Hai parchaiyon mein kisi ki, pehchaan tiki meri.
Hai dhadkan mein meri, saanse kisi ki basi.
Hai sapno mein mere, yaadein kisi ki saji.
Yaad woh karke dekhen …
Dekhen woh yaad karke mujhe,
Karenge woh yaad jitni baar mujhe,
Mar kar bhi waapas aaunga har baar yeh waada hai unhe.
– Nileshaayar
Reh jaayenge palkon par yaadon ke ehsaas,
Jo dengi kabhi khushi to kabhi dengi kar udaas.
Hai bina yaadon ke mushkil jina yahaan,
Thaam lo isliye har pal ka samaa,
Hatheliyon par lo samet har lamha,
Rok lo waqt abhi yahaan,
Hai kya jina yaadon ke bina,
Na tum ho paas to hai yaadon me milna.
– Nileshaayar
Kar li hai dosti humne aapse,
Ab jindagi hai meri aapse.
Yeh dosti hai bhi badi haseen,
Hai kahin koi bandhan iske jaisa nahin,
Gaur farmao … ae-dost
Hum aayenge tumhare pukaar par,
Maut ko bhi hara kar.
– Nileshaayar
Galtiyaan karke dekhiye janaab,
Fir na kahiyega ki jindagi ho gayi betaab.
Aji khayal doosron ka bhi kijiye,
Unke dil mein bhi jhaank to lijiye.
Kya soch rahe hain badal nahi sakte galti ko aap,
Use sudhaar lijiye abhi aur aaj.
Galtiyaan karne ka mauka to aage bhi milega janaab,
Lekin use sudharne ka samay naa nikal jaaye,
Varna so na paayega chain ki neend maut ke baad.
– Nileshaayar
Woh aaye jindagi mein meri,
Kabhi bankar roshni to kabhi khili hui kali.
Ek jhalak unki,
Aur meri baicheni hai duur ho jaati.
Dua hai yahi -
Jahaan bhi rahe ye aatma meri,
Unki yaad mein jiti rahe har saans meri.
– Nileshaayar
Everyday, after leaving office, I walk back to my home. You can say my home is about 1 to 2 kms. I am not very good at measuring distances 
. So, in the process of taking a walk to my home, I also get a good exercise of my legs 
. So, 1st July, 2010/Thursday was just another usual day for me. It had started raining heavily in the evening. Meanwhile, I were finishing up with my day’s work in the office and were getting ready to leave. Since, our office is completely covered in curtains and is kind of sound-proof, I didn’t know that it was raining heavily, though there was a clear indication of a rain when we went out for lunch. So, I get downstairs with a colleague of mine and realize the heavy downpour. Now, something happened then. I became really cool and calm. I felt as if there is nothing to worry or care about in this world. Something changed. So, I decided I will walk back to my home as usual with an umbrella over my head. So, I helped my colleague reach another building under my umbrella. After taking her leave, I started walking back to my home. Even, before I had left the exit gate of my office, I was already wet . I was actually enjoying it . In some areas and on roads, water was flowing like anything, and I just splashed through these pools of water. Without any care in the world, I just walked through huge pools of muddy water. And I was the only person on the road doing such a thing. 
. I just loved it . It was great fun .
Being philosophical in nature, I tend to relate events to my understanding. And I did the same after I got drenched . And in actuality, we already know this, but it is just that we forget these things sometimes. And it helps when someone reminds you of that . So, here it goes.
Sometimes, we get entangled in the complexity of pleasing others, friends or colleagues, just to garner their attention or to make a point. And in the process, we try to change ourselves. Well, it is good to change yourself for the good, but not for something that makes you unique or different. We tend to forget ourselves and become something else, but that doesn’t help. Then what helps? Try to be yourself and do not bother what someone else has to think of you. We already know this, but in due course, we sometimes tend to forget this. But this really helps and this is the only thing that ever has. Another thing to get reminded of is to do the things that interest you. It helps in the long run. And who knows you might even make your interest a profession . And do not be afraid to take chances. It is perfectly alright if you do not succeed the first time. Actually, there is only one simple rule to succeed, believe in yourself. Believe in what you want to accomplish and follow the steps to your dream. I know it is easier said than done and many of you would disagree, but your will power can help you reach heights that no one has ever reached. And I also know it is very difficult to follow or believe this rule. But, then, this is what life is all about. Learning, enjoying, committing mistakes but still running on the track that leads you to your dreams. And if you are worried that your dreams have not come true or your life could have been better, well that would be the case with many, but the important point is you are still here and if you still want to do something, I encourage you to still take that up and give up the fear of results. Make your effort a learning experience. Try everything as much as possible.
Just be a fearless adventurer.
All the best. .
It is always so mesmerizing to know a side to yourself that you believed non-existent. I, too, never anticipated a shade to my character that I didn’t realize until the third semester of my college. It was 2006 and the start of the third sem. Today, I call that edge of my character as my “Alter Ego”. Definitely, it was not the real me but the ability to be something else is really amazing and you know, I can be what I want. I seem to believe that many would not agree but friends, there’s more to me than meets the eye. And so is the case with everyone else.
That semester, I was very happy. I was overconfident. There was no match for me nor for my wit and humor, nor for my attitude towards life. And it lasted six months, but it was one of the best moments in my life. One of the greatest and longest high point of my life. I had transformed myself in a way that was unrecognizable to me. I was enjoying every bit. I sang all the time(literally, you can ask my friends and roommates that time Amarkant and Amit). I didn’t know what had gotten into me. But I think it was the help from a few I got before the start of third semester and after the end of the second semester. I was very talkative, though I felt that I didn’t generate the response I expected. May be I expected too much. I was on cloud nine. That was the time, when I had come to Hyderabad in Diwali for the first time on the invi from Neharika. And I can tell you, all the 8 of us, Myself, Amar, Basant, Aakanksha, Komal, Neharika, Shivangi and Sweta, if you ask any of them today I bet without confusion that they would not agree with me in corroborating the fact that that was one of the best and best moments of our life. At least it was for me.
One important reason of my transformation was my happiness. At that point in time I realized the power of happiness. I don’t know If I influenced someone. But that was a time when I realized that “A man is capable of anything”, but yes anything is not easy and may be this life you may not be able to realize that. That was a time when I didn’t fear anyone or anything and I believed that my dream of a complete India can be accomplished. Nevertheless, you should be realistic but many a thing is possible that we don’t believe it to be. You can’t imagine what happiness can do to you.
But as all good things come to an end. My “Alter Ego” too did. The reason? My expectations. I expected a healthy response from everyone(An ideal case). I expected a lot more transformations in my life. I expected and waited a lot more on many other situations. I was too happy. I was too humorous, I was to enthu. I was beyond control. I was ruthless. I am not my “Alter Ego”. I was not patient enough. I expected too much from everyone. I expected too much from life. I were very fast in my progress. I am extremely passionate.
The end of my so-non-existent-but-yet-possible “Alter Ego” wasn’t very pleasing. It was a debacle that marked the beginning of history-repeating-itself. It marked the return of everything haunting that has existed in my life like a leech. Everything that has haunted me since my childhood and school days. But yes, for once, I did prove that I can be different(though many have forgotten a spat of that trait today). But, this act of proving is sufficient enough for me today.
I do not expect anyone to understand the depths of my “Alter Ego”. But, that time, that change, that debacle is something I am going to remember for keeps and will be one of the sticky-posts in my memoir.
Whether I live or die, just give me the strength. This time, I will move the entire universe, but I do not want to fail, just give me the strength. Whatever happens, holocaust or 2012, I want to lay the foundation now, that can’t be broken in any way, but please give me strength. This time, I want to be reborn in a way that would reverse the axis of this earth. Just give me strength. Just this once. I want to pursue what I believe in. Just give me strength. I need all the help I can but give me the help that is most important and required. Just make me believe that “Man can do anything”. Just this once. Just give me strength. Just believe me this once. Please, trust me. Give me the chance and the required help just this once, please. Just give me strength. No matter what, but even if it means to be born through many lives, so be it, but I want to accomplish what I have set out for. Just give me the strength, please.
“It’s amazing how you can speak right through my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I can never explain
What I hear when you don’t say a thing
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There’s truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all”
- Ronan Keating(When you say nothing at all)
I read this book because instinct is a concept very close to my heart. I very heavily rely on my instincts and I have seen the ups and downs of the same. And to some extent, Blink does enchant me. But I wouldn’t say the same if I had kept the book aside after reading the first four chapters. The first four chapters involve too much facts and details and the information given doesn’t entice _ME_ as it seems natural to me, may be because I am already into instincts too much. But I would also not deny the fact that I am trying to explain my subconscious why I do not like the first four chapters. And as Sir Malcolm puts it, “We always fail to explain our subconscious”. True. But then, its human nature that has descended for billions of years and something that is difficult to do away with, but not impossible. Anyways, from the end of the fourth chapter, the book seems to interest me more and is able to involve me through to the end. I do not know exactly why. I will try to explain it but I am not sure if I would be able to. I believe that from the end of the fourth chapter, the facts and examples become more interesting than they were in the previous chapters. I believe it is also because the presentation of facts and examples become more mysterious and interesting. It is difficult to find any order in the book because it doesn’t follow the conventional style of following a structured pattern. And I find it a nice and different way of presentation. Also, gvien that the concept itself is so difficult to explain, following a structure wouldn’t have served the purpose. It’s always best to explain something obtruse through examples and that’s what Sir Malcolm does.
But overall, it’s an interesting read. And with the ease that Sir Malcolm puts his theory, it’s really amazing given that the language is simple and passages flowy. They never seem to loose the connection or objective of the book. Sir Malcolm always goes back to earlier examples and statements as and when required to substantiate further his understanding.
For people, who really believe in the power of instincts, Blink is a good read. If you think you know a great deal about instincts then you are wrong. You should read Blink and you will know why. It will only add to your already existing knowledge.
There is a thin line of difference in being caring and being over-caring. Caring is feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for _OTHERS_. How do you decide that the feeling or concern and empathy for _OTHERS_ is not influenced by your own feelings, opinions or experiences. Not necessarily, a feeling or experience that you hold is entitled to others too. And hence, when you try to enforce the same feeling or experience to someone else in the hope that you are caring for someone else, it may turn out to be over-caring or rather, I would say selfish-caring. In this regard, there are a few things that should be understood(though it might be difficult to follow) :
1. You should never assume and presume everything about everyone. You cannot know a person completely even if you have been together for many years.
There is a thin line of difference in being caring and being over-caring. Caring is feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for _OTHERS_. How do you decide that the feeling or concern and empathy for _OTHERS_ is not influenced by your own feelings, opinions or experiences. Not necessarily, a feeling or experience that you hold is entitled to others too. And hence, when you try to enforce the same feeling or experience to someone else in the hope that you are caring for someone else, it may turn out to be over-caring or rather, I would say selfish-caring. In this regard, there are a few things that should be understood(though it might be difficult to follow) :
1. You should never assume and presume everything about everyone. You cannot know a person completely even if you have been together for many years.
2. You should not try to be a “GOD” among your own. Moving with others, giving them space is how you can lift up yourself from your current position, not by being “GOD” among your known.
3. Excepting others way of thinking, how different it might be than yours, is no harm. Many people do say “No two people see the same world”, but very few people follow it.
4. Not everything you see in the person is true. The exterior might have been influenced by social compulsions but within, who knows what exactly you are as an individual. Approaching the true self and clinging on to it is the best bet for anyone for their entire life.
So, you should show concern for _OTHERS_ but do so from _OTHERS_’ perspective and not from your known. And in doing so take guard against trying to enforce your perspective on others just because you _ASSUME_ that that is the best for him/her. Trust me, you cannot decide what is best for someone, but the individual himself/herself know what’s best for them even though they might know it yet.
