Loyalty

Loyalty.
It's a strange word.
On one hand, it means trust, belief, faith, love, bonds.
Forgiveness.
Happiness.
It means partnership. Dancing in tandem.
Breaking out for solos once in a while but always taking the final bow together.

Works at the workplace. At home. In life. As consumers.

But what happens if trust breaks
Beliefs shake
Faith wavers
The knots of bonds start unravelling

Maybe it means its time to refresh.
Understand the issues.
What are those demons gnawing away at the bonds that have kept this relationship going on for so long.
And yes, both have to work to set it right.

What happens if this is not set right

Well, clearly the loyalty does not pay dividends to either partner anymore
And it's time to  move on

Set the bond free
Loyalty is after all not a handcuff
Nor an imposition

It is an option

One that we choose to honor.

Phones are for Talking

Just spoke to  wonderful Raka.
Someone who I worked with, and who quickly moved from being a smart client to an amazing friend.
Always welcoming me to her home when I travel.
Always praising me to the skies, even when I know I don't deserve it.
There to reply to a WhatsApp when we need to talk.

But we spoke today.
As in, spoke on phone.
Heard each other.

Laughed. Giggled. Said wows and sweared.

How do you capture all that on a WhatsApp or an email or a status
How do you make the other person realise you are laughing till tears flow down your face
Or that you have become pensive as memories flood your mind

One smiley?
One frowny?
Two digital roses?
Three electronic hearts?

We have become so conditioned to assuming that what we have today is a great substitute for conversations that we have blindly adopted the new
Lack of time is not an excuse
The call today did not take more time than an email

Am thinking about how guilty I have been of this as well.
How the least functionality of my phone today is a call.
There are days when we do everything but talk.

Maybe we should make that call.
Maybe a call a day  keeps those bonds alive.

Thank you Raka.

Guilt.. feel or made to feel

There are days when  we feel guilty.
Miserably guilty.
Over small things. Or big.

Maybe because we traded off family time for our own.
Given up that lunch date we had blocked off long back.
Chose a path off the beaten track.
Said NO when we could have smiled a YES.
Ignored that tear.
Looked for that non existent smile.

And then I think- maybe we feel guilty because we are made to.
Because we have been conditioned to believe we must, we should, we ought to.
That there's only one way to do things.
That choice is also a compromise.
That freedom is sometimes a bad word.

Making someone feel guilty is a strong weapon one can use.
It breaks a spirit.
Makes one question oneself.
Weakens us.
Prevents us from taking that step.

So World,  feel guilty if you have to.
But not because someone else wants you to.