A Happy Heart! :)

Do you know? A happy heart is the key to a healthy life! :)

Yes, delicious aromatic food can keep the stomach happy, but what do you think can make the heart happy? I say all it takes is just a teaspoon each of love, care and affection that'll keep the heart happy :)

A true smile is the sign of a happy heart! Surprise a child with his favourite chocolate, the smile on his face would be priceless cause like a mirror, it reflects his heart. Most of the times we see people with fake smiles, but rarely do we see them smiling from their hearts.

Its so easy to get along with people who are happy hearted, kind and caring, they always have a listening ear for what you like to say, they show concern towards you, accept you for the person you are and give a honest opinion whenever you need.

So, allow your heart to be simple, honest and open, that way you feel much lighter, just like a floating feather, like a crystal clear glass of water or a fresh sheet of white paper.

Stay happy, stay healthy! Heres the smile for the day! :)

2011, a year to remember!

As we get ready to welcome the new year 2012, we can turn around and take a look at how 2011 was! Everyone of us have our own set of memories to associate with 2011.

Heres what I have to say about:

2011 brought a big change to my life, I've travelled to England, went through my first flight experience, joined for masters here at Coventry and it was a great learning experience since then - not just the subject, there are many lessons learnt in life. Was blessed with amazing friends, who supported me and are with me in ups and downs.

A couple of presentations, one was group and one individual, were a part of the course, helped me gain more confidence and I enjoyed the experience of my first stage performance at the University's cultural event, thanks to my friends who gave me the chance, thanks to the band, I will remember the song for long.

It is for the first time I was away from home for this long and I learnt the independent way of living and decision making. There are a couple of decisions which I wish I shouldn't have made, somethings which I shouldn't have said to people - but its all part of life, at the end of the day I know how to face similar situation next time and I can handle it better.

Facebook was undoubtedly the reason why I was not here on blogger. My needs were met there - I can communicate with family and friends instantly, but facebook can never give this joy of expressing thoughts clearly, so one of my new year resolutions will be to get back to blogging. Though I seriously tried to write regularly, the University assignments didn't allow me to, there was a time when I wondered if I lost my flair for writing, I came up with a poem, felt good with that.

I will never let the blog slip away or turn silent, cause I made a family of friends here, especially wonderful people who care a lot for me and they spend time, make an attempt to know me, understand me, so lucky to have met all of them here at blogger. I decided to write my blog posts simple and narrative - more like a diary of events - than a booklet of short stories or poems, its easier that way.

To sum it all up, 2011 was a year that brought me into a new world, gave me a taste of sugar, sour and salt, I would like to thank all those who wished me good last year and I hope the coming 2012 will be a wonderful year for everyone of us!! :)

Take care, God bless!! :)

A wish for Christmas...

Here is the poem I wrote for this Christmas!!

Poem : A wish for Christmas...

Christmas is finally here,

To swing us in cradle of joy,

As love blossoms in every heart,

It's the time for celebration...

I made a wish for you,

That may heavens sprinkle,

Happiness on your home,

Fulfilling all your dreams...

A very Merry Christmas to all my friends!! :)

Beyond Barriers... turned ' 3 ' :)

Celebrating Beyond Barriers... 3rd birthday!!! As I turned 25 yesterday and had a nice party with friends, its celebration here as well because I started this blog three years ago on my b'day!

Today, I would like to just take a look back as to how this all started, yes, the first post -->Welcome to Beyond Barriers...

I was active in blogging for the first two years, but honestly, I could never write a heart touching piece of writing since last year - there were many attempts made by me to make a good comeback but life and career made my days busy.

But on this special day, I decided to keep the blog alive, stay in touch with friends, read their posts and get back to those happy days when blogging was a part of my life!

I made a family of friends here, so many brothers and sisters. Thanks to all my readers whose opinions motivate and encourage me!

Have a nice day, take care :)

Taking life easy...

Spotting a worried look on my face, my granny used to say, "Take it easy, take life as it comes, don't carry too much weight, carry a light heart". She used to say:

Pick up a palm full of fine dry beach sand, hold it tight, how long can you hold it? for a minute, hour, max a day?? the longer, the more it would bother you...

Slowly loosen your fingers and look at how the sand slips by so easily, leaving behind a carefree palm...

The same goes with worries, the more you hold, the more it bothers your head, try to let them slip away like fine sand....

Try taking life easy...

A Stroll in the Gosford Green...

Who wouldn't like a lazy leisurely stroll in a peaceful park? The clock ticked 5:30pm as I returned home from the university, on my way I was greeted by "Gosford Green" - one of those beautiful parks in Coventry, with freshly trimmed grass and lovely trees!!

As I neared the park, I felt relieved by the cool breeze that blew across, after a tired day at the university. My bag weighing my back, headphones ringing some songs in my ear, I checked the time and it was 5:45pm, oh! it'd be 10:15pm in India, I immediately dialled home.

I walked through the park as I talked to Mom, feels good talking to parents, their voice is reassuring and comforting at the same time.

After having a conversation of about 20mins with them, I still sat there on a bench, could spot a little lad playing with a colourful ball, he throws it to his dad, his dad throws it further back.

I got reminded of those days when I was in school, my Dad used to take me to public gardens in Hyderabad and I used to study there for a while under the tree, then play, then study a little more and play again.

I looked at the boy as he jumped and rolled in the grass, it made me smile, those days were so carefree, days gave way to weeks, months and years, time flew so fast, was it just yesterday when I was a 5 year old and my dad so tall that I'd lift up my head to talk to him?

The sun was still shining, these English summers see sun setting not until at least 9:30pm. The grass was so clean and fresh, it felt like a carpet as I put my bag aside and lay on the grass. I watched clouds peacefully drifting and floating on a blue sky background!

As I watched the fluffy puffy clouds, I recollected a poem by Christina Rossetti:

Clouds

by Christina Rossetti

White sheep, white sheep,

On a blue hill,

When the wind stops,

You all stand still,

When the wind blows,

You walk away slow.

White sheep, white sheep,

Where do you go?

Hugs keep us Alive :)

When was the last time you were hugged by someone, was it months ago, weeks, days or just minutes ago? Hugs are so special, no matter how many we get or give, there is still space for more :)

"A hug a day keeps the blues away" is so true, cause hugs boost our happiness levels, they relieve us from stress, nervousness, anxiety and pain. A hug is considered as the rainbow after rain.

There are different types of hugs based on who gives them to us, some carry love, care, affection and some are just casual, conveying friendship. But every hug is special in its own way!

On a day when you feel so down, when hope seems to fade and feel you are lost, a hug from someone who cares, be it family or friends, makes the heart light. Hugging is such a wonderful tonic which makes us feel energized and gives sufficient emotional boost.

Opening of arms, a warm embrace, a gentle pat on the shoulder, a few words whispered like "take care", "good luck" and that takes hardly a few seconds, but hugs, like miracles, surprise you as to how precious they are in churning out contentment and happiness.

A hug never goes in waste, it gifts us with happiness through the warmth and care of hearts embrace. So start hugging more and see your life turn more beautiful :)

How many hugs do you get or give on an average day? Did you hug someone today?

Well, heres a friendly hug to all those who are reading this post, have a wonderful day ahead :) take care :) cheers!!

A Dream to Study Abroad...

Like every Indian graduate, even I too had a dream to study abroad and the time felt right for that dream to take shape.

First choice was America, because my sister and brother-in-law were settled over there. My field of interest was Automobile Engineering, so Germany was the most favourite choice, because it has got several world-renowned automakers.

Learning German was my next step but one of my uncles cautioned me that getting admission into German Universities is not a child's play and they don't give visa that easily. He then narrated his son's UK success story and suggested me to opt for Britain. After graduating, I can apply for jobs in Germany or other European countries. Thats when I decided that UK will be my destination for further education.

It was a struggle for my father to get my education loan sanctioned from State Bank of India and with a score of 7.5 in IELTS exam, I got an admission into Coventry University, with tier 4 student visa in hand, I experienced my first flight journey.

Take care. Have a nice day! :)

Back to Blogging!! :)

Finally, I am back on blogger!!! After 7 months of staying away.

I missed my friends, missed reading their blogs, I'll try to catch up and read as many pieces as I can! :)

Life has changed in a big way for me, I am presently in UK, pursuing my masters and I've got bundles of new experiences to share, so I'll be back to writing!!

I was intending to get back with a poem as my 'come back post' but its really so hard to actually rhyme lines poetically, tried since last week to frame it properly but looks like I lost touch or may be I need more time to pen down those thoughts!!

I've decided to change my style of writing to being more narrative and casual, more like a conversation. I love blogging, cause its such a simple and easy form of expressing oneself :)

Cheers!!!