A plane with over 200 people on board has been missing for two weeks. News reports today say that it has crashed and that there are no survivors. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the passengers and crew of MH 370.

It is a terrible tragedy. But there is something worse off than this. And that is what we have become. A couple of days after the aircraft disappeared, there was speculation regarding what could have gone wrong. Theories ranging from hijacking to alien abductions. Without a shred of evidence, news agencies and "experts" were making allegations about passengers' mental health and intent. The pilot and other crew on board were not spared either. I find that deeply disturbing. Yes, one tends to wonder what could have gone wrong in the face of such a mysterious disappearance. But making assumptions in the public sphere..tainting people's characters with such ease... What a sorry state to be in! In all probability, the crew and the people on board would have tried their very best to survive...to escape the fate that awaited them. But it seems as though sensationalism wins at the cost of sensitivity. What fun is it to imagine that a technical flaw occurred and the plane went down despite the pilot's best efforts? Nah! Sounds so much more exciting when you hint at sabotage. Ugh! Where is our decency? Our ability to face uncertainty by giving a little benefit of doubt!

"What are you into?"

"So...apart from psychology, what are you into?"

I was asked that at a party recently. By one of the husband's new friends. Someone I barely know. Me being me, my first reaction was feeling irked at his assumption. Who was this man to assume I was into psychology :P And having asked me the same evening whether I could read faces, he wasn't exactly on the top of my charts. Well, that being said...his question stumped me. Like a lot of other times in a social situation, I felt completely blank. I did not answer at all. For the sole reason that I could not think of an answer!

Someone then said something else. The conversation steered away from me (to my enormous relief!) and the party went on. Hopefully no one noticed my awkwardness. But the question didn't leave me. What am i into?! I am probably too dull to be passionate about anything. I enjoy a lot of things. Reading. Writing. Watching movies. Humming songs. But am I "into" any of these things? I don't know!

I have been thinking about it ever since. I am into happiness. I am a sucker for laughter and love and pleasure. I don't feel comfortable saying that to an almost stranger. Is that weird?
I love greenery. I love the wind. I love the warmth of sunlight. I love the fresh fragrance of wet mud (even if its from washing a neglected verandah!). I love holi. I love food. I love sleeping. I love cleaning. I love counselling. I love colours. I love hot chocolate. I love a window ledge where I can curl up with a book. I love tapping away on my laptop. I love feeling loved.