A very insignificant, yet strangely cute incident happened with me yesterday in the train.
I was coming back home pretty early at noon and the trains at that time were empty. At Chembur, every-one else in my coach apart from me chose to depart and for one moment, I got uncertain whether or not to change my compartment. Well, this girl boarded the train the very next station, so I had company :-)
Now,
Yesterday was first day of navratra and for people who don't know, all the days of navratra are colour coded :-P As in, there is this pre-decieded colour of clothing, Amba-ma is made to wear a saree of that colour and all females are expected to wear that colour. I found it initially very amusing, but mum absolutely insisted that I wear "RED" and no other colour yesterday.
And [not so surprizingly], the girl who boarded my coach was wearing blood red too.
Vashi bridge came next and I, who needs to be as close to the sea as possible, chose to stand at the doors. And well, I had my music with me and the sea near me, bliss. Just then, I noticed that the girl was staring at me out of intrest. I gave her a stern look and she,
returned me the most wide-genuine smile ever!
Her entire face brightened, eyes twinkled; It was one, complete-friendly smile!
I couldn't help but smile back!
Just to strike a conversation, I went towards her and said,
"Do I know you through anything?"
She: [bemused] You do?
Me: I don't know. You look familiar.
She: [Takes a while, thinks, makes some faces, does some countings and finally with a confused look] Maybe through the train-travel..
Me: Huh? Oh...OK. Thats my station, Bye.
She: [another killer smile] Bye.
Thoughts started racing,
I guess I know her from classes, she was reading some bio book! Maybe through junior college! Market, boutique, friend's friend, or maybe she smiled because we wore Amba-ma's colour. How did it matter, maybe it was train!
And after I got off from the train, realization struck me!
Why has smiling become a formality?
Why can we literally count the number of times we smile each day?
And if some-one is being sweet enough to smile,
Why do we get appalled for a moment?
What is humanity heading towards?
35 comments:
:D
Cute!! I smile way too often at people I don't know! :D Their reactions are super hilarious! :D
Keeping my fingers crossed to bump into you during puja, though this year I might just have to skip it. Bloody college and crappy submissions!
@ Anindita
Yea, I do that too!
Aree, we ll plan n meet up. I hardly ever go to icl puja, just to see the pratima.
shasti, saptami evening,
wassay?
Yes,In this materilistic world we forget that smile doesn't cost a thing..though u atleast had a conversation with her....I don't think you could have done more
Gee's I gotta smile a bit more now... :D
@ Anurag
:-)
Yea, observation evokes realisation, which inturn leads us to make small-big changes in the way we do certain things :-)
P.S. Whats with all the gee-ing? :-P
I have a darn project presentation on the 8th. It means only like 6 sleepless nights, starting today. If I live to come, you got yourself a deal! :)
very true... a smile is also being questioned these times..!!
:)
ur post reminds me of the character "prabhakar" from the book Shantaram.
he too struck great frenships simply with a great smile!!
@ Anindita
then 9th ko hi milte hai :-)
coz ashtami navami is practically impossible for me to get out of my puja. The one at sanpada, dad's secretary and I handle quite a lotta work :-)
Plus, my cousin's coming down this year, so gotta give her company. For a change I don't hae exams during puja, I am oh so looking forward to life after 5th!
good luck 4 ur presentation n [crappy] submissions :-P
:-)
@ vinz aka vinu
Yea, thats wht made me feel guilty. You know, like since we were lil kids, we ve been taught,
"do-not act friendly with strangers!" "do not accept unknown stuff!" "do not trust, do not love, do not ask, do not tell!"
so the mentality sinks in.
and that is safe
yet so sad.
@ Gunj
:-)
glad cud relate.
and that book? Man, I tried reading it when I was in my 1st year and used it as my pillow for an entire week before giving it up.
maybe it was good, I really appreciate ur patience!
:-P
a beautiful experience...
it is a pity that people dont smile back at ya when you smile at them...
have a nice day mate... cheers...
this is sumthin ppl cant accuse me of..my smiles r totally taxfree :))
I smile like a jackass.
People can't help but smiling, AT ME.
@ Arv
haha, we talking abt unknown people. I have 'so called' friends who don't return smiles, ha!
anyway, smiling feels good, true one is probably the only complete expression. :-)
@ Trinaa
yea baby,
that I could make out!
:-) :-) :-)
@ Shrutilaya
haha! lovely comment!
Thanks for spreading some smiles around,
I shall join u in the mission too!
[anyway people think that I have lost it :-P]
Keep smiling!
:-)
Atleast they still think.
People are SURE that I[ve lost my mind and /in fact/ never had one to begin with.
What the heck. = D
People sometimes complain that I smile too much.That I'm always happy.
As for WHERE this world is heading?Well with global warming,religious conflict,territorial conflict,global food crisis,stock market crash...there's only one place it can go to.Hell.
Nice....Y do u give a stern look???
I suggest u something
Go and stand in front of the mirror, smile at the mirror...see how u look...give a stern look...c how u look....whichever u feel makes u look good, do that.. alright??
Well...finally tell me who that gal is??? Cud u recollect???
Lol!
I have tht habit like anything ;)
And I second Anindita..their reactions ARE hilarious! :D
And btw,I permit you to link my blog post :D :)
A smile is very mysterious. It's difficult to tell when somebody is smiling at you or smiling at their own thoughts, or maybe because you stepped into something.
So has it become a "formality" to smile? I don't think so.
As to where the world is heading, yup, surely Nuclear bombs and global warming and hunger and poverty and dictatorships and fake smiles make us feel like it's nearing its end.
But if the world survived the Dark Ages through the Renaissance, if it survived the World Wars through (false) promises of Socialism, maybe we can survive the rest too.
Weapons and fake smiles and tyrants have always existed in one form or the other, but it's Love that breaks them and keeps the world alive.
@ shrutilaya
haha, no no..ppl know tht i have a mind; they call me midnight b4 exams 2 teach them stuff.
a jackass's image cud actually do me some help :-P
=)
@ Ishaan
Yes, I agree.
But, I don't wanna go-2 hell :-(
I don't wanna meet u :-(
:-P
@ Rajesh
I got strangled on her suddenly split reaction! And well, I smile way too often man :-)
I ll do tht, need to smile 2 myself :-P
I don't think I know her. I don't know.
@ crystal
thanks. :-)
and yea, I third both of u,
hillarous, sure =)
cheers!
@ alok
makes sense
:-)
We're so wary of people, so caught up in our lives, so insecure maybe that we don't have it in us to smile at everyone. I know I can't. New people, stangers scare me. :|
ahoy..long time.
yes sir..humanity is heading towards one dead hard rock..
but you know..things could be worse
@ Ki
Now, can there be a more honest comment?
But, this realization has struck me so hard, that I have over-come my fears! I talk to friends and just not push off after a 'hi', I compliment random gals on my way to collg, I smile at people i find friendly..
thrs a start, Thanks dita, trinaa and laya! ur comments made the difference :-)
smile, coz the world needs to know that the terror doesn't affect us!
@ Nilesh
oye! *pinches*
*this IS him* *reply moron, stop staring at the screen with disbelief*
:-P
Yes I agree, things cud b worse; but are we going 2 wait 4 the worst 2 happen 2 take any steps towards it?
I have made my change, I know I can make the difference..
P.S. Welcome back and u better b regular 4m nw on..
I asked myself the same question yesterday in the library
why is that girl smiling while looking at me?
well, it ended up with me noticing that I WAS wearing mismatched socks and they were showing.
which prompted 2 more questions.
why do everyone have to stare at me.......cant a guy wear mismatched socks and be at peace?
and
why am I in a library?
oh well
life is like that....sometimes
Soo cute!! :D
Very nice :) Though I do smile a lot more than I think I do ..
@ deluded
LOL!
wht a coment! made my day!
Welcome 2 my page
and thanks for the comment.
P.S. library? woh kya hota hai?
@ crystal
u r cute!
I just second u :-P
adding u on blogey-roll :-)
@ the trooper
welcome, welcome
and good 2 knw tht u smile,
makes u feel better, no?
thanks for the visit n comment
n keep dropping by..
Cheers!
whats a blogey-roll?
is it like a egg roll.....just better?
can i have some too?
Im hungry
I second myself on that cause!
@ deluded
errmm, yes. frustration sure is the beginning of medicine.
and no, u don't get it!
its an honour for the gifted,
not food for the hungry!
smiling s gooooooooood!!
when happeee -- smile,
confused n cant answer something, to escape --- just smile
when embarrassed n dunno what to do --- smile .. lol!!
@ xorkes
hey! welcome!
and that was like the bestest comment on this 1!
thanks :-)
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