I had thought of posting another doggie story. But this isn't one. Instead I came up with another story(I can see the groan!). You wouldn’t even call all this a story. I call it a story.  Read further. You’ll know why I call it a story).

NOTE:

One more thing….I’ d like to dedicate this post to The bunny….Thanx a ton rey….

love

Etymology

Old English lufu (noun), lufian (verb), from Germanic *lubo, from Indo-European *leubh-.

Ok then, this is a list everything I love….

I love:

-Being able to say all the things I want to say

-Talking

-Tuesdays

-The sounds of mornings

-The view from my terrace

-Being fed

-My school premises

-Chotu

-Short stories

-The Times of India

“Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that”                                          ~Michael Leunig

I love:

-Being treated like a kid

-Songs with good lyrics

-Nani and Nanu

-Being praised

-Maggi with peas and carrots

-Acting on stage

-Calling people names

-‘But it rained’ by Parikrama

-Breaks

-Mommy

-My eyes

-Soni and Guddu

-Controversy

-Rain

-The colour blue

-Free classes in school

“A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it” 

                                                                                    ~Frank A. Clark

I love:

-Unexpected holidays

-Chocolates

-Fishes (Live ones)

-My pajamas

-Perfect colour coordination

-Air conditioners

-Gardens

-My computer

-My pals

-Surprises

-Chicken (Used to. Im vegetarian now [July])

-Reading

-Diwali

-Writing

“Love is, above all, the gift of oneself”

                                       ~Jean Anouilh

I love:

-Psycho-analysing

-Sirius Black

-Stars

-Remembering every detail regarding people/things/events I care about

-Getting sums right

-Quotes

-Being called ‘cute’

-White walls

-Not having anything to study

-A hot shower

-Chinese food

-The feel of the sand on a beach

-The smell of new books/bags

-Songs from ‘The Sound Of Music’

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver”

                                                                                                                                              -Barbara De Angelis

I love:

-Stupid photographs of not-so-stupid people

-Bunny rabbits

-Gowns (the kind the female protagonists of Disney cartoon movies wear)

-Watching movies with Soni

-Winters

-White Shirts

-Unopened letters and packages

-My ability to forgive easily

-Being dominated by people I love

-Promita’s sense of humour

-Family gatherings

-Microsoft Word

“No one has ever loved anyone the way everyone wants to be loved”

                                                                                    ~Mignon McLaughlin

I love:

-Making Lists

-Happy Endings

-Watching Chotu sleep

-Unexpected holidays

-Movies

-Attention

-Sweet Lime

-'The Fountain Head' by Ayn Rand

-Technology

-Biology

-Christmas

-Winters

-Good editorials

-Folding up my pants

-The word/name ‘Reddox’ (My little fish will get that name)

-The fact that I never really envy people

“Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile”

                                                                                            -Franklin P.Jones

I love:

-Appy Fizz

-Aviators

-Barney n Friends ( The Fly)..Family

-Getting up late

-Non-lazy mornings

-Newsboy hats

-White flowers

-Sitting with my legs folded

-Baggy clothes

-Anything to do with white/blue/water/rain/beaches

-Watching debates

-The American way of saying new (NUUU)

-The word ‘princess’ --- I have NO clue why!!!

-Spacious houses

You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry.  ~Author Unknown

I love:

- Cauliflowers

- Curved 'g's and 'y's

- Yahoo messenger

- My phone

- A certain 'uh huh'.

- A certain "Right."

- Sprite. umm..no, not really, its just okay-okay.

- A hen

- Heights

- Public Speaking

- Accounting

- *Wanna hold hands or something?

- Bottle openers

- Assertiveness

- "Nega"

- Bottle opener

“You don’t have to consciously love yourself to be happy. Just spread love selflessly among your loved ones. You’ll fall in love with yourself automatically. And loving yourself feels beautiful....”

                                                                                     -Anonymous

I love:

- Me

- You

- Everybody(No...not all)

Etcetera…….

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love”

                                                                                                   - Mahatma Gandhi

Whoa! There are soooo many things in my head right now that if I continue typing I could never stop…

At that time when I first thought of making this list I could’ve never imagined where this would get me.

 I had absolutely NO clue that I love so many things.

Feels weird…well, atleast to me it does. I had always presumed that there’s hardly anything around that I love.

Wanting to continue with this list makes me think twice. There are soooo many things I love. So many things that give me so much of pleasure, happiness-be it those little joys my days are replete with or the BIG ones that actually shape my world. There’s so much to love, so much to extract love from, so many people to get loved by..

There are no bounds, someone said, to love and human stupidity. I totally agree.

The "love"' is one that is taken for granted the most. It is used so commonly, so generously, so blithely.

 I don’t know what made me interrupt my list to type all this. But I know one thing for sure, I did understand something. What that something is, well that’s for me to figure out.

But yes, I do love a whole lot of things. And I hope to continue loving them. They shape my happiness, my thoughts, my choices.

I'm trying to imagine what would happen if I converted all those things I claim to ‘hate’ into things I love (well, not all of them, a few atleast)….

This reminds me of this song we learnt when I was in the IIIrd: “Count your blessings”, it’s called..

…………… When upon life's billows
You are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged
Thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done……………….

www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/countyou.htm

Lots of people say love is selfless and that you need to love things selflessly. I disagree. I think loving anything is being selfish. You love things because you like loving things. It makes you feel good. You do it for your sake. You are being selfish. There’s no other way to it. No, I don’t think there’s any other explanation. Lots of people love lots of other people. It could be any kind of love. But the love which is most troubling, thought-provoking is the one your thinking about now…I think accepting that fact that you love someone takes courage, a whole lot of courage. Courage to kill the ego.

Ego. Reminds me of The Fountainhead…

Fountainhead. Reminds me of what Howard Roark says:

“ I love you, Dominique. As selfishly as the fact that I exist. As selfishly as my lungs breathe air. I breathe for my own necessity, for the fuel of my body, for my survival. I’ve given you, not my sacrifice or my pity, but my ego and my naked need. This is the only way you can wish to be loved. This is the only way I can want you to love me.”

That’s a different kind of love, what Roark (I mean Ayn Rand) is talking about. I don’t understand it. It’s too profound for me. I hope I will someday. But the implication is similar.

Today’s Moody Confession:

The summer of 2007. I can never forget this summer. This summer has been the worst ever if I look at it straight. But then I look deeper.

I see the challenges. Then I see the change.

I see tears in my eyes. The pain. Then I see forgiveness in them. The faith.

I see myself weak, broken. Then I see myself dust my back and get up.

I see loneliness. Then I see the friend.

I see frustration. Then I see me encouraging someone.

I see light. I see it everywhere. Even at night.

I see the hot sun. Then I see the mangoes.

I see my face burn. Then I see my pink cheeks and lips.

“We must become the change we want to see.”

                                                -Mahatma Gandhi

I see the dry tank. Then I see the cool pool.

I see the hot afternoon wind. Then I see the evening breeze.

I see the bead of sweat. Then I see the cube of ice.

I see the sour meat. Then I see the ice-cream.

I see myself burdened. Then I see myself carry it with ease.

I see myself sniff softly. Then I see myself laugh out loudly.

I see the elevator isn’t working. Then I see the beautiful end the stairs lead me to - the view from my terrace

The summer seems to be the worst ever. Then I see all what I learnt.

I learnt so much. I grew up.

I’m learning everyday. I’m growing everyday.

Things can try to be as bad as they can be. I’ll beat them all. Oh well, atleast I'll TRY to.

I’ll come out of all of it. And probably I’ll come out with a smile.

Try me. I won’t disappoint.

I’m me and I love my life.

And I love it simply because it’s mine.

The summer hasn’t ended yet. I won’t say I don’t want it to. That would be a lie. But I’m making the most of all the shit it’s giving me. I’m using it to understand, make understand, learn, grow....

Summer for Neha always ends with Neha’s birthday.

The end of June will see me turn 16. It will see a new me. A better me.  Oh yes it will. That’ll be my gift to myself…..

Ohhhhhh………I love this summer!!