What’s the best present you’ve ever received that was handmade by the giver, not store-bought? Tell us what made it so special?
Thinking about the best handmade presents till date , there are two that come to my mind instantly.
In my childhood being a stubborn kid, I often used to make many demands which my parents found difficult to fulfill. The reason being that the place where my father was posted as a doctor was a tribal area and no such thing as a market existed there. It was one of those days that I decided I wanted an elephant toy. My mother unable to calm me down decided to make one and it took her a lot of time,skill and patience . But what she created by magic of her skillful hands is more dear to me than any other gift , a beautiful cotton soft elephant with detailed stitching patterns that harbors love of a mother for her child.
Then there’s the one that was gifted to me recently by one of my best friends on my birthday. At first glance the card looks fairly simple , but for someone who hasn’t painted in years it’s quite a big feat . Doing something that one is good at is quite easy, but trying something new ,that too for others requires lot of compassion and love.The careful neat handwriting at the front and the so-cute balloons and toffees drawn on the inside are as sweet as a child’s drawing.
A gift even a handmade one doesn’t need to be a masterpiece , not even perfect , it just needs to be one from the heart.
They clung to each other,
the boy hiding the girl
trying to protect her,
from the stones being hurled at them.
The stormy sea roared below,
lightning thundered the night sky ,
darkness seemed to swallow them.
They stood on the cliff,
while the mob surrounded them.
The villagers shouted and jeered
“Jump you wretched ones, jump!!”
“How dare you defy the social norms,
you are not meant to be together”.
They looked each other
and smiled, pitying the villagers
“Alas!! They don’t know love,
they don’t know they have wings”
and then they jumped,
not to fall but to fly .
A restaurant that removed your favorite item from the menu, a bad cover of a great song… Write a post about something that should’ve been left untouched, but wasn’t.Why was the original better?
My mother often talks about how things were when she was a child . The glimmer that I see in her eyes at that moment leaves me wondering if the era of modernisation has really done us any good when it comes to humanity , to compassion or have we all completely forgotten our roots . Do we need to go back and learn the lessons of solidarity from our elders?????
She grew up in a joint family and being landlords they resided in havelis that spread over acres of land. During festivals neighbour cum relatives vied with each other , each one of them putting up his best decorations. Festive processions , gatherings , music and dance used to go on for the whole night .They had ample time on their hands to go knocking at the neighbour’s door, to sit together and discuss all that mattered, to find out if others are doing well too . There was a sense of unity , a feeling that you are secure ,that someone other than your close ones looks out for you too.
A lot has changed now …..modernisation happened …people moved to towns forsaking their roots in search of better lives.But the question is, are we happy or more content with our lives than the people back then or have the multiple deadlines and desires left us with no space to think of someone else.
The centuries old havelis now lie in ruins. Most of them have been replaced by new constructions. But among the few that are left ,you can still see the detailed architecture ,the hand-painted ceilings the beautifully carved window frames and doors. The havelis still tell their magnificent story of wonderful times when a colony was not one of families but a family itself.
I don’t know about others but I for sure am spellbound by the magic of minions . What’s there not to love….the childlike behaviour, the gibberish and the giggles, the odd innocence ..all of it and many more endearing acts.
For those few who aren’t familiar with minions ,they are henchmen of Gru the criminal mastermind and protagonist of Despicable Me movie.Eric Gullion the art director of the movie is their creator ,they have been voiced by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud . Also minions are the official mascots for Illumination Entertainment . In the new trailer of upcoming movie “Minions” we find that they have existed since the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth and have been searching for the most despicable master to serve since then. Well ,since I don’t want to spill the beans rest of the story you can find out by looking at the trailer.
It is said they have come from same strand of mutated DNA. In appearance minions are similar in shape and size i.e. small, yellow cylindrical in shape having one or two eyes with slight variations in height hair etc to tell them apart. They wear goggles accommodating their eyes , have only three fingers and go by many English names.
Now as for the personality these impulsive ,hard to control ,noisy ,creatures are extremely loyal to their master i.e. Gru . They are almost too willing to help with any evil plans and love trying new things . The idea of a heist or anything as such titillates them. But , at the same time they are friendly and fun-loving.Don’t let their small size and simple-mindedness fool you for they are also extremely capable of building weapons , operating computers , even driving .
If we look at why the Minions have become so popular with the audience worldwide ,there are numerous reasons .
First and foremost is their appearance , their behavior which is quite childish , the simple-mindedness makes them more adorable.Unlike others Gru and Minions share a relationship that is much more than a criminal mastermind and his henchmen. Gru knows all of them by name and even accedes most of their requests (including good night kisses :D)
The second is their unique language, the famed gibberish. Though they express themselves more through actions, one can notice few evident English or Spanish words in their jabber.Other languages such as French, Russian , Korean can also be heard in their speech.
In today’s humdrum where we are always dealing with immense workload and multiple deadlines , curbing our desire to have fun and enjoy ourselves ,minions get to play and party almost ever day. They are not bothered about anything, living their lives to the fullest. Thus our sub-conscious mind appeals to it because we too want a life like them devoid of any care and responsibilities.
Their impulsive nature is another reason, they don’t ponder upon the consequences of their actions. They are quite determined ,once they have made their mind about something they just go for it without waiting another second. We on the other hand think twice before acting, even if our heart desires for it.
The above reasons are only a few to mention, each one has their own for their likes or dislikes as I have mine. The first time I saw the Despicable Me movie I fell in love with the minions (sometimes even become one, talking in gibberish, singing the banana potato song…call me crazy :D) and that has compelled me to write this article.
There’s a child in each one of us , the one who tells us to forget about the people around us, to jump the stairs, to catch fireflies ,to fly kites, to let the time limits and schedules slide past us while we try to steal a moment of life for us and preserve it in a box to be opened in search of solace.
Let this child take over the adult in you for a moment. Let it show you what you are missing walking around with your heart and eyes closed. It maybe a hug from your sibling, glow in your mother’s eyes, a pat from your friend, a squeeze of hand , a blessing from elders , a smile from a stranger or love of a stray animal. Don’t let situations and work decide your path . If that has been the case so far , stop. Take a break, look where you have been running to and if that’s not the desired destination find what your heart aches for and make a fresh start.
Take time out for your family and friends, stop living in the virtual world(i.e.social media sites) , play with your children, bake a cake with your family , visit your grandparents , reunite with old friends or adopt a pup, the choice is yours as is your life. Just let that child out and live life to the fullest for you never know the value of something until its lost and then there’s only regret.
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars Regardless of who you are So do whatever it takes ‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life Let nothing stand in your way Cause the hands of time are never on your side
Thoughts Unbound 