unity in diversity

i like the saying " har tyohar manana ek acha idea hai" its good to celebrate every festival. reminds me of this piece i wrote in my freelancing days....
 

so, how are you?

I have a friend whom whenever i ask 'how are you' he's got just one word, "Awesome". It got me curious. I mean I wondered if his 'awesome' meant our 'fine' or is he really 'awesome' or (touch wood) if so, how could anyone in this world ever feel awesome 365*24*7?

So I asked him more about his life. Yeah he was living a good life. Good job, good colleagues at work, quality life, games and sports, time for himself...all good and i wondered still, a lot of people do lead a good life but nobody else i knew ever sounded so positive about himself.

I told him of my curiosity and he said that I think too much, "its just an english word that MS word supports". But when I explained these deeper thoughts, that most of us have the same ups and downs in life yet we have different outlooks, he agreed and said he'd never really thought about it, about himself as always responding so positively to a common greeting question.

Then he gave it a thought and said, "Maybe because i take things too lightly". I asked is that the only reason and he said yes. He rarely lost his cool.

Hmm, weather it is just because of keeping cool and taking things lightly or just that he chose to use the word awesome, fact remains that he is a very positive person, speaking so positively unlike anyone else i know.

I dont think one could possibly use a word to describe his own state of mind without acually feeling that way. But still dont know why more people don't feel as awesome about themselves. Most of us take life too seriously I suppose.    

As a human tendency, when people remark on you in a negative way, you're bound to feel bad about it. Sometimes, we have to realise, we are what we are. It cannot change. I've heard that change is the only constant. Yes, things may change but deep down within you remain the same. It may not be good enough, the world may tell you so, people may make you feel as if you dont fit. But I learn that one should accept himself first. Change, if you want for yourself but not for what others say.

Sometimes, all you need is just a good friend who shows that you are good just as you are and there is no need to worry about what people think.

empty nest

We always tend to take for granted people who care about us most.
I am the politest, most decent and sober person to the world but to my loved ones, i'd show anger, irritation, neglect. And then I'd sit regretting it myself.
The voice that once told me to "listen", "obey", do as elders say now asks on the phone, "sorry, did i disturb you?, am i bothering you/boring you?" It saddened me deeply today. It's as if my parents yearn to talk to me and are assured by the daily phone calls, miss it one day and hell is raised. Over concern at times gets irritating, but when I come to think of it, parents are the only ones in the entire world who really care for us, truly love us and would do everything possible they can for our good. I read somewhere that having a child is like having a heart that beats outside of you. Think of your parents and you'll know its true.
.....i hung up the phone today and yelled out, i wasnt irritated this time, I was sad exclaiming why- first parents bring us up and then we leave the house....

turning to god

"Pray for me please."

Would you agree that maximum times we turn to God when we are in trouble, when we are low in spirit. And when things don't work, we question the existence of the almighty, we stop believing in prayers. But if there's no faith, why turn to prayer in the first place and why even bother to ask the question or make a statement that there is no God.

It's the energy in our thoughts that works the wonders. Call it what you may, a power, God, its important first to have sincerity in our prayers, determination in our thoughts.

amd when thy will be done, say grace.

O captain

There's a middle school age where half the time the world tells us we are kids and another half time we are chided for not behaving maturely.

Similar is the case in service. When it so pleases the seniors, they'll say we are junior, and when it came to things of responsibility, "now you are mature enough with xyz months of service."

When I had just joined service, I obviously didnt know things. As time passed, people's expectation of our professional knowledge increased. But of course, whenever big daddy asked a question pertaining to abc of service, we were still on low ground. Some people seem to have a power more than others to make you feel ignorant. Where one would tell you what is what, the other would remind you of your not knowing those. Every time I'm unable to answer a question, I yearn for the day, time and experience when I too will know so much. Today, I completed almost two years of service.(5 days short) and before being pipped as a captain, when the seniors were taking our session, pulling our leg asking questions, and we came up with the same aaa ummm interrupted answers our 2IC gave us a message not to worry saying, "we are all in the same boat."

No matter how mature we become, we'll still know less of some things than the others. There'll always be a guy stumping us with his questions and we'll always have the "Sir I'll get back to you..." reply.

There'll always be times when we'd wish to be youngsters again or continue to behave like one despite growing in 'age and service' and times we'd want to be the next general. (probable or not)

the song of crickets, the mew of the cat who adopted us as its family, two women chatting outside, the low sound of another of my roomie on her phone, a passing bike, the sound of train engine, a hovering Mi17, some strange nocturnal bird, beating drums from some nearby village, my CPU, dog barking on the street, the metal gate outside opening, guard saying jai hind, my breath...all constitute the sound of silence...when my mind is still...