Stories

Photograph

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

Lush green trees swayed in the breeze of the impending storm as the sun rose to the sky. The clouds were dark and moody. The lone bird looked pensive and sat rooted in its spot on its tree while it’s younger ones squeaked at their loudest huddled close in their nest guarded by their mother.

A painting of this view behind the window bars topped the painting competition years ago and belonged to Nancy, my daughter. I remember watching her proudly as she climbed the podium and received the award.

A photo of that award event, framed, stood on the wall shelf of the living room. It was taken from the box of memories by Nancy when she visited my home last year.

I see this photo from the opposite wall shelf where I have been living inside a photograph of mine, just like how I see both Nancy and her daughter on the sofa today. They are watching the documentary on elephants, as another storm brewed up in the sunset sky. I see my granddaughter checking out the window in fear as the green dark leaves swayed again…

Thoughts

Shame, Fear and Beliefs

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

There are some aspects of yours which you never reveal in a blog post. The guilty pleasures or the thirst traps you watch ( something I “learned” after watching Koffee with Karan which is one of my guilty pleasures indeed!) or weird habits etc. Or that you have been going to therapy or IVF or visited a doctor to cure that and this.

The major reason for not sharing any of these is the shame we experience around these matters. As if these actions are shameful and that they needed to done discreetly. This is the reason many kids start doing “many things” discreetly hiding from their parents, be it satisfying their curiosity regarding body parts and their workings (the M and P words!) or hiding about crushes or loving someone. We sense we will face embarrassment which we tried to avoid though it should not be an embarrassment. Like we know bra is a common innerwear but there used to be (or still is) so much hullabaloo about the bra straps(or rope?!!) peeking out. Similar hurdles for wearing sleeveless dresses or mini skirts. Why is it a matter of shame that we expose our legs and arms. When did they became “our private parts”?

I have been wanting to write about the shame feeling forever. I feel it’s there in everyone in some form or other. Anger seems to be one of the common blanket wrap for this feeling. Behind every action of anger it seems fear is the root cause. And fear could also be of “fear of being shamed”. Fear of being made fun of. Fear of taunts. Fear of failing in the comparison competition which we start ourselves. Some get stuck in a job which they don’t like because there is a shame in being jobless, some are stuck in relationships because divorce is a shame, and this extends to all the cliches like not marrying or not having kids after age etc.

The first thing we fear when we reveal about therapy is that others won’t understand. Then there is the fear of explaining your whole mental situation and then there is the fear of being judged and then fear of being brainwashed. It’s like a can of fears which gets opened up. Irregular periods? “Get married asap”. Feeling depressed? Go to bhajan gathering or tie a thread.

Continue reading →
Bangalore life/Mélange – Random Tidbits/Thoughts

Wardrobe Woes

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

Today, the rented flat we stay in got a huge wardrobe makeover.

Just like the owner and the tenants staying in it, the apartment too was a unique and weird one. Unlike other flats, it has good interior view towards the park and greenery, two extra balconies (which remains largely unused considering that they were one of the reasons which tempted me to get this one out of the million other reasons, the others being good lighting and decent interior furnishing and not the bright pink and weird designs), two huge single piece mirror as wardrobe sliding doors (which caused enough financial damage to the owner and some of the mental peace of the tenants) which is finally being replaced to accommodate modern style wardrobe boxes.

The bedroom is full of dust, which I would have to clean in the evening after they leave the room, considering that my allergies would have a feast in the night otherwise. The color is pristine white which gives me another set of anxiety issues considering how punctual and energetic I am in maintaining cleanliness but nevertheless I am in one piece having enormous mental peace as the task is put to action after coaxing the owner and the other half for months and maybe years.

Continue reading →
Internet/Reviews/Thoughts

Silicon Valley hangover

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

It’s amazing how I missed the Silicon Valley web series considering how I am always on lookout for tech related things. Except for the cursing and crass jokes which gave out a angsty teen vibe, the series is good to peep into the actual going on of software companies. For an outsider who struggles with fomo, this series was like a window peak to the struggles faced in IT companies.

It reminded how I am completely noob at the actual geeky coding part. I don’t think I could ever stay all night doing the coding things nor I have the vision of “make the world a better place”, but I could relate to the social anxiety and other emotional patterns. I could understand the thrill of doing something exciting together. The livestream of a person in distress was more important than the actual distress situation because you only think of the surviving the tech part alone. The problem solving aspect of engineering is kinda addictive. I could understand how and why Gavin Belson wants to be at the top forever.

The series equally reminded me why the business side is boring and at the same time also dangerous enough to kill the whole thing. There is no camaraderie and whatever seems to be there among relationships is just for the time being or for the sake of work. We rarely think of creating friendships outside of work. “Money can easily pervert our minds”. That was a golden dialogue among many others.

Continue reading →
Bangalore life/books

Back with Books

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

Books are usually an escape from reality. Today I could say, they bring us back to reality too: by helping us to see the trees among the woods.

A book which I finished recently, “The Midnight Library by Matt Heig“ gave me hope. I saw a tweet about this book with the #hope that lured me to this book. Maybe I was searching for hope, and universe gave me the book as an answer.

The main character of the book, Nora is too depressed and has lost all hope to live. Though the circumstances are different, I know why I could relate to the main protagonist. I am grateful and hasn’t lost hope, but mind keeps wandering about the other choices I could have made. The book talks about the “Book of Regrets” and I thought I had a heavy book. But I forget most of the time, that my other choices need not make me more happier. Or I couldn’t imagine which changes would have made me more happier. Since I have not experienced those lives where I make a different choice, this truth has not been imprinted deep in my mind. My mind gets distracted of the million possibilities and the lives I could live, every second. Or try to incorporate those good things which I desire to bring to this life too. And that’s what the book makes you think about. “What would you change in your current life, if you had the chance?”

The book has kindled in me another question of what I am running behind whether really is what I want? Do I really want to go back to work and miss out being on the teenage years with the kid, even though I may have to face the rebellious moments which would make me feel stranded? Or is it a creative outlet I am seeking to make my mind alive? For appreciation and worthiness, I may just need to share my existing skills like writing, or photography or maybe singing? Not as a compelling challenge, but as a way to showcase my skills. Or I may just have to appreciate myself for sharing and bringing some entertainment to other people. Will that make me content? What is it that makes me happy and at peace?

Rich dad poor dad by Robert Kiyosaki was the first book I started this year with. Finances creeped up higher in the priority list when thoughts of “return to work” surfaced again. The asset creation is debatable as people with traditional mindset favor real estate. The author talks about real estate like how I buy things from amazon sale! Not a favorite subject still, but on my list to delve into more. Have checked out all the cool apps – the finance startup apps.

Quiet by Susan Cain is the book written for RK, not for me. It established my findings of me being more ambivert than extrovert or introvert. It explains the spectrum of these three categories and differentiates them between shyness. Though I had high expectations from this book, which was there for so long on my pending book reads, it did give me confidence to waive off my self doubt and make deal with who I am.

2022 was a tough one to begin with, as not much changes has happened in my life these past few months to look forward to. Yet the resolution of reading more stays valid as in any other year. I found one workaround which worked for me very well this year. Use a timer. Keep it for 10 mins or upto 30 mins. The ticking of the clock will force you to make read because its just another task for the brain. And maybe not read too much, after the timer goes off. You would soon feel burnt out to pick up the streak next day.

You could add me up in goodreads to track my reading journey. More books have been completed as I type this, but not sure whether they are worth reviewing much…

How is your new year going?

Bangalore life/Thoughts

The What’s up truth!

Posted on by Archana K B / 0 Comment

Hi. What’s up. How are you doing?

I too ask these questions to others and I get asked the same in return. The small talk we all hear every now and then. Why is it that we cover ourselves in the safe space of “ all is well” and “as usual” etc. How hard it is to reply that “not feeling good“, or “ in too much stress”, or “feeling depressed because of all the things going around”, “working on myself and my mood swings this week”. Why can’t we share our fears and failures without the fear of judgement. The answer maybe that we dread the questions that come afterwards. Or the pain and struggle to explain ourselves again and again.. it’s a deadlock. Unless we explain no one is able to understand as they are not some therapists either. I attribute some of these situations to the societal conditioning of disapproving people who voice their opinions honestly. Or live their lives truthful to themselves.

The pandemic has made it worse. Initially there was all sort of activities to make use of time as if that’s what we were born to do. Earlier there was accusations that we are wasting time and have to keep doing “productive work” all the time. And trapped inside the house too, people are expected to do some DIY, cooking or learn new skills. Does it mean animals plants and other living beings are worthless and that they don’t contribute to the world environment. Yes we may be intelligent than other living beings, but shouldn’t we use that intelligence to live better and not take stress or tension and undergoing anxiety treatments. Unless my therapist explained this to me, I think we all took this fact for granted. That we are worthful even if we don’t achieve anything. Even if we just live and do nothing. Maybe it’s time to explore the nothingness. Being okay with doing nothing. Or for not having a job, or a child or a relation, or good health or slim waist or money. It’s okay.

The second thing that follows is the blatant advice which we don’t need; it’s as if no one listens. At times merely allowing to share and take it as they mean i, is so hard. And when things go dont well, it’s mostly because they don’t know themselves, or maybe they know but not able to. And at that stage what can advice do. More of compassion and empathy is needed. We all want to be seen, heard, appreciated, loved etc. and if the first two happens the rest follows. The main advice I get is to go out and walk or do exercise. If I were able to do that why would I even be writing this here!

The problem comes when we start comparison. It’s difficult indeed to not think of comparing, though we may brush it off under the carpet when we are confronted about it. Like what are you lacking? Look at others who doesn’t have money or food or shelter. Look at the afghans women! How do you explain that I don’t want to be compared or that I have the right to feel low even if I am the luckiest person alive in this planet! The problem of letting others be as they want to be.!

The only good thing I hope to come out of this is that more and more people are getting frustrated of the pandemic and the lockdowns and are able to identify how the reality and depressing news is bringing us all down mentally. Just like traffic has come down, pollution has come down, families have come together and other positives that came out of last year, I hope “I’m not okay” would also be “normalised” as a positive outcome. A sigh of relief for the future generation if that happens and I wish I could soon be as transparent to others as I am with the kid. Children understand mood swings way better than adults! And what more, they are clever enough to approach or leave you alone as you want it!

So now honestly, how are you today?