Sifting through life's lessons.

The air was left murky by a desert storm, stirring up inveterately in some corner of the vast Arabian Desert. A sedentary crab readjusted itself on the slimy rock as a cluster of waves came crashing down. “Everything happens for a reason”, the 60 year old man (lets name him Joey) announced and turned towards the ocean – repeating the same line twice over. The crab laid motionless as another wave casted a thud, perhaps a metaphor to Joey’s indomitable belief in the scheme of things – what he calls “the God”.

It was one of those usual weekends spent snorkeling around the ascetic beaches of Jeddah. The spiritual conversation had ensued a lot earlier in the morning when Joey had probed me on my belief in life after death – of heaven and hell. Ever to mock at such idiocies, I blurted out a blunt “No” and went on to don my diving boot and mask.

Months later, as I was distraught at the way things were moving (things were moving nowhere), I’d noted in my diary addressed to my own God – “if everything is happening for a reason, I hope the reason be known soon”.  Those were the days of turmoil – of setbacks, indirection and loneliness - when several equations were being rephrased and reiterated. As the agony never seemed to end – running through months, I’d learnt that there is heaven and that there is hell - and that it’s all right here. You go through each of them in phases and each teaches you lessons that no great teacher can.

For no describable reasons, I’ve now started to believe in life after death too. Heaven must be a place where the Joeys live in peace, devoid of the charms of jealousy, greed, materialism and lust. It can’t be an utopia as “imagined” by John Lennon. It can’t be a Marxist Utopian civilization where communities’ revolt for want of more – for no one would want more. It must be a place where there is unattested peace – where a million birds – yellow, green, blue and black hover in the crystal clear skies. There would be no houses – people wouldn’t seek security for everywhere there would be kindness and the weather would be pleasant.

Well – perhaps not so melodramatic either. But one thing is for certain – you learn your life's best lessons when you are going through hell. The havens are just what you partake for having been through your toughest of times. So if you happen to throw your arms in despair at the events that unfold, learn to take it easy. The vagaries of life never end. You need to go through each to learn your lessons – and when you look back, what survives is heaven and all that stays behind is hell.

You will survive.

Of wiki and leaks

Its been astounding for every Indian to see revelations over wiki leaks. The other day I saw an article citing US concern over appointment of Pranab Mukherjee as the Finance Minister.

But on a not-so-serious note - I think these questions would've been there in everyones mind when Pranab was chosen as FM over PC and Montek Babu. So what if Ms Clinton wrote to the PMO for clarification - everyone is entitled to his opinion - even we can write to Obama asking why Bernkake as Fed chief, can't we? (of-course, whether you get a response or whether your plea is paid heed to, is anyones guess :-) )

I think the media should take it easy - its annoying how sensationalizing everything has been the way of life for media these days. All it takes is a fleeting glimpse over national newspaper websites. You would believe that the 'news of the world' is forcing our energies over petty issues like casting couch in Bollywood, Rahul cajoling with Dimpy in some corner of the Kilimanjaro (I wonder who these characters are), Saas Bahu, why women like bad men (eh? who cares?) and what not.

The corruption is something that we all should be worried and enlightened about - not US intervention in state affairs! Its a pity that Indians are so clueless about whom to vote for next. BJP is criminal, CPI, MNS, SS and likes are completely crazy, Samajwadi Party is a bunch of fat money launderers, BSP is megalomaniac. The DMKs are highway robbers.

But if we vote for neither of them, we may see Behenji ruling over our roost (expect disorder in absence of order) - extorting money from tax-payers for her birthday - I wouldn't be surprised to see a cess being applied for Behenji Birthday celebrations and Jana Gana Mana getting replaced by "Baar baar din yeh aaye" as the national anthem.

I am worried - aren't you?

Therein goes another Gee

Over the shack up the fig tree,
Lived a man they called Sergeant Gee.
He believed never would he wilt or die,
Swearing by the angels who always stood by...

Birds for friends - purple, blue and yellow,
Weeds on him aplenty till they doth him mellow.
Cometh the hour that the figs breed,
Doth cometh the men, paying heed.

They called him the man who had it all..
Sang paeans and did he bask..
Came to him from far and wide...
Singing eulogies ...they would rant...
"dear oh gee, how blessed art thee..."

Gee grinned with pride through all the seasons,
Of biting cold and scorching sun,
For figs, his tree always bore,
With all their sweetness undone...

Years went by and Gee lost his pun...
Along cometh another season...
Cometh the biting cold, the scorching sun...
Cometh the men who said it all...
But it was the year cometh the fall..

They loved him, had said they,
Deceit ridden inside their spleen.
But soonest had come the day he lost his sheen...
In its elements, the world was all wry and mean..

The truth was out for now they swore,
Bitter than the rawest fig his tree ever bore..

Away went the birds, the weeds and the men,
Away went the angels, his good omen...
Gee cussed havens for he didn't know his crime,
Only the gods laughed to themselves and said,
"Therein goes the inglorious Sergeant Gee...
doesn't know hes past his prime..."