    which broke her spirit,
    as we eventually lost her after a year of fighting the battle against the fast-spreading disease…

    One of my cousin sisters had surgery too,
    she was developing polyps in her uterus,
    which were making her life miserable,
    and the history of a mother who passed away with cancer,
    she took no risks and went ahead with the surgery before it could develop into cancerous ones,
    which made her life better,
    as she can live carefree,
    but,
    she has to work with caution,
    as they can develop again,
    by managing diet,
    and having routine check-ups…

    Being surrounded by,
    the survivors and the tales left by those who have left us early,
    remembering and keeping all of them in our heart and minds,
    as they taught us to never lose hope,
    until the very last point…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚
    (Happy weekend)

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • Exploring Unique Daily Routines

    Exploring Unique Daily Routines

    Daily writing prompt
    What are your daily habits?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    One of the habits have been this one,
    to upload here daily,
    not a good example today because of the messed-up schedule,
    I had to leave early for work,
    and see supervise some construction going on at our workplace,
    and make edits in it as needed…

    So,
    this becomes a late night post instead…

    Other than this,
    I have a habit of having or trying new things,
    that includes
    food clothes and anything that is unique…

    And,
    if any of those help me in expanding my horizon,
    by costing little money,
    why not experience it,
    in exchange of a few paper,
    I can attain experience that can be used whenever…

    Another one,
    well these are related to each other,
    I wake up and drink a glass of water,
    (kept in silver or copper glass…)
    alternating them however it seems fit…

    And after that meditating for 10 minutes at least,
    post which I write in my notepad,
    Whatever/however I feel,
    before and after the meditating session,
    what new I learn from it…

    Someday,
    it’s a medley of colors,
    someday it is chasing the memories of the previous day,
    other days,
    it becomes finding the lost sense of self,
    after tiring myself all day…

    BUT,
    The sense of relief comes in,
    when things come through,
    and all things go as planned,
    rare days,
    but they cover the days that,
    hit so hard that it seems there’s no end to them…

    At last,
    the day ends,
    after asking or talking to those who are close to me,
    their well-being,
    calling them and talking to them,
    if they aren’t doing well,
    In a sense to help them pass some of the stress or sadness,
    away from them…

    Other than that,
    there’s a habit of constantly seeking new thoughts and ideas…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚
    (happy weekend πŸ˜‡)

    Love Waakiye 🀍


  • Delicious Eats: Hidden Culinary Gems in Delhi

    Delicious Eats: Hidden Culinary Gems in Delhi

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Today comes the question that I can aptly and fully answer without any single thought that disrupts it or takes it away from the topic,
    because in all of this life I’ve tried on various foods and drinks and on many occasions and from places that are common,
    some are hidden in plain sight far away from people see,
    and the gems go on and on until there are none left to be explored…

    You will get the best coffee and drinks along with snacks from “Josie’s coffee house” in Rajinder Nagar Delhi…
    I got a chance to have Irish cold coffee and an Affogato on a special occasion;
    and,
    it was the best thing ever…

    For Chinese category,
    I’d recommend “On the wok..” in Gautam nagar,
    near Aiims in Delhi,
    I got a chance to try the corn crisp and spring roll this Monday,
    and let me tell you,
    the quality and the taste,
    immaculate,
    out of the world…

    For north Indian,
    I’d recommend Sita ram Diwan Chand,
    Chole Bhature but,
    none of that packing thing,
    you have it hot as soon as they give it to you,
    and with that a glass of lassi (curd blended in water &/or milk with sugar),
    its rich,
    and filling,
    and something that makes you fall asleep if you have it at your place,
    putting you in a total food coma…

    For south Indian,
    I recommend DS Dosa factory,
    the vast variety they have its mind boggling,
    I had a chance to go with my family there,
    AND let me tell you what we ordered,

    Their Uthappam (mix veg),
    Rawa masala dosa,
    vada,
    the cute mini idlis,
    and ghee and butter idli,

    brings water to this mouth,
    this early in the morning remembering it,
    again,
    it’s better to have it there,
    because things get soggy,
    as they arrive home,
    because,
    I’ve tried both,
    and the latter always arrives like that…

    Being a foodie,
    trying new things,
    and telling others about it,
    and them having a good experience gives me pleasure,
    and that’s what we do when we find a new spot…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • The Truth About Self-Care: Stubbornness or Serenity?

    The Truth About Self-Care: Stubbornness or Serenity?

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you practice self-care?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Returning to your work is bothersome,
    more for those who are already tired,
    a few hours deep into this days work,
    All the best for what’s left,
    much less what’s more to come…

    About the prompt of this day;
    its a good one,
    but,
    yet here I am exposing myself yet again…

    There’s no such thing as self-care,
    It just plain hard stubbornness,
    (In my language its called ZIDD),
    its the only thing that has kept me going,
    A stubbornness to become someone,
    someone better,
    better than who I was day before,
    and to a new tomorrow,
    that will come the next…

    There is no such thing as self-care because,
    it’s a known fact that I have to get things to work the next day,
    even if I feel like not to,
    there’s a mindset that this works on,
    maybe on or after achieving a spot or a pedestal,
    where one belongs,
    one can take rest and give self the much needed,
    “Self-care”…

    But,
    If that thing or an idea that is much bigger,
    and is replaced by another one the next moment,
    there’s no time to rest,
    or sit,
    or contemplate the things that one has achieved,
    that’s why,
    and that’s how things have been with me,
    leaving me with enough time to rest,
    and wake up with a positive mindset,
    ready to conquer another day…

    On the days off,
    the actual self-care version of myself kicks in,
    I usually wake up late,
    late enough for people in my house to question my existence,
    And when I do wake up,
    I wake up hungry like its been weeks,
    And eat and spend day leisurely,
    By going out with family or friends,
    and by the time evening hits,
    all of us are at home,
    at ease,
    and as we talk and have dinner,
    enjoy and talk about things that happened over the week,
    and discuss and plan the week ahead…

    By the time it ends its time to sleep,
    and prepare the challenge that is the next day…

    That’s how it all goes,
    that’s how my self care goes,
    What about you…?

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

  • Overcoming Doomscrolling: Finding Purpose in Your Day

    Overcoming Doomscrolling: Finding Purpose in Your Day

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you waste the most time every day?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    I hope this is a safe place,
    but most of my time is wasted doomscrolling,
    without even a single thought,
    it just feels like there isn’t a purpose,
    there is not a single purpose behind life itself…

    It just feels like that I try to snatch time,
    within all of the limited time that I have left,
    within these 24 hours in this day…

    Just this day,
    I woke up at 4 a bad dream perhaps,
    and mindlessly scrolled for around an hour,
    scrolling reels,
    some of those give me some happiness,
    some of them make me sad,
    but,
    they bring me up,
    and throw me down,
    to keep me in this vicious cycle,
    Of being constantly hooked,
    looking at them,
    one after another,
    until my phone runs out of battery,
    Or I drain myself enough…!

    The constant need,
    of having something playing,
    in this ear,
    or,
    having something to see,
    that bombards with some valuable information,
    or useless,
    that won’t help me ever,
    but,
    the need,
    the unreal need of having something playing,
    maybe a comedy skit,
    maybe some informative video,
    to pass the time,
    or just something that fills the emptiness in the room,
    making it some noise,
    or some tunes playing in the background,
    that deter me from thinking anything/everything,
    at a certain point of time…

    A never-ending rant,
    that exists within this mind,
    to leave it and pick it up,
    making me forget crucial memories,
    because I can’t seem to remember them anymore,
    like moments in my childhood,
    some of them are non-existent,
    some of them are blemishing,
    some of them are still there but fading,
    and some of them come back
    after remembering hard enough,
    but,
    none that is remembered off the top my head…

    You’re grateful if you do,
    and if you don’t,
    in the same boat we all are…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

    Another scroll,
    another relatable thing,
    Even though none of them are,
    it just passes my time…

    As I stared at the clock,
    it stuck 5:30,
    it had already been too much,
    an hour and thirty minutes,
    scrolling…

    But,
    it’s because there’s a need to replace,
    replace all things,
    Everything that surrounds,
    and this one is the cheapest,
    because the price is paid,
    not in the form that is visible at present…

    A price that is paid,
    paid with those forgotten memories,
    by replacing those happy and sad times,
    with what brings these short bursts of happiness,
    becoming an addict to them,
    waiting for free time,
    or snatching it from regular schedule,
    a moment here,
    sitting on the can,
    or going out for a smoke break,
    or going out to eat because you forgot to pack yours,
    because of waking up late…

    Maybe,
    maybe it isn’t so bad after all,
    but,
    the memories that I forget,
    or I’m trying to,
    maybe,
    just maybe,
    it will help,
    in eroding the bad ones,
    Unaware,
    the good ones entangled together are going away with them…

    An Echo Without a Voice
  • Exploring India ‘s Rich Heritage and Beyond

    Exploring India ‘s Rich Heritage and Beyond

    Daily writing prompt
    What countries do you want to visit?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    It’s another one of those great prompts kinda day,
    what countries I’d love to visit,
    such an open ended and a great question…

    To be honest,
    the country that I belong to,
    India,
    has such a rich heritage,
    that as each and every state boundary changes,
    the culture,
    along with their language,
    a different dialect from the last one,
    also,
    the food with their differing preparing techniques…

    Within this country,
    there are oh so many things to explore,
    but,
    the responsibility of work has landed on my shoulders,
    which forces me to be there,
    at the place of my work,
    and due to that I am barely able to explore,
    explore this country of mine…

    The last trip I took,
    it was to Himachal back in ’22
    and nothing can beat it ever,
    That is where I first saw snow,
    and it stays in my memories,
    forever…

    I imagine for some of you it might be a common occurrence,
    but,
    imagine being a person who saw snow for the first time ever,
    it was such a heavenly experience,
    that the flashbacks still stay till this day,
    and the trip was executed in the last week of December,
    for this reason,
    so,
    me and my sister,
    along with a cousin of mine,
    and my best friend and his friend,
    we all went and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves…

    Well,
    there are so many things left to explore,
    Karnataka’s coffee,
    to Assam’s tea plantation
    Mumbai’s sea,
    to luscious apple plantations in Kashmir…

    There’s a lot to see,
    in this country of ours,
    until,
    I can be free or,
    make time from the responsibilities that bound me,
    one day or another…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍

    As far as eyes go,
    a wonder,
    the wonders of the world,
    within this country of mine comes to mind…

    As the clicking and clacking comes to rest,
    and the low humming of the devices come to a halt,
    An eerie silence surrounds me,
    without a clue,
    what’s causing this,
    and what’s the cure…?

    This life still continues,
    so does the work,
    but the life,
    that doesn’t…

    In a limited time frame,
    we have to find our happiness,
    something that makes us happy,
    something that brings us joy,
    something that we love from the deepest of our hearts,
    something that we can’t live or survive without…!

    But,
    this day still continues,
    as commute takes away another 45 minutes,
    and for those 45 minutes,
    I stare past these buildings,
    These high rises,
    a place…

    A place,
    a place without,
    the constant need to be available,
    available round the clock,
    at the disposal of the bosses,
    at a single phone call,
    but,
    a few moments away,
    Away from all this…

    “MONOTONOUS CHAOS”
  • Embracing Self-Discovery: My Favorite Qualities

    Embracing Self-Discovery: My Favorite Qualities

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Well,
    on looking at it,
    the things that make me,
    who I am,
    None,
    not even a single one of them are my favorite…

    I do,
    whatever I have to,
    they’re guided by some motive,
    an ulterior one,
    through which,
    ultimately I will stand to gain something from,
    maybe an interaction,
    a call asking for help,
    A lonely person as I pass them on the road,
    I ask them if they’re okay?,
    if they need some help,
    they need me to take them somewhere,
    or they’re running late to something…

    Only because they might open up to me,
    find me to be their comfort zone,
    find themselves to be open enough to tell me,
    talk to me about their vulnerabilities,
    or how,
    who they are the way they are,
    and when they do that,
    give me a piece of themselves to keep,
    as a namesake or ,
    something that they shaved off themselves,
    when things were going out of their hands,
    maybe,
    and just maybe,
    I swooped in at the right time,
    at the right place and carried them to safety…

    Maybe my interaction sounded forced,
    it sounded like I wanted you to expose yourself,
    expose yourself to a total stranger,
    without worrying about how this could be used against you,
    but,
    if you did,
    you reached your destination,
    a tad bit early,
    because I drove fast,
    and as I asked you,
    what was bugging you…?

    And,
    many chose not to answer,
    and the few those who answered,
    we talked and those few minutes of conversation felt like an hour…

    As I was told,
    Oppressed you were,
    misunderstood too,
    and how the world only saw what was there to see,
    from their own perspective,
    But,
    none from what the sufferer going through,
    and maybe if someone didn’t come in early,
    maybe it would have been the end of them…!?

    As the road came to a four-way intersection,
    with traffic lights,
    and I everything came to a standstill,
    but,
    the sounds of exhausts blaring,
    the passing of vehicles as their lights turned green,
    and,
    the awkward wait,
    as I asked them,
    “What is you were never born,
    would things be different then…?”

    As soon as those words left this mouth,
    and a sense of panic was in the air,
    coming to the realization that I was a total,
    and an absolute stranger,
    who apparently had nothing to lose,
    and gain G0d knows what…?

    As the lights turned green,
    and took a turn to the route they told me to take,
    as I stared at them,
    through my peripherals,
    on arriving there,
    a few minutes later,
    these were the words they were left with…

    You know how,
    the world feels small,
    when things come crashing in,
    it focuses into a point,
    somewhere in the body,
    and you try to find it,
    incapable each and every time,
    But,
    maybe,
    it’s good that we aren’t capable of,
    maybe,
    the shift in its place each and every time.
    helps us to stay sane,
    because what if we could take it out,
    and never fear anything ever again;
    “What if there was no fear whatsoever…?”

    Would this world be worth living,
    if it had no fear…?

    What if I would have screamed at that very instant you asked me that question?

    What if,
    instead of staying quiet;

    I would have answered,
    and answered something,
    that you didn’t expect,
    Would we ever be the same,
    Either of us…?

    Any of us…?

    Maybe that was fear,
    or the disguise in itself as she walked away,
    as a black cat followed her,
    into a street that had no streetlight,
    as I turned and shined the headlights and finding the street closed shut,
    by a gate that had a lock with a lot of dust on it,
    seeming it wasn’t moved in a long time…

    Maybe,
    and just maybe,
    that question,
    which throws people off,
    threw her off,
    and when I keenly listened like no-one did,
    she did find someone’s life worth to be spared,
    one of the most favorite things about myself…

    “I tried to figure something,
    well,
    something about her,
    something about myself too,
    until,
    I found out what,
    Or,
    where those answers came from…”

    A lifetime,
    wasn’t enough for those,
    I thought,
    As I drove back home,
    in a calm and easy manner,
    like his was the usual,
    an unusually usual routine…

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    Love Waakiye 🀍