Places !

I have always been impressed by the way any place enforces itself to connect with the self. Be it by the way of its planning, its aura or any other little minute things. One way or the other the city tries to interact with its people. Like a continuous narrator she keeps on telling her story again and again. She is more than eager to let us witness her story, make us understand her significance, her stand and her longings. She just needs a faithful disciple.

I don't know about others, but I have always felt like each and every city has a different take. Be it Mumbai, Goa, Nagpur or for that matter Arlington or New York! Some of these places have compelled me to fall in love with them. As in head over heels. I will be more than eager to visit them again and again. It is some weird connection that I have with them. If I get a positive energy from some, I do get a negative vibe from some! You will say it is a matter of choice or just a matter of acceptance. But, trust me, it is more than that. Maybe it is beyond my explanation, and I don't think I will be able to give full justice to any of the explanations. But still I will try.

It is more than easy to connect with Mumbai or New York. For me, they are those sisters who compel you to love them anyhow. You simply can't ignore them. Even if you hate them, they will be there, making you unknowingly conscious of them. They compel people to run for the living. They make sure that you are not idle or at a standstill. Someway or the other they will make sure that you strive for a living. By the passing of every minute they will show you that, even if you decide to stop, you just cannot, and yes you learn to live and see the life a hard way.

These cities are known as the land of opportunities. Indeed they are. Many complain about their fast way of life, but, tell me, if you take out that fun part, what is left in the life's journey? I mean, will it be fun if our life gets so predictable or so easy. IMHO, there have to be thrills, and these places make sure that you don't miss a single one! You know that you are in a race and if you have to be happy you have to make sure that you are more fast than the fastest runner. In this process, you always have so many helpful people, but still are on your own. Take an example of the Mumbai locals. You board a local with a group of friends, seeing the huge crowd you board from different doors and then you are on your own! It gives lessons of self dependence right from there! And mind you, you can never miss the local. If you miss your fast local and have to catch a slow local you will be late nearly by some twenty minutes. Cities like these makes you aware of the seconds.

At times, this gets quite regular, but they have the enough situations to enjoy! I mean they are located at the sea! On one side you have all the rush, crazy stupid rush and on the other, eternal silence. An open canvas where it is okay to sit down and relax. It doesn't matter even if you don't explain all the consequences. It is okay to be in your own world and not liable to answer all the questions.

They teach you and change you so much. They make you smile if you are down. They let you dream, make you believe in your dreams and never laugh out loud on them. They just give you an equal opportunity and don't give a single reason to question the motives or your capability. They are the very essence of who you are. The dialect, cuisine, thinking, choices, cultural background all hold roots in them which play an important part in your life more than you could imagine. If ever you feel alone, they remind you that you are not alone, the city is with you right there, patiently waiting for you till you explore yourself and giving you the strength.

"But a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time." - Patrick Geddes

True, isn't it?