Trust your Fall, it’s for a Purpose!

Fall is never the result of a failure but an aftermath of knowing something which didn’t materialize and didn’t happen… It will surely convert to opportunities and more of them…as now that one has no respite other than to get up and work hard and show more focus on the “Aim” …now a days that is life…

I keep on observing the aftermaths of a failed venture or a job loss ..it seems to be a devastation and people come to terms with it after some days pass but the efforts double and surely a man is an inquisitive being, people try again and again till the land up with something what they had ever yearned for !

Just recently I had two instances of my near and dear ones when one of my friend after much dedication and hard work of decades was laid out because of his profile redundancy – no wonder, this has become the norm of the day now a days…you keep on listening to much of it as it has become a standard corporate norm – instead he is taking this as a blessing in disguise and has started to explore other avenues – to start up something of his own – may be from home or with a colleague or a friend but he is not going to repent and sulk on this inevitability! – as I called him, he didn’t had that somber mood but surely was not in his good spirits… he has some plans and I guess from his perspective, the time has ripe to execute them….

The second case was more dramatic, after five years of running a small restaurant with his wife and 3 staff, suddenly , my friend saw business dwindling with online orders taking precedence than people coming to his eatery – once he was earning much and had sure shot plans of opening another instance of his restaurant but suddenly the economic activity or call it a sudden surge of online eateries and cloud kitchens , the business dwindled and the restaurant lost its sheen – my friend took this as a blessing in disguise and has now entered the cloud kitchen and online eatery business – “Its very tough BUT Competitive!” – he is not new in this business but is partially into it…

These two instances are a miraculous coincidences that has happened in past one month – surely, India is changing and the economic advantage and disadvantage is playing sport here – there would be souls who would take this changing times as a “Blessing in disguise” and you will get to know that someone started a small business venture with a paltry sum of Say “ 1 Lakh or Rs 50,000” and rose to “10 crores” or so by 2030 and simultaneously gave employment to 50 people – this has been the rule of the game ever. 

If you study the startup journey of big business houses in India and the world, You will get to know that the journey of thousands miles have begun with the FIRST step… I am pretty sure my friends have taken that “First Step” and soon we will see other such souls doing so…as I see the youngsters entering the Job market have NO plans to work for someone for decades as we and our fathers / mothers did….Amen! 

 

~ New Year Resolutions...~

 Its that time of the year when most of us start thinking on another tangent – first , you start memorizing the good and the bad days of your past 12 months – what went past well and what not.

Second you focus on the ‘Good’ that happened, the achievements and what went in your favour – obviously the ‘Bad Days’ and the losses come a close second, but still the remembrance penchant does not shy away …and it should not , because you are an emotional being and emotions is what makes you live through in your life…

As the final 24 hours of this year start to count, our mind automatically start inculcating the thoughts for New Year Resolutions… and what we ought to be doing and what not!

Well, for most of us, it is a routine exercise every year but it is a mandate that we do ..though in first week, we have either broken our favourite resolution Or are finding it tough to carry it through…knowingly fully in our hearts that we will surely be breaking it…

Just talking with some of my close confidants at this time of the year as to what they intent to do and revolutionize , I could get some thought provoking answers…

While many of them have passed their mid 40’s and are in line to slow down a bit in life and start to spend time with family and friends, many others want to travel to far off places in ‘Silence’ – surely this mad rush is taking  a psychological toll on them and of course on us – some want to ‘Read More and More’ – it is a true genre for me too as I fall in this tribe!

One very unique new year resolution came from my pal , he wanted to be close to nature and start a small farm where he wants to grow organic food – surely that is not in vicinity of this urban clap called ‘Delhi’ – for he is planning some investments in far off region of Himalayas – probably ‘Uttrakhand’ – he wants to lean on the majestic beauty of the hills with fresh intake of Clean air, water and of course healthier food – as for him a clean lifestyle is the need of the current hour – I am all in tandem with his thoughts and many of us would surely be!

There are others in my circle who are mischievous and want to shake a leg with a female fantasy and life a life of king size this year..no matter what , they are married or not but still they want to regain their bachelor status and put that little ‘Spice’ in their life…. Cant help though ..after all it’s their life….and they should live the way they want..you can only tell them the aftermaths of such a risky venture 😊 ..surely when you are married and kids of two …!!!

Of my female friends , many are on one page and that is to remain healthy and devote more time to kids…but with a silver lining and that is to gel up more with their mother-in-law and make peace in the house with her…surely this is a tough one but if you are determined enough , you can surely achieve this miraculous feat… 😊 !!!

Finally , as I close this writeup for this year, I would like to thank many who read this blog and take out your precious time out for me … the numbers humble me here…I promise in return to write more about the life we all live. The situation we all abide by and the challenges we all face but still move step by step and day by day with a never ending hope…. Happy New Year to ALL of you…God Bless..Stay Healthy and Stay Happy!!!

~ Change - it always Will ~

 One thing in life is inevitable and you certainly cannot stop it …it is “Change” – surely it is!

For those who are living consciously and observing each day of their life, so much has changed around you – even you have changed.

Think about people – your parents, friends , foes, situations and places everything has changed since quite some time – ever since you were a kid , a toddler, you had your grandparents, toddler friends and other souls who were part of your upbringing – they may have gone or left the world for good – now that you are grown up and probably married, ‘Change’ occurred as there are souls who have entered your life subtly – kids , wife and other relatives and family who joined your being as and aftermath of getting married and you didn’t see it coming…

Sit down and talk to your septuagenarian father, mother and other elderly and start a conversations of time when they were young – talk about their life as toddlers or when they were young and see a sea of emotions and timeless examples showering the conversation – they are always filled to the brim about life and its experiences and how time has changed the whole perceptibility of living.

The Bhagavad Gita’s verse 2.22 sheds light on the ever Changing nature of our being “ The Soul” and compares it to a person changing clothes..

Just the other day talking to an elderly neighbor about the traffic situation – I was reminded about how Cycles and scooters were an elate class of transportation – with not everyone having the capacity to buy one – now that almost everyone has at least one Car – a luxury of lifetime then – as he spoke “ A lot of Change has happened in peoples perceptibility about life”.

Indeed change is the everlasting constant which will always happen – you are living the moment now, some decades later as time transgress you will be just one off memory in lives and times of next generation who would be totally engrossed in chasing never ending dreams…that’s life …but change will always be there! 

In today’s world of living, whosoever is adapting this change – good or bad, will survive others will be termed ‘obsolete’ – for world is quickly adapting to new technologies, precepts of living and to a different dimension of existence – it is you who needs to change as the universe is changing too – see the cycle of birth and death happening around you – people getting born and leaving this world in silence – the world is tuned in this fashion and will go on ever in a circular timeline…

In your body, millions of cells change every day, many die and many take birth but to that you are oblivious – Change is happening in silence, time is the essence of that change as it awaits no one, from opportunity to a certain regret, from life to death, the eternal nature of Time is ‘Change’

So Be the change and absorb yourself in its fluid sense…you will certainly see yourself immersed in your being love for life…!!!

~ Our Wants from GOD ~

 In my recent advent to one of the famous shrines of India “ Jagannath Puri”, the same question repeated incessantly in my mind – what are we seeking for ‘GOD’ – the timeless questions “ What are we here for?”, “Who am I?” and “Where will we go after our Death?” cast a shadow in my thinking.

I could see long queues of devotees with watery eyes – being “connected” to their lovable devotees, I could sense the deep love for theirs for GOD and what he can do in our lives – but there were seekers like me who though not question his existence but certainly ask him some set of Karmic Questions.

There is no doubt the immense faith that devotees had , as they stand for hours to just have a glimpse of their love – Lord Jagannath – though this thought triggers one question in my mind and that is “ What we want from him, are we always seeking and demanding innumerable blessings from him or also side by side “Thanking” him for being in our lives – and that what he has given us the most resolute “Human Form” – up the 84 Lakh life forms encrypted in our Vedas and Upanishads! – these intriguing questions always remain in our objectivity and as far as humanity is concerned , there will always be a “chase” to find HIM and observe his ‘Miracles’ in our lives!

My mute question always remain in deep corners of my mind “ How should I Thank Him for what he has bestowed on me – Health, family, dignified life, friendships , foes and almost everything  which is quite essential to make a decent living in today’s tumultuous world “

“Faith” is another thing that I observed that keep people going – devotees lying down on floor to pay obeisance to the mighty lord makes you think his presence in the universe – there have been chain of miraculous stories in everyone’s life through – the biggest miracle being all of us Alive and living for the next day – So how are we paying back to the “HIM” and more than that how can we pay him ?? will money suffix and make the GOD happy when we buy Goodies for Him? OR pure obeisance would be enough to get his warmth – these are thoughtful questions which many of us befall during our lifetimes.

I could see many devotees standing in awe of the LORD as being fearful and respectful at the same time – our hidden vibes are all known to him, and that only we know what wrong thoughts and actions we have done in our lives to attract his reprimand – with folded hands and a submissive posture, we pray to gain his mercy – though my belief is certain that HE  is all merciful and know our acts inside out – in this Kaliyuga, we all are bound to make mistakes and learn from those – our thoughts and actions can’t be sacrosanct every time.

Our faith in HIS presence define our belief too and logic is easily superseded – finding GOD is important but much more important is to find answers to the most intriguing questions of our living, for we surely know that HE exists and is watching our daily acts as we live our Karma...

~ Thought Pollution...~

How to purify your thoughts – as eyes are the intake unit for images that you see and ears are the receptors of sound – they both are notorious to form a homogenous mix of thoughts that gets created in your mind – thoughts that are notorious of your seeing and hearing….

It is not the pollution in the air that affects your health but more so, it is the corrupted thoughts in your mind that makes you feel corrupted or differential in the society – the resultant depression and other mental illnesses on the rise are a clear vortex of these.

When you hear a 10^th class student ending his life due to academic pressure, the gravity of problem gets bigger – mental illness is a problem inflicting not only old or the middle aged, it has very much creeped in society in students and your lads… one wonders what will happen when they face the ‘Real Challenges’ life offers them on a day to day basis – when they leave the cool comforts of school and college life!

Be whatever, the concept of ‘GIGO’ – garbage in garbage out stands good in stead in these fast-changing time – so purifying your ‘Garbage’ of thoughts to be processed by the brain holds strict precedence – in order to live a hale and hearty life , one needs to be constantly self-evolving and nurturing good and positive thoughts.

So what is the answer to all of these anomalies which have started to persist in our decaying society – It is ‘Meditation’ and ‘Bhakti’ – yes, these two words sound quite mundane, but now a days it seems to be real remedy to obtain that absolute ‘Bliss’ for which you came in the human form – though we have tied our happyness and bliss to materialism and our sense of achievements.

Just the other day ,I met a somewhat happy looking soul who was out with his dog and was talking to him as if he was all ears and understanding what his master was saying – to my amazement the dog acted on the same lines what he was asked to do – this seems to be wonder to my eyes and senses – as I had never seen such a sync alignment between the  canine and his master – when asked, the old man said, I am alone and my only happy go lucky companion is my dog – he understands me and my temperament – it is him that keeps me going – my son and daughter are settled outside India and they don’t pay heed to me – my wife is no more – but I have found my ultimate happyness in adopting and befriending this canine!

All of us want that good companion who hears us patiently and is a fun to be with – loneliness is the worst growing ill in this society – the unending chase of materialism is breaking the concept of joint family , thereby shattering the ethos of a family structure societies abide by – the worst is yet to come though – the more lonely one gets, the more instable he / she is – the thought pollution and sense of disregard creeps in over a passage of time – it is then one needs that helping hand for support and tread the boat of life….the pollution of thought is everywhere to banish your existence – if you don’t pay heed to it now, no one will….

~ Dreamy Boyz...~

His smile wins heart, the father son duo make a formidable businessman, not haggling for even a rupee, they are astute as the afternoon son – blistering and for a purpose.

My recent excursion to a famous Shiv temple made me meet people with varied colors and creed, many of whom have shanty shops just outside the place of worship, for they know that the footfall of devotees would make them bring customers – the scorching heat is another key factor for them to stash bottles of water and many soft drinks. 

Not to forget the ample sachets of betelnuts and raw tobacco – ask them as to why have they kept in close visibility of the customer, the father is quick to respond “Sir, it is a most saleable item!” – In this part of India – and here I am mentioning Gujrat , “most people, including females have addiction to chewing tobacco!, it brings good business.” 

He was slate clean in his remarks as being a business he was – Gujrati people are known for their precision business acumen and insights, you cannot haggle much for what they have priced is the benchmark of the goods they are bound to sell.

“Ramprakash” and “Govinda” were their names, the father was dressed in his pristine local medley of traditional dress Gujrati rural folk wear – though his son Govinda was dressed as if to mingle in the crowd of devotees who had throng the famous shiv temple to pay obeisance  to the Lord.

As I conversed with them – “How long have you been running this shop?”, the answer was quick ( but with a Colgate smile) “ Sir its has been almost thirty years!” – “Quite a long time,”, I said.

“Yes, sir, very long time” , he affirmed.

“So what does Govinda do? Does he study or he sits with your and wants to run this shop and become a businessman, as trademark for many Gujrati families!”

“Sir, he studies in class eight in a local school, but he is not interested in studies and want to be Dhirubhai Ambani!”, he boasted as a mark of respect for India’s largest private conglomerate business house which he set from scratch.

“Yes, I know may Gujrati’s adore his ambition and I haven’t seen many of you guys working on a salary. Even if you start with a small shop or a shack, for you respect of being self employed is much more than working for others!” – as I spoke this words, Ramprakash’s chest was swollen with pride and he quickly affirmed my sayings, standing just next to me was his son Govinda, who also felt a sense of greatness and pride as I could see smile on his face and a bright sparkle in his eyes as if raring to go to conquer the world.”

As my visit was almost nearing its end, I requested for a pic to be published on this platform, they both readily agreed and also told me to WhatsApp the link – today they will surely be happy to learn about their story on the internet landscape– not to forget, they told me that they would tell their fellow shopkeepers to have achieved this feat …. This small gesture would give them immense popularity amongst their peers….

As I said a final goodbye…there faces light up in all smiles… taking their whatsapp numbers, they now eagerly await their photos to be published in the virtual world of internet….

~ Being Atheist...Really?? ~

~ Code Name God ~

Sitting sometimes in your own lonely world of wanderings  you start to ponder about the mega happenings in life and its attributes – the first question begets your mind “Who Made this all ?, the Stars, Moon, all these heavenly bodies”, the cosmic intelligence is always performing its task without any hiccup; the sun rises on time, moon has its own orbit, various planets with gigantic masses always moving with phenomenal speeds

Alas! All this does radically intrigue’s one’s mind about a strange coincidence about such major appearances around us; The general question being, who made it so perfect and in perfect symphony with each other? Who actually  programmed it so perfectly? Not even an iota of error one can decipher in the laws of the world.

The best of humanity – Physicist, Biologist and other intellects of highest order as still trying to uncover the greatest mysteries of this universe. Only the insane can be judgmental to the tune of not acknowledging the power and existence of the higher order – what we call GOD or ‘Cosmic Intelligence’ running this universe with so much perfection!

Looking at life’s intelligence around ,you can surely get a strong understanding of the hidden working of greatest order – the growing of a seed into a huge tree, a plant germinating via seeds and sprinkling flowers and its fragrance, the birth and death of living beings – all this seems to be such beautiful in this intransigent world of thoughts and actions. 

Not believing opens a wide range of debates, the answers to which are hard to find and makes situation more complex – the total acceptability of an unknown ‘Cosmic Governance’ satiates one’s intellect and make us stay focus on the tasks we have been assigned to do whilst we live each day.

Many of the biggest thinkers of this world have propounded big theories for the existence of this universe and how this was propounded by just a Big Bang – but as we research more and more into it, many intriguing questions have evolved which challenges this age old theory of evolution – for many the quick and simplest answer is ‘ There is a Supreme and Supernatural Power always at work, It is HIM that he wishes , so does it happen!” – The prudence and enlightenment of this theoretical talk goes well with what you see and feel – It is you who have to be a judge of your own existence, many thoughts of you being born to a particular family and into life situations will ponder you erratically – There is a seeker in everyone of us, for some it is at a dormant level and for many it is live and kicking.

Many of us are working from close comforts of our homes, spending time with families but at the same time living under constant fear of the uncertainties of life, of losing our close ones. Fears of some tragic instances which we all see and hear from various sources – many questions arise in our ever-engaging mind and thoughts – what if…?

All what I have live and experience in this beautiful journey of life led me to think laterally – that many of your life’s situations are pre-existing and defined; we are here only to live upto that script written as according to our own ‘Sanchit Karma’s’ – the only silver-lining being that it is our free will with which we can act with impunity whilst we exist on this planet.

All this has a significance of your living, what you do today will be recorded in ‘Akashic Records’ and shall come back to you with equal fervor – for this to believe; start living with a conscious state of mind – observe the Deja’ vu moments life offers you everyday, the hints it gives you hidden in small moments and situations ; you never know this might lead your to a path of self-enlightenment and you find the source of that ‘Big Cosmic Intelligence’ which is playing around since time immemorial – Happy Searching!

~ The Game of Life...~

  

What became as my liking of an outdoor activity, Football as sport which I loved became my everyday binge. Hours were spent in sweating on the ground and besmirching clothes with mud.

But as growing up years were spend getting absorbed in the game, I unknowingly fell in love with the sport – so much so that I happened to think of serpentine moves and arcane tactics to score a goal. The next day and hour was thoroughly awaited to hit the ground. My Naani used to be precarious of the time when I had to step out, never to return for hours of sweat and toil not to forget the dilapidated condition of clothes and bruises on the body. 

The key question being what football has to do with "NOW" when I have well surpassed the age one can play it with equal aplomb. The answer is ‘Football’ has made me the Shakespearean character that I am in the world stage. The game is a strong interlude of maneuvering passes and strict discipline. It makes an individual a strong and forward-looking thinker with an ability to think beyond the rational. It bestows on you a sense of ownership and teamwork, cascades along many boundaries to show your true character as a leader and a playmate.

Finally, it makes you ponder with the game you played and gives you an opportunity to ascertain your follies today – those selfish instances that you were close to the goal and by all possibility you could have scored had you given the past at the last moment to your teammate who was left unchecked and in a pole position. The best part of the sport at the end of those ticking timelines is the analysis which one gets into – with heated debates and no potential outcomes, the bond with the team gets cemented – you also get to know individualistic weaknesses and start to work upon them slowly and steadily.

As they say the passion never fades away, life comes back at different times – There have been many instances that you still shake a leg and dribble past this young generation (in a par nearby before the Pre-Corona Era). You test your agility with the skills of years you have acquired on the field. If not, you have left your position to be a forward (considering the demanding position it is), you can well equip yourself to be a center half and be a strategist and give formidable passes towards goal conversions. The rhetoric of passes, the deliberate fouls, the friction between players of opposite teams all still becomes the part and parcel of the razzmatazz, such is the charisma of this Game.

 I have realized that I am in awe with this game and it is the on top of my list of to-do things when I will next spot the street urchins playing at their usual self in the park. Afterall, age has nothing to do with your love of life – I love football and would continue too do so till eternity!

The best part of playing this game is when people ask “at this age, how you maintain your sprint, focus and quick thinking on the field?” My quirky answer is “The football does not know how old I am. All you need to do is to stop yourself to stopping yourself to play the game.” – I thank football not only as a game but shaping myself into a person which I have become today!

~ Penning Your Life...~

Just pen down the various vagaries of life you have gone through – obviously you can hide the no show events and the gross mistakes that you made in your earthly journey unless you are incisively honest like The Mahatma’s Autobiographical “My Experiments with Truth!”.

Because telling your story is essential to your close ones, of course, people around you will more or less live a life just like you, in many cases have the similar circumstances and rock up the same situations and struggles, happier moments that you have gone through.

As someone said Blessings come in many Disguises, this idiom is so true in your living – spearhead the events of your life with full throng – tell people what were your best achieved moments and what were not – where you faltered and where you achieved the triumphs – of course making mistakes in between – the multitudes of life remain more or less the same for many of us.

Writing can be conversationalist, the thoughts churn from within – certainly there is another you in you whom so certainly you talk with just often! There are moments that you want to show to the world how you feel about this living – what have you achieve and what not – what have you observed and what according to you is right or wrong – writing is the power to broadcast to the universe of how you feel while you live – don’t succumb to the thoughtful injuries within, after all you are a human being and capable of taking plus and minuses of life at the same GO!

Write , for it is therapeutic and surely a stress buster – every time you don’t have anybody alongside but YOU yourself… talk and jot down the talking’s and see how beautiful you feel form inside… as they say that the best friend of you is ‘YOU’, then who else can describe your inner self via jotting down few words of how you feel – after all you are Destiny’s child – what if you are not a millionaire or insanely famous – you are human like them sans all the fame BUT with same level of feelings and emotions.

Writing can take you to that supreme level of thoughts and ecstasy to prove a point that there lived You in flesh and blood and that you thought the way your writings gesture – you live beyond your death and so is the case with famous men and women who live through their writings and the words they penned whilst they lived

Write for it is the most beautiful gesture and the gift you can give to your near and dear ones and to let them know how you thing about this grand design of life and situations around you –  how you thought of your family the unknown people  you might met only once and would never meet again – you can freeze the situations through the ink – after all , You have every right to “Write” for everything we do in this life demands a note…

 

~ Bath of a Lifetime..~

 If God Exists, I expect HIM to be sane enough to have formed rules of life and those are called 'KARMA" - what your 'Sow' is what you will "REAP" - this postulate of living exhibits the life of people i see in my day to day observation.

If he DOES not Exist : there is no point praying to a non-existent entity and it is tantamount to wastage of time and energy - so in this case, all we need to do is to live life and tackle circumstances and situations as according to their occurrence, believing that this is a pure Karmic base happenings in our life and that we have to fulfill and adhere in a the way situation wants us to live.

In both the outcomes of this rational thoughts - Living the Karmic way is a unanimity  and one cannot ignore its applicability in real life - all you need is to co-exist with the situation and observe the outcome.

In recent holy dip in the Ganges during "Karthika Masam" , I could see scores of souls come from far off places during holy dip of the Ganges - on of the most sacred rivers of Hindus - to wash away their sins and get "Moksha" from the unending cycle of birth and Death - Their belief is unilateral and firm on one proponent " That Mother Ganges is kind enough to give exemption from punishment of any sins that we have done knowingly and unknowingly!" 

Again for the rational and thought provoking mind - the situation emulates to a scenario where a Murderer kills innocent being and realises that he has sinned and the only person capable of forgiving him is the JUDGE!

oblivious to the belief that the Judge himself is bound by certain rules of society and is bound to punish him as according to the criminal act he has committed...just apologizing and accepting his crime would not suffix - he has to "PAY" for the crime he has committed and has to serve the punishment in accordance to the act he is liable to be punished....

The verdict is clear....the laws of living have been clearly demarcated by HIM in a simple fashion - they are same for everyone who has taken birth on earth and who is acting differently to avoid punishment for the crime he has committed.

As we grow old and grey our hair, we will become a firm believer of certain facts of life which we have learnt the 'hard way' but in certitude , they are the real 'facts' and 'wisdom' you will take along with you , when you depart from this plane - though the holy water of the Ganges comfort you - it is soothing - it certainly wont purify your karmic wrong-doings - for that , the only penance would be to live your karma and pay back with full interest what you have sowed.....

~ Being Happy...~

 As I have joined many of the meditation groups and online spiritual forums I am constantly asked some question which have now become perpetual to my existence and that is " What is the purpose of our Life?"

Why on earth we are here for? – we are all doing almost the same things everyday and our creator has made us the same – what he wanted to achieve for doing all this – is it a dance of puppets that he sees from above as to how we behave and balance in our day to day lives…??

Of course these are deep thought provoking questions and almost all religions and its constituents may have not found the real answer – each one’s life has set scenarios and the answer to one’s living may vary based on that – e.g : for some life is bed of roses with good job or business, stable health and good and caring family – though that is just impossible in today’s world 😊 but still for such a being, the purpose of life is to “Enjoy the Goodies!”.

Similarly for those who are struggler’s – financially, personally – with even their best and earnest efforts, they are not able to stabilize their living and make day to day ends meet, life is a regular challenge – if you throw this question to him “ What is the purpose of life  your are living?” – to great measure, he/she would have a different opinion like “ to struggle daily, life has no meaning, living my Karma…”

For me the best answer I can pacify myself with this arduous question – I learnt from a toddler, who I just chanced upon in a park in my vicinity – though he was son of a street vendor, with no slippers and shabbily dressed, unbathed but he was “Happy” in this condition – he took no burden of his daily worries, though many would think that is a “Wrong Comparison” – How could you compare his life with us adults as we have so much complex problems.

To this my answers is “Exactly – there lies the hidden agenda which we all are just neglecting!”

Why cant we live on a day to day basis and be happy for whatever we have?? Why do we need MORE?? – once we have achieved something, immediately our brains are programmed to achieve the next ‘Target’ – that may be a 7 figure salary or more – if in business the target gets double the next year – for students, it’s the marks or ranking or cracking the BEST entrance exam which will zoom-start your career…We certainly dont want to count on what we already have...our health, family, job etc....We all want MORE…

This approach is not wrong considering the fact that it motivates you to do more and achieve the best and thus strive hard…But the burden of failure and anxieties along with it also accompany and damage your living and consciousness….The question of “What if I fail, or don’t achieve the next target” makes home in your mind….

That certainly leads to a troubled existence…and that is what is happening around the world…Be it individuals, communities and Nations…. Everyone has a set superficial target to achieve , come may what….

The worst part being once you are at the “TOP” the chimera breaks you down as you see no-one along with you to share your happyness…. No friends , you have left your family to achieve those great heights… you tend to be alone , arrogant and cynical to some extend…

So, for a moment, think twice today, what is that you take to ‘STOP” yourself to remain consciously “Happy”…. Many a time achieving mediocre heights gives us immense pleasure than living a life of luxury….ponder and one day you will realize these simple wordings…!!!

~ God - Where are You ~

We are funny people and play around as according to our own whimsical ideas and ideologies.. Be it whatever religion or faith we follow, we strongly 'FEAR' him and want HIS mercy at all cost ( though many of us are selfish enough to ask for material possessions instead of peace, tranquility and other non-material objectives which puts are life at ease and fills compassion in us).

What is the use of going to a place of worship if you start to ask for things which will possibly soothe you (though for a short period of time!) BUT did not ask for HIM - you don't love him but want his GRACE which should get after a short and selfish prayer....isn't it too selfish... ??? It certainly is but who cares???

Sit down a moment and start to ponder your long list of Wants that you dont have. after a thoughtful ponderance , you will have a page full of goodies that you are lacking...and want HIM to fulfill... almost all the prayers and mythological text is full of GOD- Character - specific goodies and boons can be given by specific Gods... for kids...worship this Diety, for Wealth worship this deity, the demarcated list goes on and on and seems to be Endless....

You never cared for that tranquility which in actuality is sitting within yourself. The peace and stability you are seeking at the outset is just inside you! - have you ever thought of talking to your being...HE is there wanting to have a conversation with you ...but you hardly care...you want a 'Place of Worship' to pay your deepest requests on specific Days ( Monday for LORD SHIVA, Tuesday for LORD HANUMANJI..)...this goes endlessly until the next Monday comes ...the cycle goes on and on....

On fine day , you will see yourself in front of the mirror and see that you have aged! , the hair have got salt and pepper, the skin has started to loose its sheen...but your world remains more or less the same...the Goodies didn't arrived, the prayers remained unanswerable! 

In the life I have lived, I have recorrected my faith by practicality of living ...for me the ideology of living is "KARMA IS LIFE" and "KARMA IS GOD"...if you are conscious of your day to day actions, you will feel elated, and always energized to do things....melancholy wont hit you...things would remain positive, there is no need to follow strict obeisance to pacify GOD ...He is omnipresent and knows each and every action of yours...who you are befooling?? HIM? who was ever there when you were not.... and will be when you will not be...

What happens when you don't get the results as according to your prayers and worship? I have seen people cursing GOD and changing their faith...on the worse side, I quite often see people keeping God's pic outside PEEPAL tree...fending for itself...getting corroded and ultimately disfigured...What an Irony..., the same pic and statue which was in your heart now becomes oblivious to you as it didn't give you the alms you had asked for ?

Life is uncertain for sure, in your living you start to make airy castles of achievements and aspirations...they may not fulfill but your unflinching faith should remain ...it should be unparalleled without any ifs and buts...Remember there could be far more problems that could have come in your life but they didn't. May be your "KARMA" was good and that have been rewarded but you will never oblige this fact. But one day you will 

Till then let the journey continue...you will learn in the midst of this beautiful life and for sure with age and experience your perception would certainly Change! Enjoy..!!!

Abdul - Boyish Aspiration

 He comes to me with expectations - an expectation that I will pay him some money and it will surely make his day - I indeed did and he went off with a grimace.

I wanted to talk to him and called him back - he responded with a sense of urgency expecting as to whether I would pay him more - but my intent was only for a small conversation regarding his existence and that what he does! - As a street urchin, he is in a playful mood and always on his toes, does practically nothing - their life is revolving around alms and goodies that people give them as they visit a famous temple around.

I caught his attention via some goodies that I had bought from market and started to converse, though earlier he was very reluctant to talk but soon our ad-hoc friendship blossomed and we started to talk

He was equally vocal and started to ask where I belong and from where I had come. I also started to follow suit and asked his name.

"Abdul" was his hesitant reply - after a small lull, he again started to sleep - " I am a localite and stay nearby and generally loiter around here for most of the day!"

As I asked "don't you go to school Abdul and don't you want to study?"  - with gloom in his eyes, he said "N0, as even if I wanted to study, there was no money in the house!"

He further stated "My father is a daily wager and I have three sisters - we hardly make ends meet - if I were to go to school, we could not afford school fee!"

His honest and deep answer was a thought to ponder for me - how many Abdul's we have here who long for education but the tyranny of time, they will never see a classroom and won’t ever wear a school uniform.

 

Abdul has dreams of being a Pilot, he feels like flying and gets excited when he sees an airplane flying - I asked him if he had ever sat on a plane - with a somber mood, he said " NO!"  as if he desperately wanted to take a ride!

Such coincidental encounters with strangers and souls who are not in any way connected to you are pointers towards a comparative life that we all are living - in our own panache, we generally forgot to see these invisible souls around us because they are living in penury - they are countless in numbers and are living in obscurity - living a menial and subsistent life - though many of them have a true potential to achieve big things and compete with us but their living scenario has made them live the way they are existing - with practically no or minimal help, they have got themselves entangled in the vicissitudes of poverty - a trap which they might not ever transgress! 

My encounters with zillion Abdul's are a remembrance of this dark reality of life and its offering and certainly makes me pondering towards the goodies life has offered us - the key takeaway is to live humbly and love and respect their honour and dignity and of course put your best foot forward to always help them with whatever we can - be it Money or in Kind , emotionally or by any other means , with a firm belief in mind that

'Someone is Always Watching your Acts and Intentions!"

~ A Young Shopkeeper...~

She is the youngest and the cutest of the shopkeeper I have ever encountered in my life – Radhika was quick on her heels when we approached her and asked like a professional as expected from a shopkeeper “Yes, what you want?” – As she stood just in front of me – not even half of me in height, she was confident enough to face anyone.

As her mother has a small flower shop next to a temple nearby, she has lot of paraphernalia to be sold – as her mother was not around, her question was in line with what she asked – As I reverted that “I want a flower garland “ , she was quick to respond and picked up one and quoted the price – Rs 30” - her answer was short and crisp - to the point.

I was flabbergasted at her training , how on earth a toddler be so upright and a good Smartian, must be her training – I could not see either or father of mother around – this small kid was handling things of her own.

Now the best part – as I gave a Rs 100 currency note, she went running to a vendor next door and quick to ask ‘ Uncle Change De do” –[ Uncle please give me change] – All this was interestingly observed by me – she had something in her – a upcoming early entrepreneur but the next thought was – at what cost ? – Why her parents are making her work? – What about her studies and her childhood.

These were perplexing questions to my mind – the kids of her age and enjoying with their pals , here is a toddler burdened with life in early age…though she is enjoying her journey – the freedom and learning things early.

She truly is the next-Gen toddler - with a smart phone she was well versed and adept in looking for reels and videos - benchmark trait of the Gen Z! - 

As her mother turned up – I asked her the only question in my mind – “Didi, does she not got to school? it’s her age to study and you are making her work!”

She laughed and replied “ Radhika does go to school and study in a nearby primary government school – she comes early and then lovingly sits with me on this makeshift shop – I don’t force her to work, but out of gut she loves to be here!”

These words pacified my to some extend – I could not see a life getting spoiled early as for me this is the right age to exemplify your abilities to learn and educate and certainly not be on the streets – said that, on the contrary I see million such Radhika’s plying on streets, begging, doing street dance, selling petty goods and making ends meet for their parents – unknown to the fact that life would be tough for them in future!

As I said a lovingly goodbye – she reciprocated with a big smile and a “Bye- bye” – it made my day not before promising myself to be a regular visitor and enquire about my little friend – but at the same time pondering about other such souls on Delhi’s streets and also with a silent prayer for their upliftment in life to come!!!

Death wont do us Apart

 

“Kal kisne Dekha ? “ [who has seen tommrow?] this was always his mantra of life and he truly lived by it – Manoj is no more today but what was his steadfast resolution he lived by it – Always !

He died in his sleep may be due to a silent heart attack – may be he had premonitions so he had started to talk on a different tangent altogether – he was fit and fine and had no major ailments but as luck would betray us all one day – the calling will be “final” and we all have to obey it honestly – no escape! 

Manoj was a lovely friend and always chirpy and would crack jokes on life’s situations- as if for him life was just a dream to be lived and one day when you will “Wake” up in true sense – you would be gone – for him, there was no God and he was a total Athiest – life was a beautiful coincidence which just happened on this planet .. “ There would certainly be other dimensions and parallel universes which would have formed via the same coincidences, but science would take generations to unearth the enigma!”  - he would always parrot these lines…. 

I loved his sincere thoughts and clear thinking about his living on this planet – no frills involved a simple life and no greed for money or Power… Life, as he kept so simple was a true embodiment of a “Wordly Saint!” as I would call him always, as we always joked on this topic!

For him “ Life is beautiful till you make it one…there are zillion problems that one would face every now and then and you have to steer your ship of family, finance, health, relationship through the best possible turmoil – But somehow you will have that faith on yourself that You always Will!

My major confrontation with Manoj was with relation to ‘GOD’ and His Existence – he was clear in his thinking about this – for him all the events in this world – where kids are dying and people are suffering – is GOD making them suffer ?? – IF yes, then why were they born at first place – just to Suffer and live in penury , born blind or with no Arms and Legs…. And with All sorts of bodily Ailments…??? 

Does God want his ‘Puppet Kids” to remain like this and make him Happy??? – to this argument, I would always say “ Manoj – It is due to one’s Karma” – he used to quickly revert then “Do Good Karma – why believe in his existence…even if Exists in an iota , he would have to abide by his rules and have to thus honor his creation – why pray for mercy?”

The argument used to go in a vicious cycle with no end or conclusion – now that he is gone, his thoughts and vision will aways remain with me forever and this is a subject I would always keep my search on for valid and rational arguments…May be one day when I meet him in other world, I would win by giving him an argument he would have no counter argument for …Till then enjoy your journey Manoj as I do here …your meeting me in this plane was momentous!