RUN YOUR RACE

Till college, the life is predefined. Pre-school, school and then college. It’s a foundation for the life ahead. After college, when the world around us seems to change, the people who are exactly like us and with us all the time, change.

When I saw the world around me change, I didn’t want to know whether it’s the right way or not, I just wanted to imitate the world as I was preparing for it for so long. So, I close my eyes and get into the rut. I knew, it’s a rat race for life, but if all other rats can happily go with it, so can I.

For a while the journey seemed smooth and enjoyable with interactions with fellow travelers until we reached a speed breaker. Everyone had a jerk but moved on with the race. I too had a jerk and was disturbed by it. But if the world can move on, so can I.

I continued the journey ahead, but this time couldn’t close my eyes. I was surprised with how others were able to move on and disappointed with myself but decided to pretend to be the same. And so the journey furthered, interactions decreased and monotony increased.

After a long while we reached a huge puddle. Everyone else jumped easily with no second thought whereas I got stuck with my eyes open. I knew I had to move on, go ahead, jump into it and cross it or else I’ll be lonely on this side of the puddle.So this time I closed my eyes and attempted the jump but my mind and heart didn’t shut. Being there was painful, I cried and begged to god to help me cross the puddle but nothing helped. I sat there and saw the other slot of travelers crossing the puddle and continuing the journey. I can’t give up, I thought. So I kept on trying but every time I tried harder, I failed. I was getting weakened from within.

Finally I gave up and stopped trying. As I emptied my tear tank and made peace with the situation, darkness started disappearing. Earlier all I saw was the puddle trouble, the successful travelers surpassing it and the road ahead, now I was opening my eyes to the trees around, the river gushing by and the birds chirping. My loneliness was turning into aloneness. I started enjoying being all by myself in that lovely surrounding.
Since then being alone, I started interacting with myself, defined myself, my passions, my principles and my dreams. And then from nowhere I saw a trail, dusty, uneven and broken unlike the road my fellow travelers were on. But it looked very less trodden; I sat by its side and pondered for a while. Before I start my journey I need to face few thoughts wandering in my mind.
Success might be slow, world will put me to compare with my fellowmen, luxuries might be few, struggle might be prolonged and the journey might be lonesome. Do I still want to move on?
To it, I answer after a while –

- Success will be when I succeed to my journey ahead, step by step and not when I defeat my neighbor.
- Comparison will exist even when I run the rat race, I just need to put it off my mind.
- Luxuries are important but for the mind, body or soul is what I get to decide.
- Struggle will put me down at times but keep me alive to strive for betterment.
- It’s no use being in crowd if my conscience disappears. I better be content and alone.
I dusted myself and got onto the trail as I knew now that it might take me in different direction but it’s exactly what I want. Since then I am on my trail exploring it my way.

LIFE GIVES EVERYONE SIMILAR RUNWAYS TO TAKE OFF FOR THE JOURNEY BUT THE SKY IS BROAD AND YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR OWN PERSONAL TRAILS TO REACH YOUR PERSONAL DESTINY.

FEAR

When you fear getting drenched,
You miss getting wet...

When you fear the heat,
You turn away from warmth...

When you fear the fall,
You stop moving ahead...

When you fear falling in love,
You stop being amicable...

Grab the fear,
Face it, dear
It does all wrong inside,
but holds all right beside...

Open your arms to it,
if that makes you coward, be it
But the next time it comes
you get to see how courage sums...

COURAGE

WHEN YOU SEE THE WORLD AT WAR,
FIND THE PEACE WITHIN

WHEN YOU GET CONFUSED WITH THE WAY WORLD WORKS,
DIS-ENTANGLE THE TIES WITHIN

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF AT THE ROOTS OF FATE
JUST LET THE BUD OF HOPE BLOSSOM WITHIN

WHEN YOUR OUTER WORLD SHATTERS,
BUILD A CASTLE WITHIN

WHEN THE WORLD IS AT ITS WORST,
HOLD ON TO THE BEST IN YOU

LIFE WILL TAKE YOU TO THOUSAND WRONG WAYS,
TREAD THROUGH THEM WITH ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS IN YOU

CUT COPY PASTE LIFE

Monday -
the beginning of the MUN-dane
alarm ticks twice and them thrice
its ten past eight but still can't rise
forms and checks to fill
counting on the running bills
switching on the working mode is such a pain
and there are four more days down the lane

Tuesday -
says get USE-d to the way
schedule is done, meetings fixed
my life is already so jinxed
five in the evening seems too soon
still three files to go before the moon

Wednesday -
up at six, still feel late
a sprint through files, that is my fate
out of three, two files down
still lots in hand to make me drown

Thursday -
turns to be the WORSE-day
boss is on his round
with loads of work pilled
I am six feet under the ground

Friday -
being fully FRI-ed
I can smell the freedom
just few hours apart
after lunch break, the countdown gears
I wind up the day as Saturday nears

Why is life so unfair
when work and fun are to compare
five cruel days exploit me all my age
and I get just two to redo the damage

A SEARCH WITHIN ...

I find myself in a painter,
When I see a canvas worked in colors

I find myself in an actor,
When I find my emotions portrayed in an act

I find myself in a waitress,
When I get my meal served with smile

I find myself in a photographer,
When I find silence in a picturesque busy street

I find myself in a traveler,
When I can symbolize a place by just a street

I find myself in a filthy rich bitch,
When I am greedy for carrying loads of shopping bags

I find myself in a sadhu,
When i hear the temple bells ring

Still need to find a soul in me,
That truly belongs to me,
That has bits of all,
That mirrors all colors of me in one canvas,
That reflects all emotions of me in one spot light,
That serves me meal keeping intact the smile within,
Being my true negative, capturing every bit of me,
Which keeps me moving to find the me within,
Which curbs my greeds to my needs and
Rings the bells within when it connects to me

wisdom & madness

wisdom sometimes ties you down with ropes of responsibility and awareness whereas madness gives you wings to fly in the sky full of opportunities just for your dreams.
people living by wisdom usually miss on the fun out of irregularity, risks and randomness whereas people living by madness lose friends as they are carefree about consequences of being head strong and following dreams no matter what.
striking the balance seems to be the solution but there are just two kind of people and the inclination to any one side will always be more.
wisdom leads you to solutions but can hold you in confusion for a long time before the final decision as there is a big battle between master of wishes (heart) and slave of rules and responsibility (mind). sometimes it prevents you from living your dreams by revealing the darker side of it whereas madness sees no second or negative thoughts, it only holds the high voltage of passion towards the goal, the idea, the dream, the belief.

wisdom leads to a successful life but madness ensures a satisfied life.

BREATH

do u run through the day?
or do u fly?
when u ask yourself "how are u?"
do u hear the reply?

when the day is done,do u lay in the bed
with hundred chores running through your head?

when you meet a friend, with competition in eye
do u bother to say a simple 'hi'?

every year, you prepare an endless to do list
but do u make space for life's everyday fog n mist?

take a break, leave the frame
enjoy the green, have sum fun
go touch the horizon, before u get back to the run...

(the credit for this one is shared with a friend who is one of the inspiring people for me)

me and colors

i am blue
when i find myself at the crossroads,
with dreams and comfort parting away,
some of me goes here and some of me goes there

i am yellow
when i find an answer,
fresh and energized to head on to my way,
the way of dreams. i know
that's what ultimately defines me

i am green
when all goes well,
when the joy of me reflects in the eyes of others,
its all i see when the world benefits on me
when i find myself in the roots of tree

i am pink
when love grows in me,
every breeze makes me fly
everything is a reason to smile,
i find in me, a deep sea of joy

i am red
when life cheats on me
heart loses beats and brain goes numb
wearing armors, i fight for the right
i become fire burning every bit of mine

i am black
when desire drives me
every other color flows in me
i become goddess of love and lust,
i grow seamless to loose a soul

i am white
when i find myself
when all my dreams fall in place
satisfaction embraces me,
when i know, i won the race