Prejudices!

Some days back, I don't remember how exactly, but I came across the line,

"Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth..."

and it brought back memories of a rainy Sunday afternoon, guess I was in the 3rd or 4th standard, and a handwriting competition in a distant school I had attended.

My favorite green and gold 'China' pen. A single sheet of paper to write on, one that you aren't suppose to smudge and the wooden benches in an alien school. They had given a printed sheet of Osho's para that we were supposed to copy in the best handwriting. (Ah, good old days!) :D

And I distinctly remember not understanding much of it, especially the word 'prejudice'. I had read the para over and over, never quite understanding the crux, so much so that the above lines somehow are still written indelibly in my mind (perhaps with the same green China pen too). The lines came flooding back to memory the moment I read it somewhere, some days ago.

Back then, I was trying to mull over how 'prejudice' (an alien word to me then) and a bird in a cage could be related, but it confounded my eight year old self.

I also remember having stashed that sheet of paper somewhere in my drawer for safekeeping. (I still have it somewhere, but it's easier finding stuff on google (this is the link) than delving in my old cupboard) :-P ;-)

Here goes :
"While returning from my morning walk, I saw a bird in a cage. It reminded me of people imprisoned in prejudices.

Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth.

And just now I see a kite flying in the sky. What freedom, what a liberation in its flights! One is a bird in a cage, the other a bird in flight in the open sky, symbolic of two different states of mind.

Those who are liberated, fly in the sky of truth, but neither are any footprints left behind, nor is any path created... there is no readymade path, everybody has to create his own path to truth..."
~Osho

Amen to that.

Dream(s)

You paint a dream.
Vivid. Colourful. Lively.
You use up all the patterns and techniques you've learnt. You put in the hues you've thought up till now. You practice it over and over.
Till its near perfect. Almost. Perfect.
You put in all of your heart in it. All of your mind. All of your soul. Till it becomes almost synonymous with you. Your existence. Your breath. The boundaries between your dream and your self blur.
It is a work of a lifetime. A dream of a lifetime.

Shiny. Sparkling. Fragile.
It shatters.

What do you do?
You dream another dream.
Equally vivid. Equally close to your soul. Equally 'you'.

Its OK to fail after you have tried all you could. Because you can always try again. Failure is not fatal. So long as you are true to yourself and know that you tried your best.

PS: This post is the result of a late night show of the movie "Bombay Talkies". ;-)
I especially loved the last story in it, and this post an interpretation of that last story.

Its a story where a father teaches his son the 'importance' of failure, the fact that sometimes however truly you might try, there are chances you might fail.

An awesome awesome story. Awesome lyrics (सब्र की मीठी चाशनी में भिगो के, वक़्त खड़ा है मर्तबान में ले के...) Awesomely scripted. Awesomely shot. Loved it!

Epiphanies and self-realizations...

Came across this somewhere and had to put it here...
It so reminds me of what my mom often times chides me for! :-|

There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

#Epiphanies and self-realizations, I would call it.

What Dreams are made of...

Image taken from somewhere on the Internet.
(read: I don't remember the link, so can't cite :P )

Purple Haze
Golden Glaze
Emerald Silk
of a butterfly's wings

Inky Mist
Silver Dust
Crimson Rays
of a setting sun

Orange Velvet
Yellow Fields
Translucent Drops
of morning dew

Burnt Barks
Brown Clods
Green Leaves
of a tender shoot

Dusky Clouds
Grey Winds
Electric Bolts
of lightning too

Sunny Horizons
Blue Ships
Black Silhouettes
of flocking birds

Many Hues
Many Cues
So many things to say and do
Are these what make up
your Dreams too?

~Written on 20th March 2013 #Original

PS: The post's title is "inspired" by a Hilary Duff song of the same name...:)

Sharp Edges and Blunt Corners...

Have you ever hurt your toe or little finger against a particularly rough furniture edge? Ouch! Stings and hurts like hell, especially if the furniture is new, or its arrangement is new and you keep on bumping into the same corner and hurting the same toe, every now and then. Neither do you seem to learn your way about that particular corner, nor does the edge seem to blunt over time (even if you and others in the family have been hurt by it like a zillion times :( )

Sometimes, I think certain traits in our personalities can be like these rough furniture edges, you keep on hurting others (and yourself too) against them, again and again.
Bump. Sting. Curse. Ouch. Glare. Get by.
Never seeming to lose that sharp edge which cuts and hurts and keeps on aching sometimes for days together. It's almost like your very own bitter armour that you wear in the hope that it'll eventually protect you. But it never seems to do so...unless - you accept that the armour isn't what it seems to be, and is in fact your "furniture edge" - a sharp edge capable of stinging and bleeding people who are unfortunate enough to venture near and hurt themselves...unless - you accept that the "edge" is a problem and decide to do something about it, lest you keep on hurting people near you.

Wonder what's the solution? Waiting for this edge to blunt over a period of time, or try and be more conscious of our "rough edges" and avoid hurting people (and ourselves too) in the first place?

Hmm...think think think!

PS: Daemnn!! I have been suffering from the "rough edge" syndrome lately, and this is probably my guilt getting the better of me...*sigh* :-| ;-)
Guess its time to go and fix things up :-))

Bangalore Diaries - Nostalgia+Gratitude

Bangalore, or Bengaluru, has come to hold a really special place in my life...and this post was really long due, but as it happens when you try to write about something that's special or favorite, nothing seems to do justice to the subject... :)

When I just moved there, I had actually listed down tons of things I noticed/felt, and wanted to write about the "new" city and its sights, clicked a lot of pics for my blog posts, and even had thought of a having a series on the blog titled - "Bangalore Diaries",(which is the title I would be using for this post as well...since I can't think of anything else right now).
But I never understood when that "new" city became a part of my life, so much so that now I can't write about the city as a third person... need to spend some more time before I can embark on writing something about the city, and its people :)
But since I was feeling pretty nostalgic since the past few days, I felt I should pen down a few thoughts...

It will be nearly a year since I switched jobs and shifted from B'lore... I clearly remember the evening in July when I first landed at B I A, with not much luggage to boot, a bit resentful at not having gotten a job I had then tried for, and slightly grumpy at having to join a firm I had always considered an 'option'.
But B'lore the city,never judged me harshly for my initial prejudice towards it...as if oblivious to (or may be in spite of) my preconceived notions, it extended a friendly hand, never judged me for being an 'outsider' to the culture, and taught me things I am really grateful for...

I can only feel gratitude - to the city that accepted me, the city that gave me my first 'job', the city that gave me a really awesome work experience and introduced me to a lot of amazing people and professionals. The city that taught me independence and self reliance. The city where I learnt that #growing up is as much about paying rent, managing bills and finances, worrying about price hikes, the pinch of 'month ends', the joy of getting the 'salary credited' SMS, as it is about being able to shop and eat out on a whim...;) The city where I learnt to make decisions and own up to their consequences. The city which taught me making mistakes is alright, even necessary, learning from them is what matters. (well, in an ideal world, not repeating them as well);)
The city that taught me that it's OK not to get your own way every single time. The city where I learnt that its not always bad if things don't go as per your plans.
Thank you Bangalore.

The major credit of my being at ease in a new city, has to go to my friends...friends I knew before, and friends I made at B'lore... writing anything like 'thank you' or expressing gratitude would seem really really shallow, and I mean it when I say I can't express feelings about fav people/things...words never do justice :)
Love you folks! You know who you are :) (Most probably, by now, I would have pinged you incessantly till you read this post too ;-) )

I think that should do for now, and since I haven't really written anything here, except explain a hundred times how/why I can't write; I better sign off...
Ciao!

A "Wishlist Wednesday" post

This is the first time I am participating in any online writing contest. :) Came across this contest, called "Wishlist Wednesdays", in Preeti Shenoy's blog , and thought of contributing an entry.

The contest was to complete the following writing prompt Preeti had posted : "I wish everyone loved..."

Here's my entry for Wishlist Wednesday #4.

I wish everyone loved their own company. I wish that people would feel happy just to "be" with their own selves.
I am not a saint and I too am guilty of "that feeling when you HAVE to call/ping/talk/meet somebody". In fact, that's the feeling I fight every single day as I walk back from office... :-P

These are the days of wireless connectivity, instant gratification. However, cliched it might sound, the irony is that we are in tune with what the entire world is doing/thinking/sharing (including the people we hardly know); everyone, except our own selves!

We need to be more centered. More focused. More calm.

Many times as I walk back from office, I have this urge to call people. Talk. Ping. Share. WhatsApp. Radio. Playlists.
Anything, but walk back by myself.
Strange, but true.
It's not that I detest walking, or even walking alone, but somehow I have gotten into this habit...especially when I walk out of office. (And yes, I am also indirectly boasting that my home is within walking distance from office :D)
The weird feeling of "I need to be connected. NOW. This very minute." grips me as soon as I set my foot out of the office.

I feel we need to start being at ease with ourselves. It's OK if you don't call anyone immediately. Its OK if you don't tune in to your radio as soon as you step out. Its OK if you forget your headphones (intentionally) and give your ears much needed relief. :P
Its OK if you take time out, look around, appreciate the fact that you have a home and family to go back to, at the end of the day. Its OK to try and see the changes seasons bring about in nature, the skies and trees around you. Its OK to fight the urge to call people. Its OK to learn to be by yourself.

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2013 and hope you enjoy your own company some more this year! :D


PS: The result of the contest is here .
Yours truly got a special mention, something like a first runner's up :P :D