Wednesday, February 14, 2007

To Be Or Not To Be: A Legend

Can you lose everything, you ever had planned?
Can you sit down again, and play another hand?
Could you risk everything, for the chance of being alone?
Under pressure find the grace, or would you come undone?

That's how legends are made, at least that's what they say...

So tell me, are you a legend?


Lyrics of Bryan Adams' Never Let Go.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

India Street Smart

I saw two boys today. Two sweet, innocent little boys. They had eyes that shone with curiosity and mischief, and smiles that gave away fits of giggles. Barely making it to half way up my thigh, they reached out, tugged at my t-shirt and arms.

Didi, didi, panch rupiya dedo na.

Street urchins they call them. But to me, they were innocence epitomized. They did not carry the burden that perhaps their parents carried. Life was not a struggle to make ends meet, to get from one day to the next. It was a game. Who can get the most amount of money from a stranger.

I rummaged through my bag for loose change. A two rupee coin. Should suffice. And I placed the coin in his tiny little hands.

Didi, panch rupiya dedo na.

It was my turn to break into a fit of giggles. Ratan Tata, on India's corporate hot seat, bargains with Corus: panch billion ko dedo na. This little boy however has already learnt the ropes.

But their education did not stop with sales maximization. It had social responsibility attached to it. A friend of mine bought the other boy a packet of biscuits, which my little one snatched away. Shocked and angry, the other boy burst into tears and walked away. But there was compassion here. The little boy ran after the other boy, caught up, ran ahead and waited arms stretched out offering the packet of biscuits back. And I felt my heart melt.

They say India makes you street smart. And on these streets of India, this little boy has learnt well.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Control Issues

Often we focus most on the things we have the least control over. Consequently, and unsurprisingly enough, we loose more control, even over things we do have control over!

Sweet, sweet irony. And my funda?

Well simple really. Take five seconds to freak out about it (yes, I'm learning from 'Lost'); and then let it go, because honestly, there's not a damn thing you can do about it!