Musings

Why do we resent things that are sent our way? Why aren’t we ready to accept the moment they appear on the radar of our consciousness? Their presence itself invokes a sense of foreboding, confusion and a threat to our fragile and over the edge existence. They somehow manage to set off a chain reactions of reactive actions blindly following some distorted and warped sense of atavistic logic which has lost its touch with the reality and hence its relevance. We try to shut ourselves off from whatsoever those truths or things might be trying to convey. We are so comfortable and smug with whatever little knowledge or information we have, that we never want to step away from our comfort zone to reach out to those things that comes our way.

To make any effort to comprehend and understand the mysteries those things might be hiding within themselves seems foolishness, an utter waste of time and resources which can be better realized in furthering one’s prospects and eventually one’s future instead of running around in circles or chasing some elusive mirages or chimera. But our stubborn or mulish attitude towards change and our inability to adjust to ever-changing realities makes us miss most of the opportunities which come to enrich and add more colors and meanings to our dull and mundane lives and allowing to be transformed in turn. We refuse to be bent or broken as it makes us seem weak and vulnerable in front of everyone around us. But unless we allow us to be bent or broken and made anew the stale and moldy confines of our spirits would never allow the fresh breaths of the winds of change to enter inside us and caress our aching soul, to transform renew and rejuvenate it in return.

If problems be poems…

3.

What if problems indeed be poems bursting with secret meanings, of a secret world of their own, leading us by our noses, playing with a practiced ease? What if they were sent our way to test whatever little faith we all have, or to secretly keeping an eye, to cool our tempers and put a check on our lashing tongue, what if they meant to keep us from straying afar, stumbling after reaching the heights, since we were running alone to gather the riches, with no thought of sharing with all those fools, that’s what everyone else is called, who happens to be outside the hallowed halls, the curtains of bulletproof glass drowning the voices, bored, with the wretched zombies outside, watching the barricaded doors wringing their hands, what do you say, when life’s a party, who dares to permit the entry of problems even as a poem.

What can it offer to our jaded taste, who have seen and played all the games, its just a nuisance, a minor inconvenience, who need to be taught in such a barbaric way, so when the teacher is ready the student disappears. Who can welcome the problems amidst, when the roof is leaking and the walls have gone. But with a sweet smile and a kind voice living there, bids them to enter, to share their wretched lives. Since sharing things is the only way of life, with no place to hoard or hide, and refusing to wither and die, with no one to share with or to care for.

Maybe the problems seek such humble hearts, to make the connection and receive the gifts of wisdom and strength, praising the Lord, as Lord Himself seeks out the chosen ones to understand the poems and sing aloud the new songs, of praise and gratitude, of joy, hope and happiness, a promise of peace and everlasting love, playing through the broken reeds and the mute flutes, with Lord holding them close lovingly with infinite love and care.

If problems be poems…

2.

What if every problem sent our way were poems indeed, to guide us through their bright beams towards much wiser visions. The more poems er problems the life present us with, the wiser we grow reaching at the end of the guiding beams. It shows us, rather guide us how to appreciate things in their true perspective, never belittling anything, allows or rather encourages us to look for the reflections of the stars and rainbows in the gutter, instead of the slimy cesspool that everyone is looking at.

It makes us value finer things in life and we come to learn about our true priorities in the midst of the problems which rips away our make believe masks and facades which have come to hide our real self from others as well as from ourselves. Standing alone and vulnerable we learn to trust others and discover our strengths and become aware of our weaknesses which in turn portray a much more realistic portrait of the self than we had allowed ourselves to believe in.

It turns us away from the mad race or rather the rat race, allowing us to see the other side of the coin and to feel and share the real life with the hapless and unfortunate ones who were driven away from the glorious procession of life and were reduced to crawl behind the revelers who had always managed to get more than a fair share of everything effortlessly and for whom nothing else mattered. But when the talks turned to sharing and caring they would close their ranks and push

away others like some alien intruder whom no one would willingly invite to come and share their lives. In a way the problems teaches us a lot, if we were to act as an apt pupil eager to learn new things. But most of us would prefer to die than acknowledging our ignorance in public.

For to be seen as some ignorant fool, is to place oneself deliberately in the direct path of trouble, which no one in his right mind would do? Who would be ready to show the chinks in his armor, giving the other, an opportunity to attack? But the problems ask us to drop our masks and pretenses and to stop fearing since to be afraid all the time would sap all our energy leaving us listless and uninterested in everything else, the life has to offer to us. The problems wants to raise our threshold of experiences to new heights, exhorting us to be brave and courageous in every circumstance, come what may.

It seems that the sole mission of every problem is to strengthen us and leave us a little wiser while departing. It doesn’t enters our lives to break us but rather to make us a little more perfect, where we have been made aware of our shortcomings as well as our strengths. Life is a progression towards perfection, but even if it seems to be imperfect to our wary eyes, the life is still more beautiful and worth living. It wouldn’t be a wise step to put an hold on life in search of the elusive perfection, while ignoring the little quirks of life which makes it worthwhile amusing and charming, full of surprises and adventures, enough to last a lifetime.

If problems be poems…

1.

A lot of problems arise in this world out of misunderstandings. So when we encounter any problem we must not be overwhelmed by the sheer weight or size of the problem, rather we should try to probe into it to gain any insight or intuition about the inherent solution every problem hides in itself. A problem poses a test in respect of the skills or experiences gained by any individual in the course of his life. If one is a good or even moderate learner than he might solve it with some or fewer difficulties.

But if one detests any kind of learning, then he might find it very difficult to solve it, as he may seen it as a personal affront by the destiny or fate bent upon punishing him for some known or unknown misdeeds. If one sees every problem as a poem then problems would seem to be more fun and one would rather anticipate their arrival with excitement and not with trepidation. What if every problem was a poem in itself but we with our limited understanding and knowledge are unable to comprehend its true meaning and are playing a blame game making it out a sort of nemesis sent to destroy, or rather to mislead us, proving an obstacle a hindrance in our paths.

Every problem requires a bit of role-playing, as it forces us to think and find and discover methods or the ways to reach at the solution. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of the problem to get it reveal its true significance since it reveals a hitherto unknown facet each time we encounter it while journeying towards our goal.

Take on mistakes…..

We often make a great song and dance of mistakes made by us in course of our lives not taking them as missed opportunities to take or seize and make the most of it. We fail to think it in terms of stepping stones to move ahead in life, to flow with the life instead of refusing to move and choosing to standstill in the face of onslaught of the stormy and turbulent currents/ waves of river called life.

And then we complain as to how badly the life has chosen to treat us and not the other way round that we ourselves are also to be blames to some extent for not moving ahead as life would not stop for anyone or would let anyone stop and would forcibly drag one down if he or she refuses to move since life is the name of moving ahead despite all odds or obstacles lying in the path just like a river who has to carve out its course through varying landscapes in its journey towards sea its ultimate destination.

Very often mountains refuse to yield and make way for a young river but with the passage of time forges ahead wending its way through the heartland of mountains in form of underground channels springs and waterfalls and often traverse through the lonesome desert to quench the thirst of its parched lips and fulfill its promise made long ago to the accursed and forgotten landscape to make life a bit more bearable.

The Art Of Conversation

Most of us, like, or rather I would say love to talk most of the times, without pausing to stop even for a moment to see the effect on the listener. And most of the times we are talking about trivial matters, not that it is wrong to make small talks but most of the times we want to the other to surrender meekly to the verbal onslaught we had launched on the poor fellow who had the misfortune to step into the firing line. Well that is one of the reasons we talk with others to bring them around to our point of views even if it might be a big mistake that we would regret later but still we are unable to stop ourselves from launching verbal missiles that we are often very confident to hit the target accurately.

This vindictive streak in our nature is a sad reminder of our times in which we are living where everything revolves round the attainment of the ever so elusive, the so called success in life and utilizing all our energies to attain and maintain it at any cost. We are so bitten by the success bug that we are willing to sacrifice anything and everything for anyone who can give us the magic formula of getting successful in a jiffy. We are not ready to wait for our efforts to bear fruits in natural course of time. We are not willing to wait that long, rather we would like to enjoy the fruits of success this very moment and we are not even ready to work for it. Rather it should fall from the skies like proverbial manna of biblical times.

Since most of us are busy seeking shortcuts to our destination that we are unable to pick up the hints the life has strewn all along the way. Only if we were not so busy to plan and design our lives as everything now comes with a designer tag and the mad scramble to have a designer life which boast of everything being so designer like or custom made begins, where there is no place for all the problems the mankind is facing today.

Most of us use conversations as a means, tool or device, take your pick, whichever takes your fancy, to intimidate, ridicule, subdue or threaten others only sometimes it is used for its true purpose i.e. for exchange of ideas or information. Very rarely it is used for what it actually intended in the first place for understanding or taking an interest in the lives of the others. Most of the time the spotlight is turned on oneself, choosing to showcase the successes, conquests or victories to the world.

The self centred egocentric world we inhabit has no room for the others as our equals, they are merely welcomed in our worlds as inferior sidekicks, fall guys or scapegoats who must be ready to entertain and pamper the ego of the employer at any cost, at the drop of the hat, even it may seem a worthless futile and demeaning exercise just to keep the body and soul together. They must perform against all odds since this is what they are paid for with. But this proactive approach towards others is fraught of grave dangers such as being misunderstood or worse still being called a manipulator.

Being accused of playing with the emotions of others is quite a disgusting or disturbing trait one may come across, but though detestable it may be seen but it does not deter some people to do it with impunity and the most shocking thing is that people seem to enjoy it as long as it is happening to the others preferably to some strangers or unknown persons, then it is easy to distance oneself and remain unperturbed about it and commenting on the matter in a very casual, neutral or impartial manner. Often the information is used as a weapon to destroy or annihilate the other, never pausing to consider that it is a double-edged weapon designed to cut both ways. The wielder of the weapon is also in danger of cutting himself if he is not too careful when playing around with such a dangerous thing.

Veil of forgetfulness

The veil of forgetfulness is drawn so tightly across our minds/eyes that we are unable to peer beyond and see the light. We choose what we believe or rather we believe what we want to believe. And we often tend to disregard or disapprove or even go to the extent of disallowing the reality or the truth in our lives since they don't seem to synchronize with the beliefs or truths we have chosen to believe at that particular moment of time as it seems to be most suitable and appropriate at that moment of time.

We never feel the need to go behind the chasm or abyss of carefully chosen lies or half-truths about the uncomfortable and unpalatable truths of ourselves with which we surround ourselves. We keep quaking and trembling with the fear of being found out as not being the real things as we tend to project ourselves but a fake, an imposter or worse a non-entity the most hurting thing to accept about oneself.