The roads in my locality were recently asphalted. Not that the roads weren’t were good but then, after some digging they sure needed a fix.
Let’s not get into what happens when elections are around the corner. Now that more drama has unfolded in my state, we better talk about things that matter.
This is the story of asphalt and a leaf. One evening on my way back home, I spotted this leaf which was also asphalted along with the road. On the first look, I loved how the leaf and the newly done road looked together. Accepting and embracing each other’s strengths. There was color and perfection in that first appearance.
Happy with my click, I continued to walk back home. But that scene did not fade away from my mind. For some reason, I thought about life and how it resembled that leaf.
There are times when a life situation engulfs us to an extent that we have no choice than to accept and be a part of the game. We lie there and soak all in with courage. Like how the leaf did.
And sometimes, the same happens to us unknowingly. We don’t even realize how a situation completely changes us. We forget who we are and what’s our identity. There is no one around and we are stuck in that situation. People may see us shining through but in reality we are just stuck. Exactly like that leaf.
It’s hard to pick up which one happens when or how that happens. I don’t think we have any control.
What’s important is how we choose to respond to a situation. Do we want a situation to change us or do we want to accept and change. It is never about how others see but how we want to see ourselves.
Writing for #MicroblogMondays today and also tagging this post to Monday Musings.
happiness and food 
This is actually very powerful and thought-provoking. We rarely think about these things, don’t we? We sometimes go with the flow, let ourselves be sucked into the asphalt.
But I agree that how we respond to tough situations determines who we truly are and really can be.
Love the image and love the post even more.
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Thanks a ton Shailaja! I have been mulling over this thought for so long that today I knew i had to hit publish. So happy this struck a chord.
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I’m a big fan of having a plan A, B, AND Z… character flaw, I don’t really function well without it. But you know what they say about the best-laid plans. Now I’m learning to adapt as best as I can like the leaf. Because that’s the only way, really. It’s a hard lesson but I believe I am capable of learning it.
P.S: Absolutely lovely framing, P 🙂
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I wish I had plans in life. I don’t and sometimes I wonder if I take life too casually. Should I think of what ifs? Not sure. I’m wired to flow with life.
Thank you!
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Hmm ..very thought-provoking, Parul
I guess you are right it all depends on how we respond to situations because that’s probably the only thing in our control
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Yes, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Naba!
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That is a good click for sure.. and you are right sometimes we get into a sticky situation but we humans are probably lucky we if we work hard are able to mat be get out of a sticky situation with some hard work.
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Thank you. Yes, that part is in our hand. Glad you stopped by. Been a long time Bikram.
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It always amazes me how something we think is so simple and by the by can trigger such profound thoughts.
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Yeah.. I think everything is related and connected. Maybe that’s why?
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Wow what a leaf and it’s black background!!
Honestly speaking our approach should be like this
But how often same thing happens, God only knows .
Maximum time people are worried “log kya kahegy ”
But your post made me to reflect.
Good
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Good it made you think. Hai na? 🙂
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Very apt post for me today, Parul. It’s a situation I find a person I am mentoring in. He’s stuck in a situation and it’s hard for him to come out of it, despite all my attempts to empower him. Finally, it’s his call to make, but it’s hard to watch the struggle.
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That happens with me to. People make their own choices and we can’t take away that part. We can only do what we can which may not work. Thanks for stopping by, Corinne.
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It’s my own thought which I’m sharing here. We all have been cultured to plan our lives well. This includes our youth, studies, life-partners and retirement plans and so on. In a nutshell, we all have plans for our lives. But the fact is we don’t know what life has planned for us!
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Exactly! No clue in what life will bring to us.
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I so love the image. It speaks volumes.
And the post, is so thought-provoking. I like being in control all the time and while I do have back-up plans, I hate using them. But now I’m learning to let go and take things lightly. The way I respond to things and situations have changed drastically and people sometimes wonder if I still am the same person 🙂
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Thank you Soumya! I think we all change with experiences that we gain in life. While I’m someone who goes with the flow, sometimes I wonder if I made plans I would be left sad if they don’t work out.
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
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Exactly… what matters is how we react to a situation. It represents the strength of our character
And you found beauty even in asphalt! It actually looks very beautiful… The contrast is striking.
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Exactly… what matters is how we react to a situation. It represents the strength of our character
And you found beauty even in asphalt! It actually looks very beautiful… The contrast is striking..
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That is a beautiful picture,Parul. Love your analogy even more.
Yes, we all find ourselves in this situation sometime in our life. What we do then is what changes the direction of life.
An eye opening read.
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Thanks a ton Mayuri. I’m glad a lot of you are able to relate to it.
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A lovely analogy… has a lot of bearing to my own current scenario, actually
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Great insight, and I agree that our mindset is what makes the difference between perseverance and being “stuck.”
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Beautiful thought and beautiful picture. Life is unpredictable and we are stuck more often than not. Thanks for offering such clarity in thoughts for the Monday musings.
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“We don’t understand how a situation completely changes us.” I totally relate to this. I think of my own journey, with all its bumps, twists and turns, and realize that I don’t know which of these have permanently altered not only the journey, but who I’ve become.
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I love your post. Let me just say that, before I annoy you.
“There are times when a life situation engulfs us to an extent that we have no choice than to accept and be a part of the game. We lie there and soak all in with courage. Like how the leaf did.”
I want to say this is a good analogy, but I’m pretty sure that’s a dead leaf. Maybe it was the brand new asphalt that simply shrugged, accepting the imperfection – the tiny, embedded corpse of a leaf that would inevitably lead to water seepage and cracking and aging and a need to be paved over, once again, by the monstrous fiery heat from hell and all that gooey tar (have you ever watched one of those machines that lays down asphalt on the road?) Yep, I’m thinking it was the road that had all the courage and accepted its fate with stoic grace. 😀
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What a philosophical post, Parul. A leaf on asphalt sounds and looks like such a simple scene, yet you managed to look beneath the surface and find so much meaning in it. True that a lot of times actually in life we have to go with the game. We have no choice but to make the most of what we have and move forward with it, even if we dislike it or don’t agree with it.
‘People may see us shining through but in reality we are just stuck.’ I can so relate to this. So many times people see me as having the perfect life with a good balance between work and passion but that can’t be further from the truth. That said, I don’t feel stuck – more like frustrated at times. Then I remind myself that everything happens for a reason and even in the hard times, there is always something that actually isn’t so bad.
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Thank you Mabel. I couldn’t agree more. I get those comments too and sometimes I wonder how the introvert me is so evident to people. Surprising. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Always makes me happy when you stop by.
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Reminds me of the quote “its not what happens to us that matters, but how we react to it…. like the image, thank you for sharing:)
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Well said and shared. Thank you Angela.
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It’s all about how we respond to situations, I think. There are some that make us want to moan and grumble and groan, but after some time we realise they were important turning points in our life. Interesting observations!
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Yes, what ever we choose, it’s up to us. Thank you Shinjini.
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Great values and thoughts!!!!!
Keep Posting!!
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Thank you!
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In Mumbai at least the road work is done with a frenzy before the monsoon and before the end of the financial year so as to use up all the money allotted for public works . Whatever the reason, it’s nice that the road is asphalted isn’t it ?
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True. Agree on that point.
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Those were some brilliant thoughts to go with the shot of leaf engraved in asphalt. I concur with you on the bit about people viewing us as shining although we might be feeling stuck in a rut. The societal pressure is to appear smiling and shining at all times. Try telling someone about your problems and you can consider yourself free of that someone’s acquaintance, unless of course if you mix it with humour to make it light. No takers for heavy stuff.
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It’s a wonderfully thought-provoking post, Parul and one perhaps that I can relate to very well, as I tend to spend hours pondering on happenings in my life and those around me, who have been sucked into such situations that have altered their lives completely and quite irrevocably so. I think a lot depends on how we respond to these situations and a lot of that comes from our perceptions on life. I think its the tough situations that we are stuck in that make us grow and shape our character and who we ultimately become. I hope I’m making sense, Parul!
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This is so, so beautiful. What a great life lesson to ponder: “What’s important is how we choose to respond to a situation. Do we want a situation to change us or do we want to accept and change. It is never about how others see but how we want to see ourselves.” Love that image, and the story and lesson that go with it.
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This reminds me of a something that I like to say. “Sometimes you are the windshield and sometimes you are the bug.” It is all a matter of perspective. Great post Parul you always have thoughtful subjects.
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What a great message and cool picture!
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A really lovely post. Right now, I’m feeling engulfed, but have started fighting against it. This oddly gives me hope!
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I absolutely love this post – how something so simple can be so thought provoking. I have shared the link on my regular PainPals Blog feature Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You! Claire x BUYB
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Thank you so much Claire! Means a lot.
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