Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ...
Its about learning to dance in the rain!!!
There are many things in life that will catch your eye
but only a few will catch your heart... Pursue those

This is my small effort to make you smile for a while...






Sunday, February 3, 2013

A journey to the lost world

For recently wonderful bloggers all around the world are putting up lots of blogs on reunions, their teachers and many merry things that happened in their life now this raised the debate in me and now I am left with a question that whether am I scared of being nostalgic? Is there any term for this phobia? But time pulls you back no matter how ignorant you are isnt it?

Last weekend I was extremely busy in my current world but then somehow unconsciously searched for “my hand made” autograph book and paused for a minute flipping the pages of it which actually extended more than an hour.


I could remember every single thing that had happened around that book and surprisingly even though the book and the related people were easily 15yrs old I felt an urge to update it right away for the amount of changes that had happened for all those people in that book.

In no words I can explain you the gush of emotions I experienced, I was smiling, I was eager, I was guessing, I was worried, I was emotional, I was nostalgic and then I cried and cried.
The book itself had so many memories, Autograph book then used to cost 50rs and the lecture I got from my appa for asking 50rs for a book which wont help me in studies but only to collect the phone numbers and address details of my classmate still lingers in my ears, post which I had decided to use one simple book and turn it into an autograph book.I was so ashamed on turning a class book into an autograph book where as every other friend had somehow managed to get an autograph book which was very colorful and had nice details in it. 

Just then a dear friend had tapped my back and asked me to give it to her and the smile she had when she told' I will decorate it for you' never fades from my memory. And today when I am holding the little very colored book with small dolls drawn on every page also few questions which she managed to put it on every page of that book managed to pull out the first tear from my eyes...

Oh those passing the autograph books while the class was going, waiting for answer on certain questions like whom you admire or your first crush, to gossip among friends also admiring each others autograph book and hating the ignorance of boys in answering all those question just flashed in front of my eyes

Some who aspired to be doctors are today engineers, some are lawyers, actors, soldiers, ah none of this was actually mentioned in that book. When I landed on the page of one friend a very shy person in our class who spoke to none, I could still remember how much we spied on him to find out whom he kept staring but all our efforts went in vain and we couldn't figure out until we passed out from that school. After 2 years, one day I got a call from a common friend informing me about the sudden death of that shy classmate and to make it worse he also mentioned whom he had a little crush and how he could never tell about it to that person! Unknowingly tears rolled down my eyes remembering how I cried that day... and how his image never fades from my memory... hmmm RIP my friend.

Today its very easy to find a lost friend and most of them are also now connected via Facebook and other social networking, but when the name is told not sure why I remember only childhood image of all my friends instead of those beautiful profile pics.

Years passed many things changed today but such moments no matter how ignorant you are it still pulls you back deep into the essence of those days. If your eyes are moist remembering your friends, then please call them or mail them right away...

After lot of tears shed, because of this one hour of nostalgia I was again reassured life was and is very very beautiful and friends its must to take a journey to those lost world of your memories once in a while....
So go on that journey to that lost world...Bon Voyage

Image courtesy: http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Nostalgia_Inducement

41 comments:

Rahul Bhatia said...

No doubt the life is beautiful and the beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder:) Being grateful to those who made our lives happier is just the right thing to do! Btw am first today to comment, Ramya:)

KParthasarathi said...

Wonderful post Ramya.After reading this,I started wondering why we do not have similar autograph books when we leave college.I think these are best relished when one is in teens.Do you think with every kid having access to computer and a FB account,are these small note books in vogue?

Ramya said...

@Rahul Sir: Arreyyyyyyy wah first comment from Rahul sir :D fantastic. yeah all that you have mentioned is so true. Being grateful to those who made our lives happier keeps us humble. Thanks for your comment :D

@KP: Thanks a lot KP very happy that you liked the post :D, Yeah my mom also asks me the same thing that there was nothing called as Slam book in her days :). And in today's world no one would want to write on those books as its age of writing on wall and timelines :D
Change is good and constant :) is all I can say!

provoqd said...

Hi Chitra,

Indeed, you've made a valid point in this post. It is truly an era where social networking is spreading like a virus and everybody is usually hooked on to it.
However, there is an upside to it as well. I remember my friends from primary school. Those days there was no internet access at all. The only way of communication was the landline. After being separated from them for a decade or so, I finally found them through Facebook and now the bonds have strengthened once again.
Thanks for sharing this post and reminding me of those lost days. :)

Regards

Jay
My Newest Blog Post | My Entry to Indiblogger Get Published

Sonia said...

This brought tears in my eyes..
I seriously wondered and when tried to remember my childhood friends I could imagine everyone in those little uniforms rather then their cool profile pics :)

QA Engineer said...

Good!! .. you did something valuable.. cherishing the bright memories of the past.

Ramya said...

@Jay: Welcome to chittrana :) :) you can call me Ramya :)

Oh yeahhhh how true those landline days and waiting near it expecting the call oh how wonderful those days were :D and now we have many in FB and other social communities but still those memories are the best :D
you have rightly told about it :D

And I already followed you back :D
Happy Blogging :D

Ramya said...

@sonia yeah dear such memories are very emotional, and yes we can remember them like that only its imprinted in memory :) thanks for complimenting

@QA Engineer: I expected a detailed review by you :D surprised to see just a line :)
anyways thanks a lot you are always there to encourage my posts :D

Ganesh Puttu said...

hmm!!! i still have those old autograph books from school with all those cute little scribbled messages of ever lasting love from my school crushes...going through them occasionally just reminds me of how impermanent most "close" friendships are..we grow up and we move away and thats that. still i love going to the re-unions/alumni meets because...most of my friends have changed so much- while i still have my own hair/teeth etc..and that makes me point out and laugh at them and i enjoy that....i know its wrong..but still its so much fun..

Richa Singh said...

Ramya life is such, the fact that it leaves with u with such memories u shud be happy. Imagine sitting at home and recalling a worse time or era. I feel u shud consider ur self lucky that today ur crying because u miss those days not crying due to the pain they caused.

Any ways of course u must write such articles more often, they let out ur own emotions on paper and sometimes vicariously the readers :))

Woman love ur writing keep gifting us more of it !!

Santhoshkumar LM said...

Hi Ramya,
This is your first post which touched my heart. And it made me think like I have people with same thoughts like me.
I felt it, when you talked about the friend who designed your regular note book to an Autograph book, when you did not have one!!
Today you have spent huge money to go around the world. But still you are remembering that incident/friend. And you are daring to write it!!
I have seen hundreds of writers who just write their today's luxurious life. But only some will write their past. Great going!!
Expecting some more such posts from you...

ಅರವಿಂದ ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ said...

Very neatly written. Welcome to emotional fools Club. You know what I mean :)

Ramya said...

@Ganesh: hahaa its your style statement to be direct and frank is it ? And yes I totally accept what you have told "how impermanent close friendships are" hahha yeah so true...
And yes we shouldnt miss chance to meet all of them only to see how time has worked on us :)
Thanks a lot for your wonderful comments :D its always better than the post it self :D

Ramya said...

@Richa: I like to write ironical posts about myself :D cause I am such a funny creation of god :) But sometimes I get carried away in the emotional turmoil :) and the result will be such posts.

Yes those days, those memories are very very close to heart and you will always remember them how you have met them for the first time :D no matter how much you know that they have changed :D thats the beauty of memories :D

Thanks a lot Richa very happy that you like my posts and really its all because of wonderful readers like you, who not only read the post but do comment and encourage me to learn.
Thanks buddy...

Ramya said...

@Santhu: I am very much into writing humor and anything which ensure a little smile on readers, but as I said to richa, Kelosarthi Bhavanegallu yarnu bidala alla :D alegaltaraha bandu baditane irute :D shakti irotanka tadibohudu amele bilebekala :D haage naanu sometimes write emotional posts :D
Kelavu emotional post which are of my choice are here do read it and let me know your point of view...

http://ramya-chitrana.blogspot.in/2012/12/unsaid-and-unheard.html

http://ramya-chitrana.blogspot.in/2012/10/screaming-for-justice.html

And some poems :D
http://ramya-chitrana.blogspot.in/2012/06/poetess-in-me-is-waiting-to-hear-from.html

Thanks a lot :D Santhu for you have been encouraging me all the time :D

Ramya said...

@Arvind Kulkarni: thanks a lot. But then dont trust me :D I am never a loyal member to that club :D lol :)

www.lifepartneracademy.com said...

Ramya, you have touched a sentimental block of human mind. Yes, childhood memories whether written or not have always been cherished. It reminds me of the lovely ghazal: Ye daulat bhi lelo, ye shohrat bhi lelo, bhale cheen lo mujhse meri jawani, magar mujhko lautado bachpan ka saawan wo kagaz ki kashti wo baarish ka paani.


QA Engineer said...

@Ramya - super!!.. nanna review ge istu bele idhe antha keli khushi aaguthe..thank you!!
hmm.. am known for being being lengthy when it comes to writing/blogging.. but gothilla.. somehow stopped at a line because my mind was already engrossed in my past memories so adakke one liner..
But yeah to be honest.. Autograph books, especially the ones from schooling days hold a special place in heart.. am glad you have touched the right notes and sentiments..
and can't believe you cried!! that shows the other side of you.. which is good..!!

and as always the last line of your post which indicates that you zapped back to your own punch line..'Life was and will be beautiful' was really nice.. it shows the original you !! keep Smiling..!!

P.S. And btw.. the comments for this post are coming great..each comment is adding more insight and value.

sibi said...

I chanced upon some of the very old letters of my dear and near ones, when I was a young adult and found how caring and loving they were! Did I value them and those words? I am not sure. Good article Ramya!

Haddock said...

Its always good to find long lost friends, like the one I found after 40 years in Bangalore.

Saru Singhal said...

Like you said for 50 bucks we used to hear all kinds of things. Be simple, concentrate on studies etc etc. Now even a 2 years old carry an iPad. Sigh! We were so grounded.

I lost my memories in flood :D Yeah, that's true, slam books, cassettes, cards etc etc...

Journey to that lost book is snatched from me :'(

debajyoti said...

one day i was going through the facebook profiles of some of my long lost friends but i didn't like how they looked. so, i decided not to do it again and cherish those childhood memories instead.

this perhaps is the best post i have read so far on childhood stuffs. i was writing a similar post few months ago and that half finished post is still there in my d-drive. may be i will complete that someday.

i never got 50 rupees in my school days. and probably graham bell just invented telephone when i was in school :D, so i didn't have to collect anyone's number.

Ramya said...

@EVERYONE:

I am extremely happy to see such beautiful reaction from all of you... I am so emotional to read that we are all connected via same feelings isnt it :) and thats why I always feel...
Life is same with everyone of us, difference is only in the way we see it :)
Thanks a lot for sharing your wonderful feelings with me via your comments will reply to everyone of them now.

Ramya said...

@Fayaz Pasha: Wah wah wah
Ye daulat bhi lelo, ye shohrat bhi lelo, bhale cheen lo mujhse meri jawani, magar mujhko lautado bachpan ka saawan wo kagaz ki kashti wo baarish ka paani.

Loved it Fayaz sir, it exactly conveys all that we want to say about childhood.
Thanks a lot for encouraging me :) Welcome to Chittrana

Ramya said...

@QA Engineer: Idu nodi QA Engineer andre, not everybody has patience to review the post you do. It really gives lot of encouragement and josh to write and blog more. No matter what dont change your style of reviewing :D We respect that.

Oh no one can believe when I say that I do cry sometimes :D Yes memories makes anyone cry :D samanyarali athi samanyalu naanu so I am no exception

BTW did u mention you blog? Please provide the link would love to read.

And yes some post get such good comments that comments will be even better than post :D this falls in that category.

I am finding so many people sharing their emotions, memories with me here. I am totally floating.

Ramya said...

Sibi: Ah Sibi how profoundly you have questioned, yes we realy dont know that, do we really value all that we have now or Value it only later when we retrospect!

Thanks a lot for coming by :) its always pleasure to get reviewed by wonderful bloggers like you

Ramya said...

@Saru: Whattttttt flood???? pls pls tell us this story I want to know how sad it will be for you to lose your memories like that, Washed away phrase is true for you.... Please write a post about it Saru.

Yeah 50Rs used to be so huge then, till my 10th std I never had that much money at time in my pocket ever :D World has changed a lot :D

I will wait for that post from you...pls write how you cannot take a journey to the lost world

Ramya said...

@Haddock: A friend you met after 40yrs... thats an amazing thing now again my request to you is write about it I will love to read it :D

Ramya said...

@Debajyoti: Thanks thanks and thanks a lot Deb for complimenting my post as best post I am very happy.

Oh yeah with time so many things change and somehow we will be stubborn to let go the old memories and images isnt it :D newer charisma just dont work in this case.

hahah yeah landline was rarest of rare then :D very few who were financially well of to afford phone would have landline :D

And surprisingly let me tell you some friends have written their neighbor's and also nearest Telephone booth's :D phone number in my autograph book. Such was the world then :D surprises me a lot today!

Jenny said...

I do this too Ramya! I go trhough those books autograph /slam books. And you know it is through these autograph boosk, that I first learned the meaning of Crush, hehehe

I read all the aspriations and as u mentioed it, its so funny, they all are so different things now!
Fbm twiiter, these things can never replace those beautiful autograph books!

Kappu said...

i know da, been there. Sometimes angels keep the special ones close, or so we say to console ourselves, lets hope your shy-classmate is wearing a smile in heaven.

And, did you notice the quirkiness and chirpiness in our writting?? :) its such a pleasure to read autograph books - just cos at some pt in your life someone lovd you....

Do stop by my write - Woman Hitler. Love to hear from you *cheers*

Ramya said...

@Jenny: trust me its not exaggeration if I say that I badly wait for your comments Jen :) and so I got it this time.
Yeah how many things change with time isnt it Jen, but then thats the beauty of life :DThanks a lot for encouraging me always

@Kappu: Hey you are here :D yeah such nice feeling to read through those books it was completely like a journey. :) It was amazing
Yeah we have to convince ourselves like that!

šēţħũ said...

Ramyaaa..!! Awesome post...too good it is....!!! An Autograph book is a treasure.....just because it takes us on a short trip to our wonderful past every time we take a glance...!!!! Very Very well penned down :-)

Ramya said...

@Sethu: sorry for the late reply :D was away for some time :D thanks a lot for your encouragement and yeah autograph books keeps us so much hooked to the past its really a treasure.
Very happy that you like the post :)

BGT said...

Ramya, those books were fun to prepare and asking friends to fill it for us.. And now, years later, it reminds us of those moments we shared with our friends and all those secrets! Once in a while, I locate that book of mine and go through what people had to say about me.. Fun indeed! :)

Ramya said...

@Binu: Ah finally you are here :D ok now itseems done :D all my dear blogger friends have commented :D can move on to my next post :D

Yeah as you said its too good to read through it :D to see the amount of change and how a very small thing seemed to be a big top secret then!!! :D

Nuthan said...

Hello..
Too good post!!
It's one of those beautiful stuff that rekindles the pleasant memories of past..!! Guess I have lost my school autograph book..but can still recollect a few funny ones.. thank you..
Thumba channagi bardidheera.. !!

Ramya said...

@Nuthan: Thanks a lot :) thats such a nice appreciation from you...
But memories are with you :D that should do good.
Thanks for your continuous encouragement :D

Swarna said...

ah, very nice. Even I had turned a class work book into an autograph book. Will search for it.
Nice style of writing.

Ramya said...

@Swarna: Thanks again for your appreciation, oh yeah :D turning those books into autograph book those memories are so much fun now :D

Ramya said...

@Ashwini: Yeah very true even I love to read it... it amazingly takes us many many years back. And such refreshment is always required :). Thanks for dropping by and reading all my posts.