Spread the goodwill...

It's not about trying to sound sagacious.Every so often one hears someone complaining about everything that is wrong with their lives.Every morning ,the crowd I see seems so caught up in the hustle-bustle of life.There is no sense of cheer on their faces.It's all about -"What's in store for me today?" and it's not even a happy tone.

It's true everyone has their own issues to deal with,their own challenges to face.But in the process,they have forgotten to take a break.You know,to appreciate the simpler things in life.Typically,"to stop and smell the roses".The one who dares to stop,automatically becomes a slow poke.

Whats' the rush?Where do you have to go?The ambitious ones are laughing--"Ya right!Like we have the time to tell.You stay in wonderland.We have some getting ahead in life to do".The lazy ones are freaking,"Please don't do this.You'll take away our identity and joy in life!!"

Two extremely valid points.Although that wasn't really what I was talking about.Did you see the sunrise today in spite of waking up early?Did you smell the morning air?Did you notice the rose in your garden?

Did you listen to your thoughts?Did you observe your feelings?Life goes on..in ways you could possibly not fathom.But be sure you make time to feel good about yourself.Thank God for the miracle of life.Spread joy ,cheer and a smile on someone's face everyday:)

Spread the goodwill...for life is short,but why shouldn't it be happy?

Packrat no more!!

"Gain of entropy eventually is nothing more nor less than loss of information". From a layman's point of view entropy is nothing but the degree of randomness in a closed system.But this particular definition is more of a tongue -in-cheek statement if deciphered carefully.Translated--The more opinions you get,the more confused you get!!!:)

While from a thermodynamic point of view,information is considered to be heat and is further simplified as energy,in a social setting such as ours,it leads to chaos,which eventually is entropy!!

Indians have this innate herd mentality.They don't experiment much.They stick to the tried and tested methods.Is it because of following traditions diligently,or pure laziness,one could never tell for sure.Indians lack neither intelligence,nor imagination.What they do lack,is the independence to make their own choices.They are afraid of failing more than in any other part of the world,simply because they are brought up in the belief that to fail is shameful.It is almost a crime here.

While westerners profess that -Failures are the stepping stone to success",back home,one failure draws a billion comparisons to the one who succeeded and criticisms for the one who didn't.Sadly,sometimes,it also decides the fate of an individual's life.

Every exam result announcement is followed by a spate of suicides.Every defeat in a sport is followed by an analysis,re-analysis and ultimate post-mortem of the defeat, by a panel of "experts".Mind you,these "experts" also consist of people who have absolutely no clue about either the game in question,or any other question for that matter!!The underlying idea here is that these experts,represent the common man,the questions the masses are seeking answers to.In other words,it represents the crowd.

But what is a crowd?It is the most random collection of people.It is the most perfect representation of the second law of thermodynamics.Watch them,observe them - in the market,theatre or bus station.Individually people may have minds of their own.But does the crowd have a mind?They come,they go,they cross each other,with no definite purpose in mind.Ever wondered why crowd control is a difficult job?

Discouraging sports in lieu of academics?Taking up engineering while your heart is in literature?Or working in the fields while you yearn to make music?Going to a job you hate everyday just coz it pays?Coz that's what is the right thing and that's what everyone else does.Really?

It's not about idealism."Be practical!What else will you do?"Being practical is what is tried and tested.But how would you know what else can be achieved unless you try?"What would the neighbours think?".Honestly,the neighbours have issues of their own to deal with.And your neighbours are not in-charge of your happiness.You are!

So what will it be then - follow the crowd or follow your dreams??

Just like a waving flag!!

That's a popular track this season...K'Naan's "waving flag" that is,what with the football world cup coming up.Quite a catchy tune.And my latest "happy song".Ya,it kinda puts me in a great frame of mind.Tells me - anything is possible,,,and all this even before I discovered what the lyrics were!!!It's probably the spirit of the song.

I was thinking,when a song composed so long ago can carry it's spirit to this day,what about me?
I am indeed a living spirit,aren't I?And a spirit will propagate only what it's been fed on.When that's the kind of simple logic that's being applied,it is only plain old common sense,that you fill your spirit with positive emotions.Shun out anything that makes you feel low.Just smile,believe your happiness is on its way,and wait.Patiently.

Don't ruffle any feathers.Don't exert yourself.If your part is done,the rest will follow.It is coming.Just wait, and watch:)

Been away for a while..

I knew I haven't blogged in while,but I didn't realize it had been this long!Well, my life is beginning to see a lot of positive changes!!For starters,My post has started of on a positive note:) I am now the proud holder of a 2 and 4-wheeler driver's license:P.

I am able to make time to pursue my "original love" - writing.I have composed quite a few poems and articles in these past months.Just that they didn't make it to the blog.Just as well.

Have decided to give my life a new direction.And this time I know it's the right thing because I actually feel good about it!I have never felt more sure of myself in a very long time.Interestingly,I don't even doubt my chances this time around.I think I am finally off my 8-year long exile from myself.How do I know?

My original confidence and arrogance is back!!Go figure!:D

Therapy?Really??

Hmmm..I have never thought of it that way before.Writing started off as a hobby.Not something I consciously worked upon.It's something I enjoyed,and loved so much.Then I believe it's true that if you love something,really enjoy it,it automatically ceases to be a chore.

I remember being reprimanded by my parents as a youngster.It used to amaze them how I could know all the movie songs like the back of my hand, but no such magic effected my maths formulae.

Interesting.That revelation amazed me as much as it did them.(Honest!!)But then I started wondering(sinking back to my old habit of going off tangent without warning),what if my teacher actually assigned me the task of memorizing the songs everyday?What if our curriculum had subjects that involved movies,sitcoms,soaps,cartoons,and whatever else is on TV...? Would we really enjoy our hobbies(pre-supposing TV viewing is a hobby:)) ?

I doubt the answer would be in affirmative.The very existence of hobbies are the need to give ourselves a break. To break the monotony of life.To separate the "serious" stuff from "fun" activities .That's how a hobby has always been defined to me.It's not something you depend upon for survival.It's just something to amuse yourself with.

To all those people who provided me with that enlightening definition(or anything else along those lines):"You're Wrong".

Hobbies are integral to one's existence.Because one finds his/her outlet in the hobby..It's like therapy sometimes.They end up finding themselves through that hobby.Ask Da Vinci,he knows!!

Back at the desk..

It's been really long since my last post.And with good reason too.Well,someone told me my posts make me look too transparent.All my private thoughts are put to display.I took offense and decided to stop writing.Bad decision!!

Writing is my passion.If I have a gift of words I shouldn't be wasting it right?I mean,what if that gift gets taken away??That very thought scared the hell out of me.I could be rusty from lack of practice.But practise makes perfect.Too many cliches?

Ya,I know.I sound boring even to myself!!:) But atleast I am owning up to it.Besides,if I didn't put out my own thoughts,who's else would I?

I was reading the manuscript of a novel my friend has been trying to write since time immemorial.(Ok that's exaggeration.Well, almost a year though!)

This post is not to mock him.He will get there eventually.I know.I just started wondering about my passion and flair for writing.(With due respect to the cyberspace terminology,from here on ,writing shall be replaced with composition,although even if I did goof up,who really cares??:D)

I work with a software firm.All my waking hours in the week are spent there.It's a pain to work long hours.It is stressful without a doubt,but mostly because it doesn't leave you with enough time to pursue your hobbies and other aspirations(Unless you are a hardcore nerd,which I definitely am not!!)

I respect my job.I mean,it pays!It gives me a sense of responsibility.And on days that I manage to get the code right,I am even Euphoric!!But my heart has always been on literary pursuits.I dunno if that means I tend to leisure more than hard work.

I enjoy reading novels.I like writing articles.I enjoy composing poetry.But the practical part of me wonders if it serves anyone else a purpose?I know I derive my joy by indulging in it,but what about the others?

I am not a philanthrophist.I am not exactly selfish.I am as concerned about the world as the next person.The day I find an answer to that,I guess I can truly pursue writing.No qualms,no regrets.

The Secret...

...is to believe.You simply need to have unswerving,unwavering faith in your wishes,dreams,goals,whatever..Sooner or later it is bound to come true.It does!It doesn't really matter how seemingly impossible your wish sounds,a strong desire to realize your dreams actually sets all the forces of nature to start working on making that wish come true...I quote Shah Rukh Khan,"Itni shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai,Ki zarre zarre ne mujhe tumse milaane ki saazish ki hai".Its not gibberish he was talking about.

Its like when Peter Pan said,"Every time you say faeries don't exist,a fairy falls dead somewhere".Children are the most pure and untarnished life forms.They lack fear until burned.But still they'll trustingly try again.Its constant caution from the elders that drills fear,or the notion of fear into their heads.Hence they stop trying to do anything brave.That's probably why we lack truly courageous people today.
Ever wonder why Prahalad emerged unscathed from the bonfire?Or how Jesus Christ could walk on water?All the scriptures,religious or otherwise,from time immemorial seem to have trying to teach and preach to us the power of faith.To give our faith a form,they gave it a face..which lead to religions.In the transformation,the original idea seems to have got lost and what was left behind was all the ugliness that stemmed from those means or methods that were used to implement these ideas.religious wars,castes, creed..stuff that people shouldn't really be caring about.Because even while performing a simple act like having your meal,you don't really know who toiled in the fields to produce the cereal,who was involved in the production and manufacturing(in case of canned food).
A prayer is merely conscious affirmation of your wish.A religious place ideally is a clean mind and a pure heart.Stone structures were built just in order to manifest a physical image,because (wo)man is a thinking creature.(S)he needs proof.

These are things I have heard before several times from several quarters.I have never been able to fathom the gravity of its meaning.Take out all the negativity that encompasses you.We need hope as much as we need love.And we need to place our faith in those hopes to actually make them come true.So don't forget the original lesson in the haze of what is left behind..