Living alone...

Hello everyone …..
Aai told me about this article that was supposed to be written about experiences of living alone ….. away from the home…
Well as far as staying away from home is concerned every material thing is fairly predictable. What is not predictable is what it makes so difficult staying away…… and emerging a winner.
Firstly living away from the home is what can make you or break you….. however clichéd it may sound but you start realizing which things are important in your life and which are not.
As I said earlier, all material things are fairly predictable. There is a change of place, food, water, people and many other things. What lies lurking behind is what changes you and you still even don’t know it.
Let me say that as, when you change a place, what changes is not just your postal address but how you are supposed to behave in the society. ‘when in rome do as romans do’ fits to the tee. When in a city like Mumbai, enjoy the locals, the crowd, the rush and the fast pace. When in Delhi behave as if you are the king, no matter if you are a beggar, a taxi driver, a professional or even a politician. When in indore indulge in satisfying your taste buds and when in Bhopal, be rejuvenated by the peace and calm.
It goes without saying that people of various cities are known by their culinary preferences and so its no surprise that living away from home makes you truly realize what you like as food and what not. There have been many examples of people who have developed tastes for eatables they have never tasted; equally same are people who have stopped eating their favourite dishes after being had to consume them daily. With all the drama that is ensured when mom cooks a ‘karela’ or ‘baigan’ evaporate as soon as you land home and a simple dal chawal seems like a heaven.
Now here in lies the cliche, people returning from hostels are often termed as rude, aloof, not bothered about religion and social customs etc. My point being if your supposed to stay in an environment where there are people just like you, people who have come out of the comfort of their own homes to pursue education, career etc are bound to be that set of people who have some viewpoints of their own, many a times being rigid and stubborn. Such set of people firmly believe in their roots and upbringing sometimes even to the point of extremism. People like Jain and Sikhs who even though have some Hindu customs, have a separate set of customs as well, which are ridiculed also and upheld also. Having a Christian or a Muslim is altogether a different matter. However bad may be the communal harmony in your country and however much you are affected, having a person of some other religion as your roommate increases tolerance in you. You learn at least to listen to other people’s point of view and respect it as well. It is at this point of time that a person realizes the shallowness of some social and religious obligations and hence forth stops blindly following what is being told and develops a mindset of his/her own; hence the title of rude and sometimes even of an atheist.
This is where the person develops an idea of adjustment only to the point such that it suits him/her. This may seem selfish but then how many 20-somethings (most common age group staying away) have a taste of compassion and selflessness….. and how many would actually want to do it when the other person may be as naïve as you. This again brings us to the tag of aloofness when actually the person is supposed to be finishing his/her daily chores, work etc. as soon as possible and then move aside for the other person to use the resources. This may seem inappropriate at home (like I was scolded for putting my plate in wash basin after dinner) but that’s how the upbringing happens out of the house.
With enough of this talk about what the society calls my sect (people away from home) there are also some qualities which are developed unknowingly. Like standing up for your self in an argument or putting forth your point when earlier there were the very protective mamma’s and papa’s to handle your worries. Like being so independent that sometimes the person feels smothered by all the love and affection that he/she gets at home. Like constantly judging people for their acts and activities and even passing judgements.
But then how are we going to explain the independence we so love… (aai got emotional when she saw me putting eye drops on my own). There is according to us no harm in doing your own stuff, I don’t mean that every child is a pampered one but most are. And that too unknowingly.
How are we going to explain that now onwards adjusting in a new city has more to do with people, their habits and the environment than transportation, accommodation etc.. Living in Delhi means any respectable girl should be back home by 8.00, when in Mumbai that’s the time when most leave their offices for their homes.
How are we going to explain that even though we truly realize the importance of a place called home and however we despise the place where we spent our forming years, in the long run those are the times when actually that city, that place, that environment , those people have been playing a part in your growth. Helping you to grow as a more focused, more grounded, more determined person, one who respects tradition yet doesn’t blindly follow it; one who may seem rude but surely does have a point, one who is independent and maybe selfish but a one who is also accommodating and laid back. A person who would always cherish those years spent away from home as the best days of his life…. Days that not only made him/her realize the importance of family, friends, home and traditions… but also shaped him/her for the future.

My First Blog........

Hello Everyone,

This is my blog..... and so I am going to write about what I feel.... (I think thats what a blog about)....

So I think I may offend some.... some may like this.....
I take all responsibility for my opinions......

Thanks for reading through.... Hope I wont be that BAD.....

Cheers......