Track-'back'-on-Track

It was 6:30 in the evening and was time to pack up and leave. I was waiting for this moment from the time I stepped in the office. Somehow my day today did not start off on a very pleasant note. It was very slow and passive. I was jaded and bored to death and at the least motivated to do what I was supposed to do. Oh yes, I mean work!! I was indeed waiting for this minute to tick on my watch so that I could flee. I was engaged in some random thoughts, which beaded into a string and I wore it around my neck through the day. Almost every minute became more unbearable to pass by. I was growing impatient by the passing minute. And hence, I finally sighed and grinned when it did tick 6:30. I quickly cleaned my desk, packed my bag and rushed to catch ‘my’ seat in the bus. I sat by the window. Needless to say I was lost yet again in the traffic of thoughts which hovered my mind, as my bus made it to the road and became one with the traffic. Medley of events that happened in a certain point in time, within the time-space continuum played like a movie on the screen of my mind, without any significant relation to it with what’s happening with me at present. The feelings were conglomerate! It looked like the thoughts of a demented mind. And in no chronological fashion, it swung and swapped. I was indeed in the past! Some sweet ones. Some bitter ones. Some bad. Some sad and some utterly silly! It lingered on. I was lost in the traffic of thoughts. I ran through myriad emotions, all at the same time. I saw different colors being splashed on the canvas but somehow, I didn’t see it as the making of a master piece. I could see words and words and more words as I turned the pages of my past. But I failed to suck the meaning. I failed to understand what made me write this, who made me write and why did I write this at all. I tried slipping out of it as I got a lil irritated too for I just could not relate it to any particular context which could give it the right meaning. The right Sense. Nothing seemed clear. It seemed incongruous. The past seemed irrelevant! Right, the past IS irrelevant. I stuck with that thought. It hung low. Considering the present offers so many things to think about and to indulge in, the past is insignificant. Decisions made – good, bad or ugly sometimes – are made. There is nothing much that can be done about it. And truly some things ARE out of our control and choice!! I have no clue what it takes to revisit the decisions that are made. All said and done, you can’t turn it the other way round. Can u?? And neither do I have the patience to trace the path. May be, you could perhaps adorn the fabric you chose with some embroidered stitch with a contrast colored thread to make it look different and attractive and you could as well rejoin the torn parts, but the fact remains that you cannot substitute the cloth. It’s just too late if you wanna do it. Now, having said this, all I know is am happy with what I have today and that my cup of life is indeed filled with some rich hot dark coffee![Wink] What’s important is indeed how good the coffee is and not from what material the cup is made up of. Mind you, u can refill the coffee anytime you want. This thought consoles me and I feel at ease as I slouch in the seat. But this moment is going to get weaved in the past too. Time rolls. It stops for no one. There is continuity and there is uncertainty, as always and as expected. Hmm… But yet, it’s all about the present.

In the philosophy of time, presentism is the belief that only the present exists and the future and the past are unreal. Paradoxical, sure it is. But I only wish that this was accountable. Treat the present as a present and make the most of it. Exist in the present! I reiterate, past is irrelevant. So, just move on. As I was lost amidst the glaze of this thought, I feebly heard my friend call out, “Niveditha, it’s your stop”!! It took time for me to realize where I was and what’s happening around. I quickly got down as the bus moved on to its next destination, to drop its next passenger. I looked at my watch as I saw the bus move past and phew! it was close to 9 pm. I had failed to realize that our bus was stuck somewhere today! I had scuba dived in the ocean of past :) I had tracked back. And sooner than never, I was back on the track!! :):) I pinched myself to affirm that I existed in the present!

Tribes India

Had been shopping with a friend last Saturday to buy some wedding gift for yet another friend and landed up in St. Joseph’s College grounds. I was clueless as to where we were headed. And it was a surprise stop for me for it was a tribal art exhibition. I was so excited and was brimming with joy for am always game for any such exhibitions and shows!! I being a natural adorner, I shop almost anything that soothes and pleases my eyes! I have an innate and natural liking for jewelry and artifacts. And I also like to collect just anything that’s unique and interesting. It jus could be anything from a matchbox, pencil, beads, dolls, shells, stones, interestingly cut papers, any hoarding with beautiful wordings, interesting pottery, intricate jewellery,….. the list is endless. I prize things that are well designed and creative more than the material value. No doubt I am a terrific shopper and I end up shelling a bomb!!Trust me, I surely can shop till I drop[Tongue out].

Now what was special about this event was that various tribal artforms from across the country was on display. The whole ambience was very vibrant, colorful and appeasing. Made out of natural products, and hand made at that, everything that was on display, be it their pottery, jewellery, hand woven clothes, artifacts, furnitures, paintings et al were jus beyond the artistic perception. It was so bewitching that it could compel an impulsive shopper like me to go bankrupt(No doubt I spent extravagantly. Guilt some where did creep in post shopping but I soothed myself telling it was good to splurge on such things once in a while. After all I was shopping for the tribal cause. Good excuse isn’t it??[Wink]). . Many contemporary definitions of art and artistes are contingent on culture, resisting the aesthetic prescription. It cannot be standardized easily without corruption into kitsch. Now, needless to say, it gave me a new avenue to think and to take forward my creative pursuits.

And there was a folk dance program (tribal dance forms, of course) which was a delight to watch. Mesmerizing beats and amazing choreography. It was euphonious! The dancer in me was calling me to join them. I couldn’t stop myself and I started banging my head, tapping my foot and clapping my hands where eva I stood. I realized in a while that I was dancing too as if no one was watching me [Wink].he he he… I go crazy over the beats! Loved it!

Tribals of India, Adivasis as they are best known are literally "original inhabitants" and comprise an indigenous minority of the population. These come from various states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, AP, Bihar, Jharkand and west Bengal and in extreme northeast states such as Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. Officially recognized by the Indian government as "Scheduled Tribes" in the Constitution which is eligible for certain affirmative action measures at all socio-economic strata. The schedule gives tribal people incentives to maintain their identity. By the same token, the schedule also includes a number of groups whose 'tribal' status, in cultural terms, is dubious at best. They have their own tribal religions which are different than Islam or Hinduism and they follow what is known as Tantric Shaivism. These people have their own culture, language, social organization, religious affiliation, economic patterns, geographic location, and self-identification too, which is rich, as I see it and more sensible than ours, devoid of the basic education! These people always work and move about in groups and have greater social bonding and strength amongst them. What’s more important is the ‘samskara’(cultural heritage and upbringing) and the ‘kala-kaushalya’(artistic and aesthetic sense)! Perhaps, this holds true for any community. To stay happy without any cultural abomination and hatredness, to bring out the best in us as a community or breed this is what is most important. And what good is education if doesn't humble you down and work for the cause of humanity. William Cowper beautifully says,"Existence is a strange bargain. Life owes us little; we owe it everything. The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose." Don’t you think so too? India could have been a better place today if it would have religiously practiced and followed the most hyped of phrase –“The land of Unity in Diversity”.

Anyways, I here, would like to emphasize the point that these tribal artisans and craftsmen are no less than any of the country’s most prestigious award winning and famed artists! And mind you, no job is menial! These people need a platform to show case their talent. It is the need of the hour to recognize such troops, to underline their skilled excellency, to focus on the importance of intellectual skills apart from the manual skills. And in this orientation, the government is doing a fabulous job in recognizing such people and giving them a chance to exhibit and to sell their products at its best price by organising such melas. It is indeed a great opportunity for the residents of Bangalore to be a part of such event. Do not miss such things when you do come across the likes of it in the near future. Let’s do our best too. Let’s just go and attend such events even if we do not have to buy anything from them. Let’s try and appreciate the art and the artist in them. Let's empathise, heartfully!

Now this apart, what makes this exhibition more memorable for me is that I gave a very brief interview to a local news channel. The event manager of this exhibition came up to me(naturally pulled by the number of shopping bags I had in my hand) and asked me to speak and throw some light on the exhibition to TV9(a state news channel) and share my experience. This was aired on Tuesday, the 14th of October '08 in the news hour at 9[Broad smile]. Howzzat?!

Tribes India - “Shop for the tribal cause”!
You could log on to the following websites to know more:
www.tribes.net.in
www.trifed.net.in

Much ado about ART!

Some vague thoughts crossed my mind and I just felt like changing the name of my blog from Tarang to ART which literally is an equation as follows:

Antarang(अन्तरंग )+ Rang(रंग) + Tarang(तरंग) = Art ... of LIFE and LIVING!
अन्तरंग के तरंग जब भजते हैं तो ज़िन्दगी का रंग खील उठता है है ना ?

Between, I welcome you all for the "re-naming" ceremony of my blog! [Smile]

One must have an ‘aesthetic’ sense to enjoy art. Art is all about expression. It is about ex pressing and transforming an ordinary experience. Now, this might be an odd thing to expect. It seems that art is confined and is the sort of stuff in the museums, architectures, galleries, poetry books, theaters, concert halls or more so everything that can be show cased in the places which are marked off as the zones of the unusual and the exalted. I do agree to this. But it sure is also about how ordinary things and experiences can transform and make a difference in the way we look at things in the so called unusual zones of display of talent! Which can make us more passionate, more engaged and much more oriented and more immersed.

Art for me, apart from self expression, is also about being fully present in the real. About co-relating the self with one another and with the nature. About getting unified and to fuse with the universe. About experiencing oneness. It is something that “absorbs” you. Now, this makes ‘that something’ an ‘ART’. Art is extraordinary. A creation of a genius, the creative mind! Crispen Sartwell beautifully says, “ Art is characteristically human way of being and loving the world. The process of becoming absorbed into living, of becoming present in one’s life.”

All of this is to say that art is perpetual. It’s beyond time and space. And that it also has a spiritual bend to it. Well, this doesn’t mean that it calls for the higher realm than the physical. It rather is human experience in its greatest depths and greatest intensity. Art is what we make of ourselves and the world. What we are in reality. Or perhaps what our world makes out of it! It’s a way of accepting. Ecstatically affirming the world in which we abide. If you look carefully and observe the world around you, both static and dynamic, you will see that everything is a work of art. Right from the one who makes the small nuts, bolts, bearings, carton boxes et all to the the giant aeroplanes and mansions. All are artists in their own right. A great work of display, all of them!! Isn’t it?

Each one of us are worthy of appreciation. Most of all the one supreme creation is the creation of this world and of course, man! Give it to the supreme power(call it what you want – god, super natural power, supreme consciousness, energy, wat eva!). Everything in MY universe is a surprise to me. How did this happen? I forget the theory and my imagination crosses beyond the theory. In fact, there is a limitation to all the theories and ideologies. It starts with an “IF”! So, only if the “IF” is true, will the theory hold strong. Else????? Hmmm….. My mind actually travels beyond time and space. Somewhere, everything is a mystery!! I bow and surrender to the supreme soul!!

Oh well, excuse me.. Allow me to back track..[smile] So friend, this is what I think... Living is an art. Put in your creative best. Let the canvas/ media be anything. You choose. Design it well. Give it a beautiful finish. Take care about the intrinsic details. Put it on display. Exhibit it! It ll sure turn heads! And you shall be signing your autograph...

And hence the name: ART.. of life and living!! Lemme know what you feel. Both about the subject of core discussion and of course the new name of my blog! Am looking forward to your response!

bang-'traffic'-galore

Until recently, when eva I met up with a gang of friends, they always had one topic in common to speak and on which I could not just manage to render my 'insightful' thoughts![Tongue out] And, the topic is, none other than, the most happening, “Namma Bengaluru traffic”, of course!! Applause... Applause...Applause...

Let me make a confession! I am and have always been bad wit the roads and directions. And hence, I seldom could eva contribute to the discussion. But their inputs would always suffice and be enough to flummox and perplex my small little brain(which is confused by default)!! I would mix up electronic city and ITPL as if they were neighboring parks (which I learnt lately that both are located at two extreme ends of the city). My friend had to draw the Bangalore map for me and had to take the pains to explain where is where for she was used to travelling on the dreaded roads of Bengaluru and was quite used to the traffic chaos and everything else related. During such talks like the ones i mentioned at the start, my witty friends would come up wit some innovative and cranky ideas(Software engineers that they are) of how they could make the best of their travel time!! (That can actually be yet another post!!). He he...

Now, having said this, I must say, I was rather lucky, only until the last month though, not to have experienced the harshness of 'namma bengaluru traffic' for my earlier places of work and college were jus about a few kms from home and the roads were absolutely free from traffic! I had to take no pains to travel. I moved to bangalore for my graduation and have been here since then. But yet, no sagas for me, clearly. I would come home every afternoon to savor the piping hot delicious delicacies that mamma would prepare, have a short nap and then head back to work!! Can u believe it?Best times! But God could not bestow more mercy and comforts on me. I am sure he was jealous too as the rest of the others! I changed my job and hence came to the streets..well.. grr.. I mean, streets of Bengaluru[Wink] I did not have much choice pertaining to the travel. And adding to that, I had to state my where abouts as C/o BMTC for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening! After the first day’s experience that was so exhausting and zapping (I wasn’t much used to such extensive travelling), I had given a serious thought on giving up on my job and starting something on my own (LOL!!). My company has its own policies which defines the city limits. Cab facility is provided if only the office is outside the city limits. But I live out of the city(if I had to go according to their rule) and to me, any place is beyond the city limits! U can guess, I was literally fuming that day! I wanted to go on a Dharna! Yet again, had not much choice and I screamed at my mind to shut up!!The best way I thought was to enjoy the travel (no choice again!). The creepy ideas that my friends were giving the other day recapped in my mind but couldn’t actually make much of it for I am not facilitated with a cab to commute. Hmmm… sad that it is, I resort to either my novel that I always carry in my bag or rely on my Motorola L9 for its radio services ( That’s when I decided must buy an iPOD touch… That’s on its way!! Tan tana.. I am actually way too excited about it). Being a sleepy head that I am, these have till date helped me go to sleep(Well,I look around hopefully for a seat to sit in the bus, else I'll have to manage to catch one by some quick reflexive actions being very agile and alert. You literally have to fight your senses out to grab one, you know!) Whoa... My my my… As I say this I recollect the below thing that I heard from someone:

Q: How far is a place from here (If it is 100 meters)?
A: Five minutes by walk, half an hour by car [Wink]

Let’s get to the topic of discussion, ‘Namma Bengaluru Traffic’! A headache. A pain in the * you know where! A problem. Now this problem is because the city has exploded sporadically and at a threatening pace in the last few years. It has grown too quickly and the infrastructure is not upgraded to accommodate this growth. This is compounded by the lack of discipline of the commuters. Almost no one follows the traffic rules!!!(After all, rules are meant to be broken!). Most drivers/riders in Bangalore do not have a sense of traffic. Absolutely no discipline. They do not give a damn about others. They think they are the rulers and hence ‘The King’ of the road. They are also highly impatient and arrogant with a huge ego on their cuffs and collars. Look at all the drivers talking on the mobile, honking the horn, beating the traffic lights, cursing the other motorists, avoiding pot holes, ........... all at the same time.

Why are people like this?(Ha ha.. most certainly, that is how they are. N after all it’s their wish n their will! Isn’t it?). I do not have an answer. But maybe it is because you can get a license in India very easily. In most places you do not have to write the mandatory written test or do the practical test. For a small bribe you can get a license even without being in the country! The problem is you can not get a license even if you pass both the tests without the bribe. People always choose the easier way and as a result never know or bother about the traffic rules.

As I stay a gaper on the road, there are somethings that irks and irritate me a lot that i must mention:

I hate..
The honking horns!! It seriously deafens ur ears.

People who p** and p*** by the road side. They just consider every wall they come across to be their toilets. Public, indeed it is. Yuk! Wonder if they have a gene that exhibits a bit of shame. It’s only dogs and Men (a few though. Remember, I haven’t said, gentlemen!Note for men reading this: If you are a gentleman, you don need to react to this. Jus cool it!) who dare do that. And, waise bhi, it happens only in india!!

People who spit n spew on the roads as if it is their proprietary right! N come on, what about the hygiene. Damn that!

The autos that aren’t regulated or have got an emission test certificate. It pollutes the air so much. But who cares?

The erratic lorry drivers and bike riders. I just wish they have their sensible senses with them when they are on the road.

Some irresponsible traffic police who stand in the middle of the road only to add to the chaos and make money. They are promptly on every nook and corner of the city, as the calender nears end of the month. Absolutely no sense of duty. Irksome!

The petty fights and clashes among the fellow motorists. And god help the language that they use. The vulgarisation and banalisation of language is no longer a question of purity, but rather how it relates to our attitude to society at large. It is painful to see the ritual abomination of the language, particularly the slang and obscene words! No road rage is complete without the dazzling fireworks lit up by bristling repletives. Can we have a language police too, please?

The way the autowallas behave and demand excess money. I literally can’t stand this injustice. I stand upto fight and never pay a rupee more! Doesn’t make sense. Does it? Especially considering their huge ego that speaks.

Can you beat that list??? He he he… [Wink]

But I must tell u that I love something too. Traveling in Vayu Vajra, the comfortable, air-conditioned, Volvo airport shuttle service! Trust me, its real fun and joy for me. The interiors and the large transparent windows give a very royal feel. Never the less, the ergnomics could have been better! I being a RED person, needless to say I love the color of Vayu Vajra. And ours truly transport minister, Mr. R Ashok has been kind enough in making the fares nominal. Oh well, you should have seen the excitement on people’s faces when the ticket fare was just a Rupee for four days to woo those commuting around the city on two-and four-wheelers. This, the authorities hope, may convert a lot of travellers into BMTC commuters. LOL! The rush, the gleaming faces!Ah-huh, it was worth seeing. I remember a commuter who was getting down from Vajra announcing to the fellow commuters who were waiting for the bus in the stop(in that period of four days), “Hathkolli saar! Ellindha ellige hodhru ondhe rupayee. Ee bus ellige hogattho alli thanaka hogi. Aamele bere bus thogolli. Naalene lastu offeru!(Hop on sir! It’s just a rupee, no matter how far you wanna travel. Jus take this bus and go until the nearest stop. Take another bus from there. The offer lasts tomorrow!)”. Not only this, the minister has come up with more interesting offers (Check out the news papers for this!!). Watch out and have fun!

Last but not the least, happy journey![wink]

Lets put a smile on that face….

After much persuasion from friends who claimed that this one shud not go amiss, I happened to watch ‘The Dark Knight’, on the BIGGEST POSSIBLE SCREEN’(as suggested), in Bangalore. At the outset, am not much of a movie person. I watch a movie only if it gets a go signal from Rajeev Masand on CNN IBN or if friends strongly recommend. Movies for me must be sensible and somewhere close to reality else I care the least to watch it.Let’s take this debate later. Now coming to the point, you wud have definitely understood and gauged that I haven’t seen any of the superhero movies: be it batman, spiderman, iron man or wat eva man. The Dark Knight is a deliciously wonderful movie for anybody who grew up reading Batman comics. I didn’t grow up reading Batman comics. In fact, as I said, I don’t even understand Batman. My bro said I better watch the series first before I go to watch this as this is a sequel of its predecessors or was it thought to be!! Never the less, I wanted to take a chance! But after I watched it for the first time, I watched it again!![Wink] “I didn’t repent”. I would actually not wanna categorize this movie into the ‘superhero’ cult. Nolan cuts through a deeper direction. Whoa! The characters speak to the essentials of human condition!! The script creates a place where good and evil decide to get it on and dance, instead of fight against each other, as obviously expected! Nolan out brings the implacable truth that no human being can defy. I was reminded of Paulo Coelho, who in his book Brida says, “Everybody in this world will have a gift that will soon become apparent. In daily life, they would continue to have their customary weaknesses and resentments, perform their usual small acts of kindness and of cruelty. The agony and the ecstasy would continue, as it would for everyone who is part odf a world in a constant state of flux. However each human being carries within them something far more important than their own self, namely, their inherent gift. He only uses this as the instrument and reveals himself to the world to help humanity".

On face value, a guy in a bat-suit fighting an evil minded clown may not exactly be anyone’s idea of an ‘edge of your seat’ thriller, but thanks to a cracker of a script penned by the Nolan brothers that grabs the viewer by the jugular from the opening scene. The Dark Knight is certain to go down as one of the best movies I have seen so far. Superb dialogs. It is a ‘dark, disturbing piece of work’. A nightmarish journey into the proverbial world of darkness exploring evil, good, and the tenuous line that separates them. Its an intense cerebral story (the ending is superb) that not only contemplates the nature of evil but also touches, in a powerful yet understated fashion, upon themes of terrorism, torture and surveillance, the cornerstones of post 9/11 life in the United States .

Amazing cast. As far as I am concerned, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Christian Bale have rendered justice to their roles. The Batman in fact is shockingly human and acutely aware of the fact that he is ‘not the hero the city deserves’. Eckhart, the two faced man, which the Joker unleashes out of him, portrays beautifully the two sidedness, which is the true nature of any human being. The villain steals the show. With his cracking make-up, slithering tongue and the scar that put a wide smile on his face, it was an amazing farewell performance by Mr. Ledger. Rest in peace, Mr. Ledger. He deserves a posthumous for this. The late Heath Ledger is spine-chillingly brilliant in his portrayal of a psychotic, stone-cold murderer, The Joker. I read somewhere that Ledger reportedly lived in isolation for a month researching and getting into the skin of the character to the point where it started to take a toll on his sleep, that which shows clearly in his performance. He outlived it, if I may say! As I say this I remember the most famous line of the movie:

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”

He doesn’t want money. But he just wants to watch the world burn! That was bloodcurdling. Check out for the devilish fun, dazzling spectacle and feverish action. I was wowed. “I don’t wanna kill you. You complete me”, says the Joker to the Batman(That’s one of my fav dialogs). Don’t buy the tease. He means every letter. Ledger dominates every frame he is in. Hats off!

As a dark night, this 'dark knight' too awakens you and makes you realize what kind of a world you are living in. It exposes you to the bitter truth, the pitch of darkness. Here are some of the best lines from the movie that caught my attention:

• I am an agent of chaos.
• I don’t wanna kill you. You complete me
• Why so serious??????? Lets put a smile on that face….
• You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain
• What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object???
• Some men are not trying to be logical. They can't be bought, bullied or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
• Introduce a lil anarchy… upset the established order.. well then everyone loses their minds!
• I am a dog chasing the cars. I don’t have plans. I jus do things. I am not a schemer.
• I use a knife coz guns are too quick, Otherwise, you cannot savor all the emotions. You know who people are in their last moments. I know people who you were with better than you do.
• You do not do things that you are good at for free (The best one! [Tongue out])
• Madness is like gravity… It jus needs a lil push…

Well last but not the least, if what am saying here is beyond you and not making any sense to you then that surely says you haven’t seen the movie. I suggest you go watch it and then see for yourself whether you have any words for it. I certainly don’t! Watch this movie and do yourself a favour … and if you’ve got a spare ticket you know who to send it to![Wink]

If I knew...

Seven years after 9/11, the casualty that resulted has only left a deep scarred imprint in the books of religion, economy, humanity et al.. Still wondering, what lies ahead of us and where we are actually headed(??)!

I was reading these lines in Sacred Space of today’s TOI, dedicated in the memory of 9/11 victims. Very touching and hence, felt like sharing it.

…If I knew it would be the last time
That I see you walk out of the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
And call you back for one more…

If I knew it would be the last time
I could spare an extra minute
To stop and say ‘I Love You’
Instead of assuming you would KNOW I do…

…just in case…
…today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you
And I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
You get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you’re waiting for tomorrow,
Why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll surely regret the day.

That you didn’t take that extra time
For a smile, a hug and a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
What turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
And whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
And that you’ll always hold them dear.

Take time to say “I’m sorry”,
“Please forgive me”, “Thank you”, or “it’s okay”.
And if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll have no regrets about today.





All I have to say is,
--- "DO NOT BURY YOUR WORDS.GIVE IT LIFE! JUST LET IT MAKE SENSE - TO SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME" ---

To De*Serve!

Every one of us has dreams. Dreams, to achieve something and to make it big in life. Aspirations to fly high. But we often let opportunities slip or let it go. Never are we alert and prepared to face what lies ahead of us. We often feel dejected when we don get what we want or something tat we aspire for. But pretty less do we realize as a matter of fact tat we get what we deserve. It’s a hard-hitting fact. I am sure most of us cannot take it.


Comparison, tat when we do with others of higher strata, the inner voice feebly yells, “Probably I am more deserving than he/she is! May be he/she is luckier than I am”. Jealousy takes over. We go red when someone gets “there” or gets “it”! And wonder how and when does this chord of luck strikes and whom?


As Robin S Sharma says in his book The Monk who sold his Ferrari, "The boundaries of our life are merely the creations of the self". Every action is a result of the thought tat mushrooms in the mind. One must actually GROW to deserve. The limitation is in the mind. One could see something for oneself from the outside but may not feel the same from the inside. There is no coherence. Our inner and outer mind doesn’t sync with each other. There must be a burning desire and passion to achieve or have “it”. As Paulo Coelho in his book The Alchemist (which is a very well written book on following your dreams) says, “When a person desires something, the whole universe conspires to help that person realize his dreams”.

Picture this:
“You deserve to have a job in the most reputed company coz you have the capability in you”.
“You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done”.
“You deserve to have a beautiful wife for you are now the most powerful man”.

After all, we “serve” to “deserve”! How often is this true? As also, it all depends on how well you showcase yourself. The ones who do not want to take credit or do not wanna be too much in the limelight will never get where they want. Isn’t that true? Haven’t we all seen this? Tolerated this? This is a very hypothetical world, you will sure agree. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we hardly can manage to trust the ones around. Hypocrites, amidst whom we live. It’s very sad but very true when we take a tentative insight into the natural world. Though we pretty much know who deserves what, we are forced to stay mum.

On the contrary, when you become a scapegoat to an unmentioned situation (read fate), when you know that 'you-do-not-deserve-to' suffer or be punished, no one asks “why you?”. Forget asking, they will not even stand by you. People will look up for a chance to run miles away from you to see that their names do not crop by. Sad!! And it shall remain sad.

At the end of this RAT-RACE (‘dirty’, if I could say), one often forgets that he/she still will remain a “RAT”, no matter you “win or “lose”!! Should we grow worthy of clouding up such thoughts in our mind or should we dump it?? That's for you to decide. But for now, my dump is so full that it has to refuse more refuse!![Wink] As I retire, GROW deserving and happy dumping!![Teethed smile]