Life as I know It

A Thomas Hardy classic, set in the Wessex countryside, the tale depicts the life of beautiful Bathsheba Everdene, born to a humble background, who inherits her uncle’s farm upon his demise. Much of the story revolves around Bathsheba’s three suitors who experience success and failure in trying to woo her. Gabriel Oak, a shepherd by profession, is the first to be struck by her beauty. Farmer Boldwood is the most persistent of the lot, who also suffers the most cruelly through the story. Troy is the unscrupulous charmer for whom Bathsheba falls, and in marrying him, alters the course of her life to betrayal and tragedy. What is most remarkable about the book is the characterization; it is the defining feature of the story. One is likely to remember the composure and humility of Oak, the doggedness and pain of Boldwood, and the fickleness ad charm of Troy for a long time after reading the book. The three rivals are distinctly dissimilar in their nature, behavior and social standing...

Every morning when I go for a walk to my neighborhood park, I see many people from different age-groups and backgrounds, some walking leisurely, others briskly, a few jogging and some simply sitting on the park benches. Apart from the health benefits offered by a morning walk, there are several reasons I prefer it over sweating it out at the gym. Through my own experimentation over the past 4-5 years, ever since I entered my early twenties, I realized that brisk walking is the best form of exercise and if done regularly for a duration of 45-60 minutes, can also help reduce weight. Only last year, I reached my minimum weight since reaching adulthood (50.5 Kgs.), which is on the lower side for a girl measuring 5’6’’. How did I do it? I simply walked for 60 minutes every night post dinner, at least 5 times a week. Walking offers the best exercise, keeps your body in shape, without putting undue pressure on your knees, as could be the case with jogging. I love the morning fresh air, cri...