As the last few moments of this year are about to tick away into the silence of the irretrievable past, I remember that I have a date with myself tonight. For the next twelve months, my guiding principle will be- Earn It..! I am putting at stop to unearned rewards. Sometimes I have been […]
Non- Fiction
Pushing The Envelope
That was my phrase for 2012. The sub- headings on that would read- To attempt to extend the current limits of performance. To innovate, or go beyond commonly accepted boundaries. Inside the envelope you are safe. There is minimal risk because you are wrapped in a cocoon of the predictable and known. All that […]
A Letter To Me
Dear Me, This feels weird. You’ll be wondering why the letter is addressed to ‘me’ instead of to you by name. I know you hastened to read the signature at the bottom before you began reading the letter. I know that the ‘ME’ in the signature line has confused you even more. I […]
Mango Flavored Summer
It was the summer of ‘91. I am sure if I tried, I could come up with a score of reasons why the summer of ‘91 was momentous for the world at large. Maybe it was, maybe not. All I know was that it was momentous for me. In hindsight, the self- absorption of a […]
Freedom
Oppression is intrinsic to mankind; as compelling a force as rebellion. The desire to oppress and the impulse to rebel against it go together, like the two sides of a coin. Whatever its scale- family, community or nation- the core is the same. When an individual or a group wishes to gain advantage at […]
As Simple As That
I wake up most mornings with one thought dinning in my head. The thought tumbles over itself exuberantly in the sleep dimmed spaces of my mind. I can almost hear the screech of the thought ricocheting with supersonic speed in my skull. It is an irritating sound; it sets my nerves on edge. Over […]
Unlimited Canvas
There are days, like this wet, chill morning, when I feel as if I have turned into a sheet of unlimited canvas. On this blank canvas, an artist unleashes his passion in vibrant color and bold forms. His images etch themselves on me. In his all- consuming passion of creation, he forgets to notice […]
Adding Value to Life
One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder […]
An Everyday Morning
There are a couple of Bulbuls sitting on the balcony ledge outside. A kingfisher is calling out in its typically musical lilt. I can also hear two doves cooing to each other. Just this moment a cuckoo has begun its loud mating call. From the opposite end, a koel has launched into its plaintive call […]
Young Eyes
You know how bright the eyes of youth shine, don’t you..? Do you remember how you were when you were 18-20 years old..? Remember how you simply KNEW that the world was waiting for you to come and win it… to win it, put it in your pocket and walk casually away, whistling your song […]