Madmatics of Life

Humans were not meant to be lone creatures, instead we are supposed to be very very very social creatures. Myth also says that we, by ourselves, are just a part of a whole and spend our entire lives looking for the other half. Why then, does this one dialogue uttered by Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock have such a great impact on most viewers?  If humans are social creatures,why do we need to be alone to protect ourselves? Why do we choose "none" as our companion, even briefly, if there are 8 billion people on this planet? Most of us unfortunately already know the answer - companionship sometimes hurts and expectations from others leave us broken - we start calling ourselves "damaged". This damage isn't visible, but it creates a scorching emptiness within. Prevention is better than cure. So, instead of going through that pain once again (followed by years of therapy and healing) we prefer to completely withdraw ourselves from the notion that we ...

(Illustrated using original artwork by the author, Sonal Goel) Feelings. This word has started to sound like a taboo. Since when is it wrong to feel things? People say “ignore it”, “don’t think about it”, “don’t take it seriously”, “don’t be hurt”, Just. Don’t. Indifference is the new swag and “it’s cool” is the new language of indifference. Now we know what Linkin Park meant when they said: “I've become so numb I can't feel you there” We have reached the point where we prefer a state of numbness. Numbness is okay and even feels great. But, what happens when the effect wears off? The Feelings Flood. All that the dam of “numbness” was holding back comes rushing in. Suddenly, you start to feel everything at once. Guilt, shame, anger, irritation, hopelessness, helplessness and the worst one for me - OVERTHINKING. Personally, it’s a paradox - I was fine just two days ago and now it is all back? The moment it floods people who had settled in your life flee for their lives. Noone wan...

Emotion is probably the most difficult thing to understand, and yet, ironically it is mostly taken for granted. According to mythology, there are two main emotions - sorrow and joy . Greeks often used the two emotions heavily in their plays and that is how the two masks came to be used as the symbol of theatre, representing tragedy and comedy . Why this symbol comprises masks, leaves a very deep realisation for us to retrospect - are we often acting and hiding our true emotions? First thing I would like to consider is whether these emotions are mutually exclusive or codependent. I believe it’s the latter. Human emotion is complex, overlapping and ever-present. We are all familiar with the chinese concept of Yin & Yang . The symbol basically represents balance between light and darkness. It emphasises how the light consists of some darkness and darkness consists of some light. Why can’t the same be true for joy and sorrow?   In my illustration shown at the top of this artic...

THE DISAPPOINTED OPTIMIST/ THE SURPRISED PESSIMIST I had been sitting on this title for almost a month and just could not find the will or the context to start this article. On some days I laze around, completely forgetting about me trying to be a writer. On other days I open my laptop and stare at this screen for two full minutes and then shut it down because no words come out. Procrastinating? Maybe. But they say you can’t force things. So, today, as I was lazing around, procrastinating and watching more of Grey’s Anatomy, it hit me.  (Well, I do have Shonda Rhimes to thank for a lot of things in life. And also Meredith Grey, for being the dark + twisty character she was) *SPOILER AHEAD* So, Alex Karev, was one of the most well-developed characters in this series, and a total sweetheart because he never gave up on his love despite brain tumors, dark pasts, traumas and mental illnesses. He always wanted to be a better person to be able to be there for the one he loves, be it his w...

“Why do I and everyone I love pick people who treat us like we're nothing?” “We accept the love we think we deserve.” The Perks of Being A Wallflower A lot has been said about love in movies, novels, personal experiences and even mythology. But, do we know what love actually is? Is it a subconscious, involuntary attraction to someone, inexplicable, purely from the soul? Or is it just a chemical reaction as Sherlock says “Sentiment is a chemical defect…....your pulse: elevated; your pupils: dilated. I imagine John Watson thinks love's a mystery to me, but the chemistry is incredibly simple and very destructive.” Whatever love is, it surely is the strongest feeling and something all humans strive for in all its forms - love of parents, love of friends, love of a special someone, love of self. We all want to take some of it and give back some of it. One of the translations I recently learnt in my Spanish lesson was “Es importante poder amar: It’s important to be able to love.” If...

A great man has said that “the heart must be fooled into thinking that everything is alright “All is well” in order to get the strength to fight tough situations”. OK, Mr. Aamir Khan aka Baba Ranchhoddas Chanchad said it in the movie 3 idiots, which brilliantly shows the pressures one goes through while adulting. It was more like “Aal izz well” and there is one whole song dedicated to this theory. You are singing it in your head already, aren’t you? Isn’t it amazing that bollywood has a song for every mood, every emotion, every person, I often wonder why we don’t have live background music playing as we go about our lives. Well, as I see it this is the “ fighter” way of trying to motivate ourselves to deal with twisted situations we often find ourselves in. Even if for a second, we feel strong enough to handle things without fear. On the other hand, you know what an ostrich does when it finds itself in grave danger? Instead of running away or saving itself, it sticks its head in the...

There are seven sins according to Greek mythology. If you need a poetic refresher on what they are, please listen to “Satrangi Re'' from the movie Dil Se.. Sonu Nigam’s voice, A.R. Rahman’s music, and Gulzar’s lyrics are worth revisiting. While you are at it, don’t you want to watch the Chhaiyya Chhaiyya video just one more time and wonder at its brilliance? Okay, so the bollywood-fanatic in me will move to the side now and let’s talk about why I am starting this article talking about the seven deadly sins. One emotion, which is highly underrated according to me is GUILT. If a person does not feel guilt easily, or is able to move on or let go of things without a second glance, then even the seven deadly sins would not be SINS to him, but just acts. Acts, whose consequences the doer is often indifferent to.  For a person suffering with anxiety, maybe that sounds like the ideal situation, because we FEEL GUILTY FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING!  Sometimes, we end up blaming others for our ...