Persistent Yet Reluctant Spot

Technically, if you look at the globe and assume North America is the face then this spot is somewhere in the Nordic region. Extending bit southeast from there are the coordinates of a reluctant bald spot. A spot, that is unsure of its need, reluctant to grow and too proud to vanish. It is well hidden (at least from direct view). The sparse vegetation and weathered land of a cold desert can represent this spot well on how it looks. Though well hidden from the front, however very often it shows its stubborn existence in the pictures.

Congratulations, if you think this mention is not serious or may find this narrative funny. It only means that you don’t have one such spot. Or like someone, you are oblivious of such spot's existence. Well, another stage can be denial, where you have something similar, and you know that you have it but you don’t want to accept. I think, Denial can be more painful than accepting and embracing it.

Most pictures candidly taken during parties, dinners or events capture its reluctant yet persistent presence.

A paradox, an enigma in its own.

Without planning I always end up in group pictures where someone is clicking from the spot side profile. In team meetings on camera, I usually end up on chairs where the lens of camera directly focuses on the spot.

Couple days ago, in a daylong meeting where I had to present. I got one such chair and could see 'the spot' for multiple hours in all its glory and that prompted me to write this piece.

Having introduced to all, I am officially embracing its presence. I feel it is bit shy, so don't come looking for it, when next time you see me. It will be rude and hurtful for the spot, who knows, such spots can be infectious too.  Enough said as the post was just to introduce my personal Nordic region in all its glory.

Hope the introduction is Spot On!!

From Back of My Notebook -11

How to spot a Super Hero Near you 

Most superheroes do not wear a cape or a mask.

Not everyone who wears a cape is a superhero.

Only a true superhero can tell how much the cape weighs on the shoulders. (Even an invisible cape)

Every superhero has 1 common power and that is Power of Intent.

A Superhero can decide to go on or give up in every situation. A true superhero picks to go on more times than deciding to give up.

A Superhero has the burden to hide tears however much pain the situation inflicts

People always expect real life Superheroes to do the impossible, (like Superman to cast web and Spiderman to fly.) and feel cheated when that doesn't happen.

Every superhero hides behind a very low-key alter ego. 

That low-key alter ego is any super hero’s real face

Usually, the alter ego of any superhero is considered unworthy of respect and faces general indifference.

The indifference makes the cape appear worthless to the superhero and urging to retire the mask and the cape

Coincidently when a Superhero most wants to retire the cape, a bigger need for superpower presents itself.

If even a few people learn to respect the alter ego, no cape might ever think to retire. 

Last 10 pages form back of my notebook Below, in reverse chronological order

From-back-of-my-notebook-10
From-back-of-my-notebook-9
From-back-of-my-notebook-8
From-back-of-my-notebook-7
From-Back-Of-My- notebook-6
From-Back-of-my-notebook-5
From-back-of-my-notebook-4
From-back-of-my-notebook-3
From-Back-of-my-Notebook-2
From-Back-Of-my-Notebook-1 

माथे के कागज़ पे

 

माथे के कागज़ पे

यह जो लकीरें हैँ

सोच की  स्याही से हैं 

कहानियाँ लिखी हुई

दोस्ती का चश्मा लगाओ 

और देखो  .... 

सुनेंगी और दिखेंगीं भी

पढ़ो इन्हे तो शायद

दिलचस्प बातें  मिले

कुछ बताने वाली 

कुछ छुपाने वाली 

कुछ हँसाने वाली 

कुछ रुलाने वाली 

कुछ याद कराने वाली 

वो जो दिन थे 

वो जो शामें  थी 

वो काम जो पूरे किये 

वो दिन जो अधूरे जिए

माथा नहीं है सिर्फ दोस्त 

गाथा है इसमें छुपी हुई 

आओ कुछ  फुर्सत ले कर 

चाय का प्याला उठाओ 

दोस्ती का चश्मा लगाओ 

और पढ़ो  ...

माथे के कागज़ पे

यह जो लकीरें हैँ

सोच की  स्याही से हैं 

कहानियाँ लिखी हुई

Godless - hopeless

 A Godless world was a Hopeless world.

So humans created religions in the names of God

A world divided on the faultlines of Religion is a very dangerous place.

A Divided World is a Hopeless World.

To have Hope in the name of God, did we just manage to create Hate in the name of Religion?

Have we created our own monster? Are we bringing our own armageddon? Are we designers of our own Apocalypse? Are we the reason that this stays a hopeless world? 

Happiness (can) Happen

So, I did it again. Although I had promised myself so many times not to repeat the mistake. An important in-person meeting was the next day and, I for one reason or the other had not gotten myself a hair cut that was due a few weeks ago. No, you don't look like a zombie, my wife nicely said, when I asked her; but you do look sick. Which meant that I did look like a sick zombie, if that is even a thing.

 

Looked at the watch and it was 30 minutes past 6pm, the saloon I go to will be open for another 90 minutes which will mean I had to rush as it was about 30 minutes away in evening traffic and they rarely take appointments in last hour before closing. I rushed and reached just in time to get my name added in the day's walk ins.

 

Then the stylist came, I’ve never seen her before, she was new. That was destiny teaching a lesson. My age-old habit of procrastinating on my hair cut plans was reciprocated in getting me a rookie stylist when I needed a very good hair cut to look decent for an important meeting. 

And she started, visibly more nervous than me, which made me even more nervous and that increased her nervousness further. This nervous escalation had to stop, I decided, and I invoked confidence in my mind about her abilities. I wish I could suggest the same to her. She stayed nervous and now in hind sight I can say the whole scene was funny.

Should I cut them short she asked, and I knew she should, but what if she cuts too much? I said, yes but not too short. And she cut just a little, almost none. I still had a zombie look, may be not a sick zombie look anymore. Can you please cut some more, I said, not too much, I cautiously added. She reluctantly cut a bit more.

This crazy cycle ran for a few times and appeared like it had taken many hours.

 Finally, I decided to end this cycle for both our sakes and asked her to stop. She quickly stopped and hurriedly took my apron off. As if, making sure I don’t change my mind. I noticed bit more hair taken off from one side of the head than other, but what can one do.

 I felt relief that it ended. I was not looking like I usually do after a haircut, but was not looking horrible as I had feared at the start of this ordeal. She was relieved more than I was, for one that this was over and may be because my hair was not looking horrible. I was happy, thinking that it could have been a lot worse but it didn't. She was happier than me, may be having same thought as I was having.

Two totally unknown people in a totally weird situation could make each other happy even without either one of them trying, I learnt this on that day.

Happiness CAN Happen !!

 In hind sight I feel good that my not so bad haircut was a part of her training. I am sure that she learnt something about dealing with a nervous client that day. I learnt not to push my haircut plans to last minute.  See, in the end it was a win-win.

I hope one day when she is an ace stylist, she will laugh telling this story to someone, that how she almost survived a nervous customer in her rookie days. Hope I see her again in a year or so and we both can be confident. And hope now I will not delay my haircut to absolute last-minute situation.

By the way my meeting next day got canceled. By next week when it happened, I had grown some hair back and looked almost my usual self. As they day "All is well that ends well"

  

Collective Karma

 

Burnt Banyan tree - Image from CNN.com

The news channels are showing devastation from the fires in the island of Maui in Hawaii. Loss of life, devastation, despair and destruction is seen in every frame that is aired in news. This could have a similar impact as other such news that one sees, sad and upsetting. But this is not just that, in addition to being Sad and upsetting it is emotionally devastating, a personal hurt.

Banyan Tree - Dec'22 by Nikhil

Would not have been that if I had not roamed the markets in Lahaina just a few months ago. When the island of Maui and the streets of Lahaina had been a very generous host to my family during our first ever vacation in Hawaii. The famous banyan tree of Lahaina was an instant friend as I saw it. 

Rooster in Maui - Dec'22 by Nikhil

The banyan tree was not just a tree but an experience that I had verbally shared with almost everyone I met since the visit. The cradling shade of the tree that gave us shelter along with many other visitors, locals, homeless and the carefree roosters (who I learnt was an invasive species in the island, but had made it home many generations ago and the island generously accepted). 

The banyan tree's shade was a blessing for all, displaying the concept of inclusion, equality and equity for all, irrespective of race, gender or even species

A concept that many corporations and societies work so hard to explain and implement.

But now that tree is burnt in the fires that devastated the island. The shelter and the blessing is scorched. The death toll keeps on rising and loss of property, life and hope is heart-rendering.

What can one do, feeling helpless since it is a bad natural disaster. BUT IS IT A NATURAL DISASTER?

Wildfires were due to unprecedented heat, a direct aftermath of global warming. The uncontrolled spread of fires can be attributed to the hurricane winds. Hurricanes that are becoming intense each year due to climate change. Are we responsible? One species who claim to be the best creation of the almighty. 

Not even worth getting in a debate on this topic. I have my opinion that we humans collectively are responsible to a great extent for earth's climate situation.  Our actions, our choices, our karma must take some responsibility.

Banyan Tree of Lahaina - Dec'22 By Nikhil

The banyan tree had amazing karma of its own providing shade and shelter for all for more than a dozen decades, but still it paid the price of the Karma of human race. Similar can be said about many who lost their life or livelihood or home in fire. 

I think when we share the planet, we do share some impact of each other's Karma to some extent. There is the Collective Karma at work some time. That collective Karma harmed the big banyan tree.

But if collective Karma can damage, I have hope that collective Karma can heal too. And so I pray for that Tree to restore to its past glory, (I hope it is only damaged and not destroyed.)

Let us make small changes in our everyday life. Let our collective Karma start to heal what is damaged.

Remember theory of Karma is tightly bound to the concept of free will. Free Will gives us the option to choose our actions to harm or to heal.

Let us heal what is damaged. Let our collective Karma be a constructive force. 

Banyan tree over an Acre- Dec'22 By Nikhil

 

मंदिर की सीड़ी

 हर वो जगह जहाँ हम ने माथा टेका, जहाँ पहुंचना ज़रूरी था, चाहे वो मंदिर हो या पाठशाला या कुछ और, किसी न किसी सीड़ी से सहारा तो लिया होगा | कोई ईंट होगी जिसने बोझ सहा होगा।किसी दीवार का सहारा ले कर खड़े हुए होंगे।  कोई रेलिंग पकड़ी होगी। यह कविता उस सीड़ी, उस दीवार उस रेलिंग के नाम। 

कीचड़ सने पैरो को भी

अपने माथे पे उठाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

ईश्वर नमन कर के लौटो तो

उस सीढ़ी का भी सत्कार करो

उसके धैर्य की शक्ति है जो 

पूजन सम्पूर्ण  करवाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

वो टूटे या खंडित ना हो  

इतना ही बस स्मरण रहे 

सीड़ी क्षीण हो टूट जाये तो 

राह कठिन हो जाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

दबी चिंगारी

 ज्वाला थी जो, बुझी नहीं है

चिंगारी बन कर रुकी है अभी

राख़ दिख रही जो आँखों को 

अंगार उस में छुपी है अभी

हवा का रुख इस ओर हो तो 

राख़ की चादर उड़ जाएगी

दबी आग है  जो चिंगारी में

धधक ज्वाला लहराएगी

ना छेड़ो इसे,  ना सहलाओ

ना छुओ ना तिरस्कार करो

जला नहीं रही, पर आग है यह 

आदर रखो, भले ना सत्कार करो

जब धधकेगी, ऊँची उठेगी 

उस क्षण का इंतज़ार करो 

ज्वाला थी जो, बुझी नहीं है

चिंगारी बन कर रुकी है अभी

राख़ दिख रही जो आँखों को 

अंगार उस में छुपी है अभी

रात और सुबह

सुबह होती है शाम होती है, उम्र यूं ही तमाम होती है शायद इस से ज्यादा चुभती हुई बात कम ही कही हो किसी ने।  यहाँ उसी उम्र को  युहीं तमाम न होने देने के लिए कुछ हिदायत लिखने की कोशिश की है, कहियेगा कैसी लगी. 

हर रात नींद मांगती है

एक लोरी सुना देते

हर सुबह आँखें बोलती है

थोड़ा और सुला देते

दौड़ते पैर चाहते हैँ

कुछ देर सांस ले लें

मन पुकारता है आओ 

थोड़ा हँसे कुछ खेलें

और दिन बीत जाता है

कितने काम के चलते

हर  रात करवाटों में

कल के फ़िक्र खलते

खूंटी पे टांग दो  फ़िक्र

कमीज के साथ साथ

बेफिक्री को ओढ़ लो 

मौज का थाम हाथ

सोने से पहले  रोज़ 

जी भर जी भी तो लो 

कुछ हसीं पिरो लो 

खुशियाँ सी भी तो लो 

और फिर न्योता दो 

उन हसीन सपनो को

जो नींद में रंग भर दें 

खुली आंख की तैयारी 

वो नींद में आ के कर दें 

ऐसे सपने फल जायेंगे 

जगते मे ऐसा कर पाएंगे  

जिसका कहीं ज़िक्र होगा 

जिसपे खुद को ही  फ़ख्र होगा 

वो ही लोरी बना सुनाएंगे 

आराम नींद सुलाएंगे 

क्यों की

हर रात नींद मांगती है

एक लोरी सुना देते

हर सुबह आँखें बोलती है

थोड़ा और सुला देते 

Circus Mirrors

Looking in the mirror we see the reflection of ourselves. Easy to confuse the reflection as reality. But In reality, the mirror shows opposite of what is. Lateral inversion is the term that was taught during early years the elementary school.

Important to always know that right is left and left is right in the reflection.
Important to always know that the difference is so symmetrical that it can be easily overlooked and the inverted image easily believed to be reality.

 Have you seen your image in those circus mirrors? They show you as insanely tall or short or plump or goofy in different ways. We see those images of ours, know those are distorted and laugh. Because they are so much different from reality. Think if one of those was showing just 10% extra fat than real, would it not be easy to accept that as real, since it is very minor distortion? 

 

The world we live in these days is somewhat like that Circus. There are so many weird mirrors in the form of news and social media. You will see and hear things that will be too bizarre that you can easily discount them as being untrue similar to the image in circus mirror. 

But there are many minor distortion mirrors and many with perfect opposite re-presentation of reality, almost too perfect to question. That mirror can be a cunning politician, a fine propaganda machine, a self-proclaimed religious / spiritual leader, a convincing social media post which represent a very symmetrical and very deliberate distortion of facts, done with such finesse that it is fully believable like the perfectly inverted image in a fine mirror. Such things are shared with all of us so selectively that it appears to align with our belief system precisely. But remember it mostly is a perfectly inverted fact and so easily acceptable that it quickly finds home in your believes. Not only it finds a place in our believes but also like a virus starts to change our belief system slowly and deliberately. The impact is so much that in some time one starts accepting the hugely distorted images also. It is our responsibility to see and understand the reality (or the lack of it) each time it is sent to us. It is our responsibility to not share that mirror with our friends and other knowns to discourage these distortions from making home in our society through our minds. It is our responsibility to not let that viral distortion get in our system and start incubating.

Beware! This circus of the world does not charge some pocket change for the ticket. You are paying with the future and well being of of your next generation. You may be pushing them to being salves through mis-information when you accept and share these distorted views. 

These Mirrors show inverted reality!!

धुंदला आइना

 

धुंधले आईने में चेहरा देखते थे

चेहरा ही धुंदला है, ऐसा सोचते थे

कभी चेहरा धोते कभी छुपाते

दाग हमेशा फ़िर भी दिख जाते

रोज़ चेहरे पे जाने क्या क्या  घिसते रहे

बेगैरत दाग़ अक्स में  रोज़ाना दिखते रहे

अब सालों बाद आईना बदला

तब बात कहीं समझ में आयी

चेहरा साफ था आईना धुंदला

चेहरे पे  दाग नहीं था भाई

अब किस्मत को बुरा कहें 

या बोलें वक़्त हमें छल गया 

आईना साफ मिला तो जाना

घिस घिस के चेहरा ही ढल गया

Let me know if you think that the mirror in my Poem above is always a mirror. Or what it can be if it is not a mirror !!!

Soap Bubble

Looked around, it is still dark outside the window, the dawn is a few minutes away. Should I sleep a few minutes more till the alarm rings or should I leave the bed now? The day starts with options. My wife is sleeping on the other side of the bed, may be not really sleeping, but making the same choice in her head. The kids are in their rooms, soon the morning drill, to wake them up and convince them to be ready for school on time, will start.
There were some unanswered work emails from last night which will need immediate attention once the kid’s situation is settled. The client meeting and the internal meeting to address the issues that happened yesterday are scheduled back-to-back with no time to prepare in between. Did I schedule the power bill and HOA payments as today is the last day of both, the mind chatter starts. And Before I take a step out of the quilt, the stress of daily routine has started building.

Another day! The mind says, as I sigh and labor to step out of the bed. Not fully ready for many of the battles that are waiting for me in the day.

I step out, pick my phone, and get to the morning news. 7.8 magnitude earthquake has hit Turkey and Syria is the headline. Thousands dead and tens of thousands missing, under the rubble. Many lost their lives, and many lost their loved ones, their homes, their assets, their life even though they are still alive.

Numbed, I look back at my wife who is going to kid's room to wake them up. I felt so small at feeling the misery about my day just a few minutes ago. Thanked God for yet another day. Yet another chance to talk and play with my kids. Yet another chance to love and argue with my wife. Yet another chance to talk to my parents and my brother. Yet another chance to build something at work. Yet another chance to be worried about things that now feel so insignificant after reading the news.

My heart cries for those who will not get that chance anymore. I offer my apology and gratitude to God for myself. And a prayer for the souls of those who didn’t get that chance that I and millions other have. Those who lost life or lost their reasons to live in the earthquake.

Such is life, don’t take it for granted. Make the most of it, while you have it. Be kind to others and to yourself. I tell myself. I know soon I will become so busy with routine that this advice will faint again.

I will continue to pray for those who perished in the earthquake and those who survived and are left with an unexplainable and unfillable in their heart. May they all be healed. Amen!!!!

 Over 22,000 dead from quake in Turkey and Syria https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/turkey-syria-earthquake-updates-2-10-23-intl/index.

Note: Wrote this a few days back but didn't have courage to post. Finally sharing today knowing that one's existence can cease in the moment when Almighty decides, such is life, just as fragile as a soap bubble. And one can still rise up like bubbles do while they are intact. That is Almighty's grace as well making the bubble float in air and rise without having wings. One should stay grateful till one exists. 

The pictures of rubble left after earthquake are from internet

From Back of My Notebook -10

Usually it takes a lot longer to scribble and fill a page at the back of the Notebook.
But this time in last few days the page got filled and demanded to be shared. The lines below are on the importance of readiness. Please read and share your thoughts.

Score card is a product of the game you played and game you play is a product of training before game.

No game results in final victory or loss as long as one is committed to training more and continue playing

The art of losing a game without losing the trust in one's ability to play better in future creates champions

Every battle is different so one may not be able to win a battle based on learnings from past wins or losses

Most important is how well one wields the sword when one is in the battle field. And how one trained oneself on wielding the sword before the battles.

Equally important to the art of wielding the sword is the skill to pick the right weapon. For a super skilled swordsman, the sense of choosing and using a shield may become more important when facing an archer

Equally important to picking and using the right weapon is the faith in one's worthiness to win

The hard fought battle or game may sore the muscles and bruise one's body, but those who keep their spirit and faith unhurt are the ones whose stories are told

A game, a battle, a job and many other areas may appear different but the same basic principles apply to all. And getting good at these principles can help in more areas than one.

A Bonus note Below, hope you are able to connect with this one

I Always made the best decisions, not right always but best always

The last one is kept as a conversation starter, so let us start a conversation

 

 

 

  

Last 9 pages form back of my notebook Below, in reverse chronological order

From-back-of-my-notebook-9
From-back-of-my-notebook-8
From-back-of-my-notebook-7
From-Back-Of-My- notebook-6
From-Back-of-my-notebook-5
From-back-of-my-notebook-4
From-back-of-my-notebook-3
From-Back-of-my-Notebook-2
From-Back-Of-my-Notebook-1 

 

 

Welcome 2023

 This one sprinted even faster than the last few, but what a ride 2022 had been!!

Starting with the light being brighter on the end of the Covid tunnel, strengthening the hope that the world is moving out soon. The hope came to fruition towards later part of the year, but did it? Fresh fear from the east of the globe, started bringing the masks back on store shelves and on top of our noses in the malls by December.

But 2020-2021 prepared us to handle the Covid situation better, collectively as a team, the whole human race. Hope you say Amen to that.

On a personal front 2022 had an interesting travel itinerary. A maiden trip to Aruba in spring. And another maiden trip, this time to Hawaii in winter.  

Two beautiful islands in two different oceans, on 2 different sides of continental USA. All that contrast and yet the natural beauty, the blue of waters, the roar in waves, the warmth in people was identical. Such harmony in spite of the vast distance is greatly inspiring.

Between these two there was a trip to India to meet the family. Travelled to Amritsar after more than 10 years. Prayed in the Golden Temple, a shrine that I used to see daily and visit most of the days. Offered prayers and hope that those prayers will be answered.

 

Had my poetry collection book launched and received real fan mail this year.
I was over joyed and humbled at the same time. God has been very kind. Seems some prayers were being heard.

Although some events of 2022 suggest that a lot more Prayers are needed.

Stock market drop caused heart ache to many in 2022. Pray that world economy improves.

A scarier situation, had been the war in Ukraine. Pray that war ends soon, and cease to harm the humanity more.

There has been the civil uprising in Iran. What are they demanding?  Simplistically put the demand is basic human rights. How can any regime in this day and age suppress that? Pray that their basic right to live without fear is restored and no more loss of life and innocence is needed on that account.

A lot on personal and work and world front that defined 2022, but all that is over with the new dawn of new year. The book has turned the page, starting now is chapter 2023. Let us see what is written in the pages to come. A whole 365-page chapter. Good news, there is a lot unsaid on those pages, we all will write our own stories on those. Pray that we write good ones.

With this hope and prayer, I turn the page and welcome 2023. Please continue to share what you write in your book and I promise I will share mine.

Let us make it an Awesome chapter for all.

Let us all Pray as we Welcome 2023!!!