Hope...

Now, after immense criticism of the usage for the 'Wet Shoes' remark in the previous posts, I have decided to keep similar retorts restricted. Only till the end of this post though, since it is NOT a 'Maut ka Saudagar' or a 'Budhiya/Gudiya' comment. Those who follow Indian politics will realize the context of my retorts. For the rest, just relax...Carry on Reading...

Just happened to visit the Taj Palace Heritage Hotel at Colaba, this morning. Yes, this is the same one which was attacked by the terrorists. Well, nothing dramatic. Just went there for a client meeting. The guy was French. Considering my general aversion to the French people, this guy seemed better, at least comparatively. The Taj Hotel does look like a battered soldier, nursing his wounds. The Wasabi restaurant and quite a few of the suites and rooms are under major renovation and getting a facelift as well. The Dome however is still intact, although there are renovations happening at every corner. It is however, hard to believe that this was the site which was the centre of Global Attention, where scores of Foreigners and Indians were brutally gunned down as well as the incessant grenade attacks which took place here. Its now silent & peaceful as if the guns are fallen after the war. One can never take away those visuals we saw on the night of 26th November 2008 and the following drama thereafter. It still amazes me how vulnerable we really are in the face of Life today. I'm sure nobody in the Hotel enjoying their Business Discourses or spending that moment taking in the heritage of the hotel would have dreamt of such a wildly, gruesome night. I can still vividly remember watching the whole action on the TV till late in the night. And then began the final siege and slow and painful resurgence to normalcy. No evident sign of the carnage on the outside as of today. For an outsider who hasn’t seen the Taj before, it may seem as if there is some random renovation going on. One can only see closed up windows, undergoing renovation. It will be a while before the slow limp back to Life resumes for the Taj. The Reception staff is ever so courteous and nice. Pretty ladies with their glossy lips greet you a nice warm 'Good Morning'. Well, what more can one want on a rainy day? Jokes apart, foreigners seem relaxed and overall the entire place seems really safe and secure now. Bags are checked very thoroughly and security is really tight now. There is Hope….and it shows in the smiles of the hotel staff.

Strange how uncertain life has become and how helpless we seem to be. Gone are the days when one could go to VT for shopping without fear. We blame things, circumstances and people. Seems like, Life is getting worse day by Day. Helpless, in spite of the gizmos and the Technology around you. We may have the Best of things to make us feel secure. But one can never be too sure...So, do what we always do. Enjoy every bit of Life while it lasts. Kaliyug - they call it. Maybe, but do what little you can to overcome it. With a little more zest and spirit. If you feel like hugging someone, do it. It may be a friend, colleague or someone you just enjoyed being with. No sexual overtones here, it’s just plain, without any logic. And good vibes don’t need any logic anyways. No matter what one does, once this moment in Time is lost, it can never return, no matter how much you cry for it or how much you pay for it. For once, try living for others, not just oneself. Be good and it will feel good to be good. Have a purpose. If you don’t, well don’t bother too much. Sooner or later, you will realize one. To quote the Bible, there are 3 things that are always constant in this world – Faith, Hope and Love. And of all these, the greatest one is Love. So, Live it to the fullest, because life's too short to think twice...Cheers!!!