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"As above, so below. As within, so without."

-The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC

Silence Please

I don’t know how many have taken a boat ride; I mean the boat I am on.

Some times it’s hard to tell your own self that no matter what all others are saying you are what you are. I mean, you kinda know yourself by now, is not it?

Critical comments or those heart breaking/demoralizing blows should not affect one. Because you know what you are. And then you are a strong person.

Are we really so strong?

At least I believe so. I am my own person; I have my own convictions; I do what I want to do; I tread a path I fancy; I pursue what I dream what can be unthinkable for some. Well, that’s me. I don’t have to be you.

Looks like a tough cookie. Well, she too can have a low.

And to be honest with myself I do get affected; I do feel weak. And sometimes I shout out loud in my head to cut that side off me. But those words/comments/sarcasm/questions do dent my ego, shake my beliefs about me.

And I question: Do you really understand me? Do you really care for me?

I feel our opinion makes us what we are. We can be critical, opinionated in our ways. But have you ever wondered what criticism brings to another. Here I am not talking about critical comments or constructive criticism; but those of scathing variety where you literally don’t stand a chance; you don’t feel like opening your mouth. It sounds so illogical, so full of ignorance but there are those loud-mouths who always behave as know-alls when they have not seen an iota of the reality but always are loaded with judgment. These people just form opinion and are so rigid that what they think or say should be treated as holy words. Or else you are doomed!

I like to think I would not have cared. But I did.

It was about me. And I know me better than anyone else in this world. If you want to think what you want to think about me in private I don’t care. But if you do that in public, and say things which are concocted, seen with a shade then you better listen to my side of the story.

Ever since that duel happened I have really sunk into a low phase; I have started to look for approval; started to ask my friends what they feel and think about me. Suddenly I can see a streak of insecurity seeping in.

But that was it. I have decided to deal with it, my way. I just can’t let it bother me.

Let me know how was your boat ride? Ohhh, you are still on board?
What about you? If you are off that boat how you did manage that?

Shhhh …its prayer time… …Silence please.

But you can still let me know; I really like to know how to get impervious to what life throws at us from time to time. Is there a special mantra or a technique or a strategy, just send them my way whatever works for you and however you call it. Am waiting….

Eye...ohhh...

Eye-ohhhh!!!

That’s a common expression in South India and among South Indians.
But here I have nothing to say about them and not even about my South Indian connection. Ahem…I mean my four musketeers….err.. ‘Mallu’ friends (I will write about my ‘mallu’ connection later; oops, so much of connections or cross connections? He he he). Its not that I picked up a new word from my recent trips; I am very much in North India and have not visited any place beyond Vindhyas in recent weeks.

This story of ‘eye-ohh’ is from the land of straw hats, golden paddy fields; and stunning skin(umm!). It was admiration galore.

I was admiring undulating rhythm playing on those paddy fields. I can spend the whole day admiring such a stunning sight. Something happens to me; I get immersed in another mode cut-off from the world around me.
I found myself admiring their smooth baby skin (such stunning skin texture these females have!). And my admiring words were there for things I was liking and my comments were mostly around those things, in words, literally.

Then it was time for ‘return gift’. And compliments followed.

‘I want your eyes’, said she.

(I wonder is that a way of complementing in Vietnamese…hmmm, have to explore cultural connotations)

Well, I did not know what was that? You like my eyes? Then say so.
But if you want my eyes then it’s a hard task for you. You have to wait till I die and always remain on the lookout wherever I go and track me all over (I have not yet donated my eyes).
I cannot help you here even if I want to; first I don’t know when I will die and most crucially, where I will breathe my last.
I ask, will you?

Ha ha ha. You get them or not, thats your decision but I like my eyes the way they are. And I know you also liked them. Eye-ohhh!!

aung-BONG-chong

aung-BONg-chong......I am only humming these.
They say Bong Connection...err I say, loose connection.
Stay put and be alert. Ha ha ha.

P.S: For those who cannot decipher Bengali: its a sound track (a remixed version in the movie by the same singer) from a film named "Bong Connection" (Bong meaning Bengali) . Sorry for not able to give you a word-to-word translation here. I am so kicked with the sound of 'aung-Bong-chong'......he he he!
Enjoy the sound bytes err music...Sound of Music...nice guiter there.

Quote-Unquote

"The less you know, the more you believe." - Bono