~ Reflections ~

I'll not run anyone's life – nor let anyone run mine.  I will not rule nor be ruled.  I will not be a master nor a slave.  I will not sacrifice myself to anyone – nor sacrifice anyone to myself.  ~ Ayn Rand Textbook of Americanism

The recent Dera incident has made one thing very clear. Irrespective of what the underlying issue, be it Rape or simply reservation for few people, our instant reaction is violence and uncontrollable outburst. I am still unable to comprehend how any follower of the "god" men can react in such a way to support a rapist.... I wonder if even one-tenth of them with stand in arms with the one who has been raped. We are just pathetic. But that's not the core issue.... why most of these people have such staunch die-hard followers is because in some other twisted ways, they have worked for the society... be it free hospitals or education or just basic meals.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely hate the guts of these people who claim to work for the society's betterment and behind curtains commit such sins....  But the point still remains... for someone who can't afford a square meal a day, if someone ensures clean food or proper medication or a roof to stay, t...

In this age of impatience and impertinence..  where patience is treated not as a strength but as a weakness,  I find myself wondering  often , again and again , whether it is a good idea to spit out what is exactly on your mind, especially in a fit of rage. But almost always, the realization dawns.. that it is... after all, better to control what comes out of our wagging tongue...  It makes perfect sense to think, and sometimes re-think what one wishes to convey.... I don't mean being secretive and not revealing anything... but the choice of words makes a world of difference... After all, what comes out of our mouth, more often than not, comes and bites us in the ass.... Graphic Credits: Pinterest

The whole idea of finding the ideal partner seems to be a lopsided affair, especially in India.  Though times have changed, and thankfully the judgement is not just based on whether the girl is pretty or can cook good food, or sing well.... different things like education, job, upbringing etc are all seen.... it still feels like an audition.... And the most basic aspect is rarely questioned... that the guy comes to see the girl... as if it will be a test for the girl based on her skill set, and the judgement on the boy an be simply based on his demeanor..... I am not saying all arranged marriages (and even love marriages in some cases) are decided like this... the girl IS given the freedom to decide... But I am yet to come across a case where the boy has had to prove his mettle to the girl and her family... I wonder when that will change.....  In these changing times when men and women compete in all spheres including the corporate world, I don't know how long it...

I know I have harped on this issue one too many times in the past ... but nothing seems to be enough... everyone seems to have such strong and uncompromising views on the issue, that it is difficult to explain your views.... But reading this article  in Livemint really struck a cord... The underlying essence of each and every religion is the same... believe in yourself and have faith in the Almighty (irrespective of how you address your Almighty)  and be an honest person... the rest will just follow.... However, more than half the battles in the world seem to be fought over who the true Almighty is. People tend to associate religion with identity, and hence the lack of a firm choice on the first seems to affect the other. The author Natasha Badhwar  rightly points out "Often a question about identity is spoken as if it is a judgement in itself. Sometimes a question sounds like an accusation. It is fired to prove that any answer you give will be deemed wrong. O...

We keep playing around with our lives, treating our bodies like some sack that can be punched around... or more appropriately like the hit me toy, which comes back even after suffering a punch... But unfortunately, our body is neither.... its suffers each impact or neglect and non maintenance till it finally gives in... clearly, we indirectly keep inviting what we are not prepared to accept... that there is an end, and it will come soon enough.... So what happens in the end... will we rise up in smoke, or become a part of the earth once again....  What if we have an opportunity to help someone out... is it such a bad idea ? Think about it http://notto.nic.in/

All of us have our notions, or imagination, about god... Almighty exists... he doesn't ...  He runs our life... we do.... He has a form... he is infinite... He lies in that corner of that room called a temple... he lies within me.... Whichever form/format one prescribes to...  Whichever belief or non - belief one lives with... It's a choice best made by one self... It would be wrong to question the others belief or instigate the other...  However, it is equally important to respect other peoples thoughts on the issue... Somehow, we find it so obvious to explain our status/ line of thought on the issue that we often try and convince other to align their thought... Whatever else might be different, but we are all human (or are atleast trying to be! )...  And that should be enough to bind us... Belief might be important, but isn't there a bigger commonality between all of us which should ideally be sufficient to co-exist...

Distance makes the heart grow stronger... I had heard this line so often, but I always wondered if it was true.... I mean, doesn't all the distance add up into something cynical in that small contraption being carried over shoulders by our necks... I guess we'll have to just wait and watch for the final verdict.... Keeping my fingers crossed...

There is a lot of merit in piecing everything together, even if it is something as simple as a jigsaw puzzle to something life keeps throwing our way... The biggest benefit, ofcourse, is that we are working towards putting it together, towards a final goal,  an end result, which in itself results in lots of positivity.. Also, humans seem to have a tendency to play with puzzles... we like toying with the conditions to figure out what fits the situation best.... And finally, if the end result is as expected or better, the sense of achievement is incomparable.. the joy of completion with the desired outcome provides a sense of satisfaction which most daily activities are deficient of... Ultimately, a puzzle might puzzle us...  but once we solve the puzzle... we are often puzzled as to  why the puzzle puzzled us so much :)

What would you do if you are unexpectedly given the choice of choosing you future...  or atleast a form of it... Would you jump at the opportunity, or just blank out like me... Let me explain... there were multiple thoughts running through my head just at that instance... first, and foremost, as ironic as it may sound, I wondered if I might end up underestimating myself (like duhhh !) the other one ofcourse, was wondering if life (or rather the circumstance) was playing a joke on me... Effectively, the opportunity and the option was lost... Maybe, sometime in the future, I'd wonder if I would've been better off making the choice !!!