आस का गीत

There is so much happening in the world, some fill hope and some feel hopeless. In recent months I learnt about some old friends losing their jobs to cost cutting and some feeling too depressed. Also a few others who are battling with some ailment. Thinking about them I wrote the lines below and want to share as a verse of hope (आस का गीत in Hindi) , the theme is "however dark the nights a new Dawn always follow." Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

रास्ता भटका नहीं हैं, 

भले  मंज़िल अभी नहीं मिल रही           

बगीचा महकेगा, 

भले कलियाँ अभी नहीं खिल रही

रात है काली  तो क्या? 

दिन कितना ही दूर होगा?

अंधेरा खुद भागेगा जब 

उगते सूरज का नूर होगा

जब तक सुबह न आ जाये , 

चलो तब तक सपने बोते हैं

जो रात की स्याही से न डरे

उसी के दिन रौशन होते हैं

दिन निकलेगा तो राह 

खुद ही मिल जाएगी

गुनगुनी धूप में कलियाँ 

खुद ही खिल जाएंगी

धीरज और उम्मीद के दो किनारे 

मजबूत रखो तो ही 

जिंदगी की नदी खुशी की लहरें 

में से  मुस्कुरायेगी 

Welcome 2024

 

A ritualistic recap of the year that just ended while welcoming the one that is starting. This is what I started doing a few years ago and would continue. Some days I go back to some past year starts and revisit those notes, refreshing the memories.

Today the calendar turned the page and here I am with another goodbye note, this time to 2023 which just ended.

First of all an observation, someone has pressed the fast forward button on my calendar and the years are turning faster than they should. 2023 went past at super high speed too.

Multiple wars and conflicts, some continuing from the prior year and some starting new, a more divided humanity, natural disasters, Warmest year on record for some parts of the world and similar heartbreaks kept the year somewhat wounded. However sporting events like Asian games and cricket world

cup, stories of courage and care amongst war and conflict, super hit movies with diverse themes and a recovery of the stock market, all those kept on providing the much needed balm effect to the year. So overall however hopeless things may appear from one vantage point, 2023 showed that hope lives strong and humanity stays at the helm to steer this in the right direction. 

On a personal side, a short vacation in summer to Mexico and another short break to the Bahamas around Christmas helped with the needed course correction to the ship of life. 

Will not add a lot in today's welcome to 2024, just a small wish list

Humanity - Want to give everyone a slogan, we are "One Species One Race" (OSOR) and remove all conflicts by relating to the message of being One RACE. Be the ONE RACE each day of 2024

Family - Health is too precious to be ignored, someone always is waiting for you at home, STAY HEALTHY  (for that someone)each day of 2024.

Kids - You are more important than most and you are the future. SHINE BRIGHT  (and lead the way) each day of 2024.

Friends - Thank God you are there, from serious support to most stupid joke, you make it worthwhile, BE THERE (I promise to BE THERE for you) each day of 2024 

Self- Everything is too worthy to give up so HOLD ON (no matter what the challenge, the stakes or the state of mind) each day of 2024

God - GUIDE AND HEAL ALL (you know what we need as Human race, as Family, as Kids , as Friends and as individuals, hear our prayers or don't but give what is best for all)each day of 2024 

While I convey my gratitude for the year that just ended and the new year that is starting, I want to remind everyone, 2024 is a leap year, a full 24 extra hours to feel blessed, to spread joy, to celebrate and to be worthy. Don't miss to use that gift as it is rare and won't be granted again for 1460 days. 

 Hope to review this wish list with you after 366 days!!!

 

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"