Kaleidoscope: A Metaphor for the Changing

Nature of Life
The incident of a Zen Master teaching his student the changing nature of life, is still relevant in the
contemporary world.

Master: Look at the sky. What do you see?

Student: A rabbit

Master: Now look.

Student: It’s a bird now.

Master: Is it still the same?

Student: No, it has changed, it’s a devil’s face.

Master: What will it be next?

Student: (thinks for some time and says) Can’t say for sure.

Master: Well, so is the nature of life, to change in unpredictable yet beautiful ways. What do you see
now?

Student: (looking at the sky, he realizes that the devil’s face is actually an angel’s face)

I was in sixth grade when our science teacher at the end of the period scribbled something on the
blackboard. I hurriedly copied the entire thing without paying much attention to what it was, before
the next teacher could erase the entire thing off the board. When I came home, I read what I’d
written: “science activity: Kaleidoscope making; Material Required: three rectangular glass slabs,
duct tape and broken pieces of a bangle”. I wondered if anything either scientific or appealing to the
eye could ever be made out of such mundane material, but when I finally completed making it the
next day, and peeped into it, I was amazed by the beautiful patterns and their tendency to never
repeat themselves. It was life changing for me to learn that broken pieces of a bangle that ought to
be discarded could also coalesce together and form something so magical and exotic. A day before
what was considered useless ended up teaching me that broken things too can add a bit of beauty,
warmth and color to this grey, cold and faded world. This small incident has stayed with me for years
and somewhere has encouraged me to keep moving. You never know what tomorrow might bring
you. You might just wake up and realize that all the beauty you were looking for is just in front of
you, and you might want to take your time to adore, cherish and memorize it, but nonetheless, after
a while it’ll fade away and you'll move in search for something new and more meaningful. And I’m
not going to lie, sometimes you wake up and see your heavenly world falling apart, and none of it
makes sense, and your confused so you stay in bed, afraid of facing the day ahead, fearing there are
more bad things to come, things you can’t handle or solve, so you just lay in there and wait for the
clock to fall asleep. But yet again one day you realize that staying isn’t helping, so you muster the
courage to start moving again, maybe in a different direction or in a different way, till everything
starts making some sense again.

In many philosophical and poetic ways, kaleidoscope paints the picture of life in ways words can
never.
I can’t recall what the point of this kaleidoscope activity was, maybe the teacher was trying to show
us some wonders of reflection. But I learnt something different and something that has stayed with
me ever since: change is the only constant in life, and a majority of life too, revolves around adapting
to change, embracing it, and sometimes being the change, we wish to see in the world.

Cheering Change
Celebrating change this season, Monk and Mei’s new collection “KALEIDOSCOPE” features
traditional patterns with a modern twist to them. Cheering the modern Indian woman who is an
industrious breadwinner from 9 to 5, an efficient homemaker from 5 to 7, and her kid’s best friend
from 7 to 10. These apparels are not only ethnic, fashionable and perfect for an upcoming occasion
or festivity but are also comfortable, airy and fluid; enabling you to give your best for all the different
roles you play. All the designs have been artfully crafted in a manner that amalgamates Indian and
Mideastern culture with the modern trends. The Indian touch connects you to your roots, and the
modern look inspires the spirit of innovation and breaking free from the chains of an orthodox
society.

Kaleidoscope cheers the changing role of women in our society.