AN YEAR INTO MY SECOND LIFE!

Life, they say is a gift. But how many of us actually realize it? I never understood its worth, until last year, when i very nearly lost it.

4th of december 2010, the day i would never forget, for it thought me the truth about life...the hard way. My ship was on the way to Turkey and as we were transiting the picturesque bosphour straits. A tragedy struck me. I had an accident onboard. My face and my upper body smeared with boiling heavy oil with a temperature more then 125 degrees!

I winced in pain as the oil spread over my face including my eyes. 40 percent of my body covered with dreaded second degree burns!! The pain was unbearable. My mind filled with a myriad thoughts. will I ever recover? will I get my old face back? will I be able to see again? and the most important....will I come out of this alive?

After a night of excruciating pain on board, I was admitted to a hospital in Turkey. Ten days on the hospital bed, and I got an opportunity to picture my life. Things I've done and things I always wanted to do. There was so much to be done. I wanted a few more days. It was too early to close my eyes for eternity. But then God had different plans. He blessed me with a second life. it was nothing less than a miracle. It was he who healed me and gave me a second chance to live my life to the fullest!

Its been a year now, but the memories still haunt me. The pain, the trauma has left a deep scar in my mind. But there are a few soothing memories as well, like the stunningly beautiful Turkish nurses who treated me and the delicious kebab meal I relished on the day I was discharged. When I reached home, my face looked pretty messed up. there were a few stubborn wounds which refused to heal after so many days. But then there was a hope in my mind that kept me going and helped me to recover to this extent!

Life is too short. And living it with remorse, grudge and anger is like shortening it even further. It's important we live our life in a way it is to be lived. Do not worry about the future or be sorry about your past, Because you don't know what the next moment has in store for you.

Today, by God grace I have recovered fully. I want to thank each and every person who stood by me during my bad times.

And finally, not everyone is lucky to get a second life. Live the one you have to the fullest. So that, the day it ends, you are overwhelmed with a feeling of joy and fulfillment rather then regrets!

GOA SPEAKS

I am a Goan
and proud to be one
I love my Goa
the land of sea, sand and sun!

But now, they've ruined it all
To satisfy their greed
They are a bunch of thieves
The most selfish and corrupt breed.

I've had enough!
no more I can take
I no longer need promises and vows
Which are like them, empty and fake.

Elections are near,
people's power they fear.
with wine and wealth they will try to woo,
But i want 40 NEW FACES AND NO RELATIVES TOO!!

Friends-a precious gift!!

We all love making friends. Some of these just get lost in time, but then some remain and become a part of our lives. I am very fortunate to be blessed with a few good friends in my life. Friends who have stood by me in times of tests and who have supported me all the way. No doubt, I am always on a lookout for an opportunity to hangout with them, and I got one recently. Yes, that's right! I am talking about the friendship day!! It was a perfect reunion with my buddies that brought back memories which were so special and irreplaceable.

As decided, we met in Margao, and as usual, i reached a bit too late. "You know the traffic and the bad roads. Its so difficult to drive"! I tried to justify myself. But in vain. I had given this same excuse too many times now and my friends were expecting it this time. What followed was a series of 'special compliments" which I always used to receive whenever I would keep them waiting. Some new and some the same old and familiar ones. But they did improvise on their "special compliments" over the years.

After a short session of gossip and pulling each others legs, we decided to head for north. The drive was amazing. I must say, Goa surely looks more picturesque and beautiful when you are with your friends. Now we were in Goa's capital city to celebrate friendship day....but without any plan! While we were figuring what to do, all eyes were focused on me being the geek of the group. I thought hard and luckily i remembered INOX. Thats it....we had a plan. We would watch the movie zindagi na milegi dobara. The movie was awesome and it lived up to the hype. More than anything I just loved the music.

The movie was over and we decided to go for a quick bite. The decision was unanimous. All fingers pointed towards the Caculo Mall. KFC!!!!! My mouth watered even before reaching there and my friends were no different. We ordered for a bucket and pounced on it like a hungry lion attacking its prey. As we munched through the tasty chicken, my mind wandered down that memory lane, where we would enjoy a similar meal during our college days. Only difference being there was a simple rice plate and the complimentary sweet lime juice. Time has passed but my friends remain the same and their company still remains priceless. It's been a giant leap from college to company, from fun to work and pocket money to salary, but this bond of friendship still remains unchanged!

The finger licking KFC chicken was followed by a session of gossiping about things ranging from tedious work, nagging bosses and off-course, blind dates! The celebration ended with a game of pool. The friendship day was over, but not until we promised to celebrate it in a similar manner in the coming years.

They say "life is only as good as the people you have in it"! Our friends are an important part of our lives. Their influence plays a major role in molding and shaping our lives. Friendship day is over, but the scent of friendship still lingers around and will continue to do so till i live. This post is dedicated to all my friends who were my strength, my support and my guiding light. Today I thank God for making you all a part of my life. May he strengthen our friendship every coming day and help it overcome the test of time!! love you all...May God bless you.

Because...i am a Goan!

The incidents that happened in the last few days are really worth discussing. The strongman of benaulim or rather the self-proclaimed strongman of benaulim is in news again. this time its for his daughter.

the reputation of these alemao's is not hidden from anyone. time and again they have kept the government hostage to fulfill their selfish demands and this time it was no different. they threatened to resign. and why? because valanka was disqualified!

such incidents have surfaced in the goan politics time and again. these are the same "people's representatives" we elect after standing in long ques at the election booths. with lots of expectations and hope in our hearts and what do we get in return? they dissappoint us to the fullest and make goa their private property.

this current state of goa is really pathetic and goa looks no better then an orphaned child. many of our people have been disgusted to the core and have decided they have had enough. and no wonder, we see the voter's turnout is going down with every election. people feel its a waste of time and do not want to be abettors to this large scale destruction of Goa.

i do agree with their thinking. we are disappointed , we have been cheated and made fools. why should we vote for them? or what difference will my vote do? well, i must say, our 'smart' people have a valid point. but just one question, what is the difference between you and the corrupt selfish politician? both are responsible for the destruction of goa. one is doing it directly and the other one is not doing anything to stop it! So do you have the right to point fingers at them? can you demand for a better life? can you complain about the pot holes, the inflation, the fuel prices or the crime rate? well, the answer is certainly NO!

during the elections we see candidates who seem to be known figures and we end up voting for them, or we vote because of his money or the unlimited food and booze. it doesn't really matter if the candidate has pending criminal cases against him. but what about the new candidates, the ones with a clean record but not much popular? why do we neglect them? just because they don't spend money or they lack that sweet tongue?

instead of wasting your votes and then complaining about the happenings in goa, why cant we come out openly in support of these candidates? why cant we say "No" to the criminals and crooks? its time we give them a real taste of democracy.

by not voting we are only wasting our precious votes. lets put it this way, if 45% of the voters(average turnout these days) can vote and elect a corrupt and a "good for nothing" government, imagine what the remaining 55% are capable of. but they preferred not to vote and rather sit in the comforts of their homes and curse the politicians. when i see this plight of goa, my heart cries in pain. i dont want to see my goa in ruins, but i want goa to be developed, to be advanced and be an example to every other state in india.

its my strong decision, a decision taken in anguish, a decision without fear . i will vote, i will fight and i will protect my goa. because......I AM A GOAN!!

WITH A TEAR IN MY EYE!

The clock just stopped ticking,

Tears just filled my eyes

The land was painted with blood

And the wind was filled with cries.

I stood there trying to beat the grief

Trying to harden my heart.

For what I just heard

Almost ripped me apart.

I couldn’t believe I lost him

In a way I never even thought

It shattered every bit of me

To console myself a battle with me I fought.

They say a bullet pierced him

Deep down in his heart

Killing him within moments

With death pain and suffering playing their part.

What do I have to live for?

My world eclipsed with endless sorrow

I know not what to do

How to step all alone into tomorrow.

DEDICATED TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES OF THE 26/11 MUMBAI TERROR VICTIMS.

THE ALMIGHTY

On the sixth day you created me

In this world so huge and colorful!

You own me and this world, you say

But I defy your rules each and everyday.

I rule the world with glory.

With my intelligence and thought

I change the landscape, the mountains and all,

I build structures that would never fall.

With my weapons so deadly destructive

The worst dangers I can face

No matter what comes my way

I never fail to clinch the race.

Then rose a storm mighty powerful,

That wiped to the hilt man’s achievements’ slate.

Spoke a voice “Do not be vain O man

I am the lord who fills your plate”.