Reading through Reminders

Faithful.. That's what they've been... My family of over 300 books has kept me company at all times-good or bad-and I look at them when I seek answers. I have been in the state of Tsundoku many a time, but have never disowned my own.

Last evening, May 25, 2018...post 06:00 p.m Qatar time.

As I held a particular book in my hand, thinking, "What will this one really teach me?", my mind instantaneously replied.. "It has already taught you. Why weren't you paying attention?"

Delving deeper in the chambers of my thoughts , it struck me-piece by piece - that a lot goes on when you aren't paying attention.

I raised that book to my eye-level.

I looked at it with a lover's gaze.

I knew I was in love but couldn't find my heart.

And that's when the power of human perseverance kicked in...without coffee!!

In a long drawn moment that seemed to stretch beyond eternity, the life's purpose of that book seemed to change... It no longer served a purpose to be read, but rather to be meditated upon with open eyes and closed concentration.

What I saw, gave me several reminders...

What I saw, made me proud of my family of books...

What I saw, became the highlight of my evening.

I saw the book not for what it was, but for what it was meant to be.

And that is when I was reminded.

# The Book Cover with the title name, to remind us to recognize the uniqueness of us individuals despite our similarities.  

# The Cover thickness, reminding us that we are either born with great flexibility (paperback) or great strength (hardcover), and either way, we must embrace what we truly are.

# The Index, to remind us that even chaos can be organized.

# The Foreword, to remind us that even others can share our beliefs and ideas despite being different from us.

# The Preface, to remind us that experience from others and our own are few of the greatest things to share.

# Pages, to remind us that the story can only go on when we turn them.

# Page numbers, reminding us that life provides you guidance as long as you know where to look...

# Chapters and parts, reminding us that life has different phases to it, and all are tied together for YOUR greater good.

# The Print space area, reminding us that even if life is one huge party, you must remain in control of your senses and limitations to enjoy it optimally.

# Footnotes, to remind us that we can always refer to other valid sources for more information, and not be hard-headed when it comes to receiving knowledge.

# The Epilogue, to remind us that our work can live on even after we pass away from this world.

# The Epigraph.. To celebrate your life in one God-awesome quote...

#The Acknowledgements, reminding us to be grateful to all those who help you on the way up and even those who don't.

# The Book Spine, reminding us to stay true to the core values of our life.

# The Bookmark ribbon, reminding us that , at times, we need to pause and know where we are so that we can continue on life's sojourn with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

# The Vacat pages: pages left intentionally blank (by life) , to remind us two things- To give space when needed and it's OK to let go when needed.

# The Binding thread and Glue, which represents our family and friends which keeps everything about you together.

# The Price Tag, to remind us that no matter how big or small or compact or wide, we are always worthy of something.

# And the Bookshelf, to remind us that we will always have a place in this world , no matter what our genre is.

If you cannot feel anything after you have experienced a book, you never truly experienced that book.

Every Book has something to tell you... 

So, have you looked at your nearest book yet?

If so, which book was it? What did you see? What did you feel?

Write in...

The Crossroads

It is a treat- is life,
Life, a diabetic sweet...
too much of it makes us ill,
too less of it,makes us ill..

How to live it, asks one soul,
like a chameleon in many-a-role?
Like the nomad who wanders alone,
or like a dog who seeks an extinct bone?

Questions many, answers few,
frustrates you to venom spew,
At its crossroads, am beginning to wonder,
what to decide, so not to flounder...

They said, leave all behind, and take the longest path,
Worry not about the aftermath...

Look not behind for soon all will be gone,
Look ahead and you'll see in this eon,
what lies in the shadows of the mystery,
might kill you or set you free..

Saw behind, and all was crumbling,
everything I lived through, was fading...
Like a knife through the heart, slowly t'was a push,
Time died behind, killed in its own ambush...

It stopped beneath my feet, not killing me yet,
It looked at me, telling me to forget;
what it killed, for it was now long gone,
Like well-water spilled after it is drawn.,,

Gave up to life, to take the path long,
Taken across by it to a soulful song...
"How", I asked, "can you sing so beautiful?
It sounds like happiness you give by a bagful!"

Sung it, "Death I am, not Life,
Am here to take away your mortal strife.."

Shrieked I , for I can't die now,
It's too early to bid the world ciao..
Said Death, "You aren't dead nor alive,
Both if it, I make you deprive..."

"What you choose always leads to me,
It is then I who will help you see,
Then what you do, what you don't;
For me, it matter won't..."

"You're standing now, on the brink of life anew,
Choices-they're are all up to you...
Long path, short path-Bah!it doesn't matter,
Its what you choose to do that makes you richer..."

"What life lies behind you is already gone and dead,
Then why grieve over it like a dickhead?
What lies ahead will enrich you,
Staying with it will destroy you..."

Life and Death are great teachers indeed,
They come to you in times of need.
Neither causes sorrow, nor pain,
until we choose to look ourselves with self-disdain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Answers...

Past few weeks (rather, months) have just been kinda like experiencing a tornado while riding a rollercoaster at a speed of 140 mph without a safety belt and harness at a height of 200 feet above... (But hey, the ride's free of charge!)

What I've noticed is, that when the Universe echoes a few things.. things you've known and not, it is important to pay attention. I believe that you may not know the solution at that moment, but you know you've seen it, felt it, experienced it and maybe even come out of it ,good or bad,at some part of your life...even your past.

We were always meant to travel in circles...circles which look like straight lines to inattentive eye.. Answers are provided aplenty by life a.k.a. the Universe, but which is the right answer at the right time, is what our past experience(s) help us choose... Sometimes, we don't choose the easiest answer because it is too easy when in fact, it is the most appropriate one for the situations.

But sometimes, we get mindblocks, and have absolutely no idea what the solution for a particular problem is. If there exists no solution, then it isn't a problem. Every problem has an appropriate  solution for a specific situation it was raised in.(Duality of the Universe- pure f***ing genius law that!)

To illustrate, think of a child approaching his/her parents for something they want. When they would be in a serious state, they'd most likely be approaching them with a bit of hesitancy and seriousness... And if they're in a jolly mood, the child asks with all eagerness and smiles!

So, the point is, that there is a solution to just about anything and its right around all of us. The Universe is trying its hardest to prove that by creating deja-vu sorta situations. But considering it doesn't have much time to dedicate itself to only one person all throughout, it expects us to be aware that a solution exists. No sooner do we assure ourselves that a solution exists, than it pops right out (OK, Sometimes it takes a while to pop out.. But Quality checks under ISO 9001 aren't covered by the Universe.. shitloads of documentations to take care of!)

Problems will be solved.. New ones will come up.. they'll be solved.. more will come up. Problems, like rashes, will always be there if they're not taken care of. Human beings, luckily, have been conditioned to overcome difficuties. If that wasn't the case, we'd have never passed Trigonometry in High School (or, stereotypically speaking, Science geeks would never have passed Shakespearean literature)... But we passed 'coz we paid attention to what our teachers taught (some may have cheated, but at least they were paying attention!).. So, why don't we all start paying a bit more attention to the the greatest teacher ever? Life!!!

To quote Ludacris,

 

 

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere"

 

Cheers :)

 

 

I hate Love!

I hate love, because it exists,
and there's always no Dettol to treat those cut open, slit wrists!

I hate love, coz it makes me so weak,
Look lifeless like those mimes, those who can't speak...

I hate love, coz it takes away all my sense,
The only thing I can think of, is Rajnikanth shouting "Naan-sense!"

I hate love, because I know, in it, I'll die,
choking me slowly, like a tight-wound school necktie....

 I hate love,coz of the illusion it brings,
I can't eat it, like real onion rings...

I hate love- I won't fall again, no encore;
But God just won't take it out of my life's brochure!

I hate love, coz I ain't its shepherd,
I'm like a lost sheep, lost after a severe blizzard...

Why then, do I still love?
Answers I have none, coz Love is indeed weird,
Funny at times, at times I feel it's feared,
Still burning myself- like a mouthful of clove...

Poem for the Season....

Summer's gonna start, no shade looks cool,

Tis a long way away, the season of Yule,

Wanna kick myself, Coz I feel like a mule,

When I went to swim inside the pool...

Got caught instead ,in a whirlpool,

...Thought Why Life is ever-so-cruel!

When both, my heart and mind, none could decide...none could rule;

Oh I felt like a fool- an April fool...

The Flower and the Tree

Forests have always being known for being mysterious and enchanting... This story is not mysterious nor enchanting.. It is the story of a Flower and a Tree which were located in the forest. The Flower was quite unique, because ever since it blossomed on the tree, it was always there...

The Flower and the Tree were quite good friends. One day, the Flower was very angry with the Tree... The Flower felt that the Tree was praising it way too much, even to the extent of comparing the Flower with the greatest things ever created.. and despite of insisting again and again not to do it, somehow, the Tree couldn't help but say it..

The Flower was very upset indeed... It wondered whether the Tree was aware of the fact that it was doing so...

The Tree agreed...

"You are correct. I have been doing so, despite you telling me not to.

You see, when I was here alone, I never knew the beauty of life around me. I had sight, but my vision-blinded...

..And when you rose up in the spring before the Summer, my life turned around... It was as if the sunlight renewed its interest in my life...

Gradually, all things became bright and beautiful... Worst days ended as they came...

And if, in letting you know how much you mean to me, has made you upset over me, then I am really very sorry. It may have come intentionally without my awareness... It could come later unintentionally too... But I promise you that I'm trying my hardest not to do it again.

If you are angry over me, I accept to being the cause of your anger...and I will make every effort to take it away...

If you are disappointed over me, I promise, I will spare no effort in taking it away...

If you want to scream at me, I'll let you scream anything at me... but don't keep it in your heart for so long that it causes my heart to wither away...

You blossom where my heart is; my heart is my life...

Dear Flower, I know I did not listen to you, but I did no wrong... And in no way I am trying to justify myself..

Its just that, I guess, sometimes, spoken words convey a lot more than hidden tears..."

No sooner the flower began to speak, than there was a familiar music playing in the background...

It was my alarm...reality.... 4.30 am- time to wake up for work... jeez!

What did the Flower answer? I don't know.. perhaps, I'll never know...

The DVD of Life- How living your life is akin to writing a DVD!

Living Life is like burning a DVD... Yes, it is..Here's how.

Depending on how your life is charted out, God gives you a DVD.... so if you have 8 rupees in your pocket, you'll have to settle for a low quality DVD. If you have 15 Rs, you'll get a better quality DVD... But, the fact remains true- both the DVDs are blank!

Similairly, based on your past life, if you have carried good karma to this life, you'll get a better quality DVD to write your life in. But again, you start your life at blank!

The DVD is put in the DVD Writer... the software is activated...
Real life= You are just born, in your parents' arms... Life, as we know it, has just begun for you.

You then choose what data you wish to write in your DVD. The DVD is 4.7 GB, but you can only write upto 4.5 GB. You select the burning speed (4x, 8x, 16x). You name your DVD ('My Disc' or whatever)

As you live your life, you get to choose how you live it. Destiny may be written, but the paths you choose to get there determine how you develop yourself. You choose a path, you walk that path, you realise your destiny- sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly. And sometimes, its the path that you avoid to take that becomes the path of your destiny.

The pace at which you live your life decides how and when it ultimately ends. We always think we should live upto 100 years. But then, its not true for all. Some make it, some don't. It is damn irritating, but then that's a part of life.. death i.e.

Some will ask, "what is the point of doing all this?" This is where the destiny part comes in...
Well, what you write in the DVD is what you want. What you write in the DVD of life is your destiny. And that's the DVD's name in itself- Life!

It takes you 10-15 minutes to burn a DVD at 4x speed.
It takes you a lifetime to burn your DVD of life at the chosen speed.

The DVD is burned and ready. The software asks, "Do you want to save your project?" You choose 'Yes' or No' and then the DVD comes out, you put it in a case, and use it for further viewing / use.

When the DVD of life is complete, that's when you know its time. The option of saving your project is similair to writing your own book. You will write an autobiography on your life or have someone paid to do it for you. Then life ends, you get put in a case or maybe you are cremated.

Either way, you soul is now in a grand place called heaven.
This is where God puts on his DVD player (I wonder if he has a Blu-Ray player!) and also super sharp LCD/LED TV, with true to life images. Your DVD is played, and then you sit back and watch all those moments right from where you were born (1st data ever!) till the last one...

Then God decides, whether he liked your DVD or not...and frankly, his opinion does matters a lot!

And depending on how you lived the (now past) life, he either decides to give you a better quality DVD, or upgrades you to a Blu-Ray Disc(Ha! I knew it!).

And then the whole cycle goes on and on and on....

Feelings of thought...

Life really sucks big time sometimes, doesn’t it? I mean one day, you have a really great day at work, and the very next day, you have the worst.
The fact that you had the worst day ever, really makes you angry while returning home.
You start muttering things. People passing you by think you are demented. Beggars who come up to you are given a very cold [arctic!] stare. You go home, and there are things which don’t work out….You curse God…. You even abuse the devil…. You abuse urself for some reason.
But really, how the sudden transition from a good day to bad? Is it over confidence? I dunno…maybe…
What was it that you did today that made it bad? Did someone say something (as and often the case…) Maybe yes….What was said?
By now hope u have realized that I had a bad time at work the other day…
….
Do you feel at times that U wanna just Run!
Not away from something or towards something….
But just run!!!
Not for a Marathon or for any competition…
Not for your girlfriend or for anyone else…
Not for any specific reason…. But yet, u wanna run..
Have you ever felt so??
…..

Sleep… man, is it good or what!!!
Sleep won’t be appreciated much by a lazy person…
Ask a person who works for 10-12 hours a day…Ask a person who travels everyday for work from Navi Mumbai to South Mumbai! Ask him, “Do you like to sleep?”
Ask someone who has crammed for his exams, slogged like hell and gave his paper with the fullest concentration…. Ask, “Hey, u plan to sleep later??”
Ask an Insomniac, “U wanna sleep?”

…..

Do you feel so frustrated at times…? Frustrated so much that you wish you wanna do something drastic??
Well, an advice for u then…don’t do it!
Instead just put on your favorite songs and chill off…
If that’s not possible, then go to a garden, beach or any calm place and just sit there and do nothing. Be lonely…
If u r frustrated at being lonely, acknowledge that fact 1st. Then use that time to understand yourself. You are been kept lonely for a specific reason; only thing is you just don’t know for what…
Introspect!!!
It isn’t guaranteed that you will bounce out of your phase… but at least you will understand why you are going through that phase. The solution to your problem then, of course, lies with you alone….
….
Life is that weird sensation that we have to live with….
One of the best things said about life is nothing!
Life doesn’t wait for you to get time to get back on your feet.
Neither does anyone else’s….
………

My friend had advised me when I was feeling very down….
“Don’t depend on others for your Happiness”

I add….

Don’t depend on others for your Happiness. No matter how large or small an influence they have on your life. You are a free entity, a free spirit. You were freed when you were born…

The most difficult thing in life is to let go of all attachments. I haven’t still let go of many of mine. Yet, I still try.

‘Fear is what keeps you prisoner; Hope is what sets you free’- Shawshank Redemption
Never a truer line!

Thank you my friend …. Ray of Light…
……


“I would never bother you…
I would never promise to…
I will never follow you…
I will never bother you…
Never speak a word again…
I will crawl away for good…
I will move away from here…
You won't be afraid of fear…
No thought was put into this…
I always knew it would come to this…
Things have never been so swell…
And I have never felt so well!
Pain...
Pain...
Pain...
You know you're right…
You know you're right …
You know you're right…”

Cheers!!