First Class

I totally understand how people never want to change from Emirates to another airline unless they really have no choice. Emirates is first class. The service is first class. The uniforms are first class. The video selections are first class. Everything is first class.

Sometimes it’s just good to pay the extra for the comfort they provide and the oh so yummy chocolate mousse, arabic breakfast platter and the apple strudel. I watched Glee to my hearts content and used the very happy smelling hand lotion in the toilet. And for a person who has traveled in many airlines, OH-MY-GAWD, I totally love Emirates and whole-heartedly believe that they deserve every award that they have received over the years.

Take offs and landings are my worst nightmares among petty others, but they were so close to perfection that it was almost impossible to find the flaws.

Well apart from raving about that non-essential stuff, I just had to mention that I just had kids in 1 of the 2 flights I was on. And this one kid, in her brilliant pink sweater was just hilarious. She was in the row of seats behind us and kept coming over to our row and picking up everything from the seat and handing it over to her mother. Later, she’d stand on her seat and pull the headset of the boy sitting next to me, while his mother and me laughed at this extremely peculiar situation. I passed her my butter to keep her occupied, she chucked it back at me 15 mins later. Oh, she made my flight an enjoyable experience. Mind you, I’d say she was barely 2.

Another quite significant thing that happened was at the Dubai Airport. One of the more wonderful things about coming home or to any Muslim country is the sound of the Azaan and the availability of prayer rooms. Now, I’ve never taken the opportunity to use these public majilis before, but I’m proud I made that first step this time. A woman called me sister. I’ve never been called that before. It was a nice feeling.

And one more super amazing thing. This was the first ever time that the flight wasn’t overtaken with natives of the Indian subcontinent. It was a pleasure to travel with Europeans for a change. Not the Chinese though. I’ve had a wonderful in-flight experience. I’m slightly but not so jetlagged. I’m off to take in the cool *said in British accent* British air!

You’re Not Going To Get Us…

We were young, and we thought the world of our parents and older siblings, until… puberty hit. We then started to think the world of ourselves. We didn’t listen to what our parents told us, thinking that we knew better. Neither did we give a thought to the gentle advice passed on by our siblings or even our once favorite teachers. We rebelled, and we rebelled bad.

We flew our own flag, fought for our rights, made merry, let our hormones run wild, and eventually we burned out. Right? I’ve been through it. Almost every teenager has. Yes, it’s almost everyone, not everyone. I’m sure there’s just that one kid in your class that still has everything together. That person is just special, for now anyways.

It’s crazy though when you think back about those days, that you rebelled for things that seem so small now. Lost friends over them, lost trust over them, lost respect over them, lost yourself. And it’s difficult to do, but it must be said: Choose your battles wisely. We feel invincible because we don’t see it through, so think it through thoroughly before you make a huge mistake.

Every time I see someone in their teens, even when I was a teen with crazy tats all over the place, piercings everywhere possible, raggedly clothes, chain smoking and eventually passed out on the floor from over alcohol consumption, I wonder what their mothers would say, or if they even have one. No mother would allow their children to behave like that. Ever.

Rebellion starts through peer pressure. Each parent is different, and they are doing the best they know to raise you to be assets to the future. They have unique ideas on how they want their children to be, and hence impose upon you restrictions which they feel will mar your progress in that direction. They all want what’s in your best interest; don’t shoot them down like this.

Sometimes, I’ll agree that our parents are pushy, over-bearing, nosy, etc etc. I have one just like that. I used to be so annoyed with all the classes she put me for; I never used to have a moment to myself to do something I liked, or just to hang out with my friends. But being busy all the time got me ahead, lead me to be versatile.

Sure I’ve had my share of problems from the opposite sex that got me into trouble with the folks at home, but I’d like to think that apart from that, I’m pretty okay. I’m getting through university quite well, I’m involved in activities, and I have time to do the things I like. Most of all, I’m not a boring personality. I’m cultured, and I like that.

My story on rebellion was for my freedom. I just didn’t have the chances to go out like other girls I knew. Peer pressure in a way. I could never do sleepovers, or even just visit friends at home, even if it was a birthday party and it was all girls. I could go out to the mall or park, but you know, that does get boring eventually. Curfew was sunset.

Being so busy with all my extra-curricula’s made it slightly difficult too. I had my share of arguments with my mother over why I couldn’t go over to friends place, and I always lost. I got more into myself, kept to my room, and loved the internet and the silence that came with it. The first chance I got, I took off. I packed my bags and went to college. I never regretted that choice.

I love my freedom, to do what I want and when and however I choose to do it. I don’t know if it’s in my star or it’s inbuilt or it’s because I never had it when I was young, I really don’t know. But I value my freedom, and I wouldn’t make any decision to compromise it. Therefore, if you are going to rebel against your parents for something, make sure it’s worthwhile.

Materialistic things are not worthy to lose everything you have over. You may not realize that now. You feel untouchable, that you don’t need anyone; you can do it on your own. It’s an illusion your hormones have built around you. Don’t give into them. Foolish choices don’t lead to a bright future, so make smart ones.

Take responsibility for yourself. Just because you are a teenager, doesn’t mean you are all grown up. You don’t know anything. You may think you are in love. You may think that person is your friend. You may think so many things, but you aren’t thinking clearly. You may think you are. Don’t act like something you aren’t, it only reflects badly upon you. Take the advice, others have to give. They only tell you because they have been through it too.

I Still Believe

It has always happened to us, if not it will soon – a time when we believe in what we are doing, but others have little faith in us actually completing what we are set on doing. They predict disaster, they pester us with negative comments, and they almost wish upon us calamities instead of offering a helping us, being proud that we are taking a risk or even feeding us constructive criticism.

But, let me tell you, from experience, that if you believe in yourself to take all that negativity and continue with your dream, not to look back but forward, to know in your heart that you CAN do it – then you will be rewarded. And all those voices that were trying to get into your head will just vanish, because they can’t say anything now. Your triumph is a sign for them to eat their words.

I know it’s easy to let what others say get you down, and maybe sometimes they are right. Some adventures are just not meant to be, decisions taken not in the right sense of mind, certain spontaneous thoughts, but that doesn’t mean not that they have their own exceptions. If you strongly believe that you can pull it off, cover the bad aspects a thousand fold, why not go for it? After all you are your biggest fan.

When you believe in yourself, it is clearly written all over your face. People won’t come to mess with your mind, they will respect you. There will always be those who will be jealous of you and your achievements, but these are petty things to handle and are better left to ignorance, compared to those who will wish wonders for you. And once you’ve proven yourself, there is definitely no going back, there is only going forward to a glorious future.

You will think that once you’ve accomplished that once shunned dream, that you will go back to being invisible, nothing more will be expected from you. Think again. There will be paparazzi running after you, wanting to know what’s next, what’s more. Like the release of a new album from an artist that you love or a new book from your favorite author or a new movie from the director or actor/ess of your choice.

And if I were you, I would take that opportunity to push myself to the top. The accomplishment of big dreams opens big doors into different worlds. Believing in yourself takes you from nothing to something. We read it in the newspapers every day, and we say that we could have done that, but you know what, ‘we’ didn’t, they did. So why not? We all can do something to make someone out of us.

Plenty wise quotes say that we are nothing without our dreams, and yes, it’s true. However it’s not only dreams that we should have, but also the will to fulfill them, believing in them and in ourselves, else we are really nothing. Of course we should always start small, but it doesn’t hurt to start big once in a while – get all the confidence of others in one go. It’s always safer to start small though.

So, all of you out there who doubt yourself into depression, stop it right now! You are awesome, no matter what others say. You have something that others don’t. You are special. And even people don’t believe that, you believe it and show the others how wrong they were in what they thought of you. Shine! Send out those bright waves. Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way, because if you believe, that’s all you need till you reach the end.

The feeling that you can achieve anything comes by us so rarely, the pure and innocent motivation and initiative. Grab it and make good use of it. Take this as a mission to be what you are destined to be. Live those dreams that you keep within you. All great stories, all through history started with nothing and then rose to greatness. Let them be an inspiration to you. Start helping yourself, only then will the forces beyond us bend to our favor.

When you follow your dreams, you also begin to realize who your real friends are. They stick by you and encourage you to follow your dreams, no matter how huge, how unrealistic it seems to them. They will find small ways to help you, unlike those fair-weather ones, who run at the first sniff of something beyond themselves. Though they will put in their pretences of participation, don’t be discouraged. Believe in yourself enough for all, and you will make it till the end.

Never let those petty thoughts bring you down. Keep that faith that you have in yourself, and soon you will rise above others. Do what you want, because you can. There is no rule written in any book that says that you can’t. Nothing of significant greatness can be achieved by being on the safe side. Take a risk, because you can. Open doors for yourself. Don’t wait around for others to do it for you. Believe in yourself and your life and take control!