World With My Lens

- JK
 # What and why ...

With this series of page length musings, I want to peg

things in my life as I see and interpret them.

These are my personal opinions and the basis for

them are my experiences and understanding of the ways
of the world I have until now. Hence these may or may
not be what I believe at a future date and hence I may
contradict my own statements.

And that exactly sheds more light into myself and

lets me to introspect my understanding and thus
understanding of myself.

The main reason for writing this series is I am just

bored and all these thoughts keep haunting me. I am
giving those thought-souls, word-body and arresting
them here forever.

This is written out of my desire to do something and

keep this wicked mind of mine busy. This is not to
please, inspire, entertain or enlighten someone. If it does
any of the above it is a byproduct not intended.
 # On a Sunday morning

I was going to my regular swimming session, feeling

the cold air from last night's summer rain on a noise-less
bike.

I wished to see the morning sky in front of the hillock.

My sight of the serene sky is obstructed by the wires
crisscrossing the road. Maybe in other times during the
festive season the roads may have been decorated with a
series of mango leaves knotted together.

Our yearning for a technological life has adulterated all

our experiences. For many the experience of nature is
through screens.

*Progress at the cost of our relationship with mother

nature.*
 # At a road side breakfast hotel

It was a new outlet there and I wanted to have a taste

there. The set up of the hotel which is similar to many
hotels here will be like this.

At the front facing the road there will be a wooden

cart which can be pushed around, with glass partitions
above tyres on wooden plank to display the available
varieties of deep fried food. Behind the cart there will be
a cashier cum bearer and parcel person, in this case it
was a young woman who may be in her mid twenties.

Behind there would be an open kitchen from where

the chefs will be cooking and taking orders from the
cashier.

I ordered my default dish 'Egg-dosa' and was waiting

for my order to be served. I judge a breakfast outlet by
taste of it's chutney and sambar, followed by the
quantities they are served.

I easily understood, the head chef, a woman is

dominant and her aide probably her husband is a good
for nothing fella. Probably the woman at the counter
may be their daughter. Thanks to the women power in
their house they are earning their livelihood.

One of the customer asked something about relocation

of their hotel, the woman answered," they had a issue
with the name of our hotel and hence wanted us to
move". I didn't get to know who 'they' were supposed to
be. Seemed some political thing.

I had to wait a bit longer as someone jumped the

queue and had my dosa. Finally, I got my dosa and was
judging the taste. Then came a police constable and
asked for a plate of bondas. It is a very common thing
that the police people don't pay at these kind of outlets.
They just order. I have seen municipality sanitary
workers also doing the same.

The cashier woman told the constable to wait for

fresh batch of idlies. I think he was hungry and even
humble and replied,"Cold bondas will do." The woman
obliged.

There was a good demand for egg- dosas and the

cashier woman was reminding the chef the orders yet to
be fulfilled. The constable was having his bondas and
heard about the egg-dosas and asked for an egg-dosa,
only this time with authority. I sensed the chef feeling
uncomfortable, since egg dosa is their premium product
and they have to offer it for free. Moreover, the
constable may repeat the same everyday.

This may seem like an incident of petty corruption.

But my thoughts were arguing for either parties.

The hotel people are victims, that is beyond question.

Is the constable an offender? I always try to think from
the side of the people who are offending, try to
understand the circumstances and intentions behind
their acts, even before expressing anger.

Constable is the lower most cadre in police. His salary

ranks along with his post. The government is paying him
salary and maybe it is insufficient for his lifestyle or
even for basic needs as hunger. Forget about the basic
needs, the inflation growth at its current rate fuelled by
the economic inequality will make life of people at lower
end of the spectrum miserable.

In my opinion what the constable done is other form

of begging. So it is the magnanimity of the people who
encourage corruption/beggars. When a corrupted
official demands money, he has already assassinated his
character and shed his virtues. He is taking bribe at the
cost of his self-respect.
 Since corruption is begging with authority, I still
wonder when will the rich corrupted beggars realise it is
enough.

Our desires/needs are akin to a glass of liquid, named

money. The smaller the glass the better we are. If we
pour more into the glass it will overflow and creates a
mess. If we have space in the glass we will be left
thirsty.

Money (under and over the need) is the root cause for
all evils and agony.

It is of utmost importance to have a cognizance of the

size of the glass and its increase in size. It is easier to
increase the size of the glass but it costs mental peace,
ego and more to decrease the size of once increased
glass.

If unchecked your desires will make-

* Your life miserable.

* You desperate.

* You to live a life devoid of values

* You self-loathe and make you always feel as an
underachiever.

for desires don't have limits.

 # Free man

Am I really free?

Can I freely express my views?

Can I move freely to anywhere I please?

Can I see a colour and not attach it to a group/ entity?

Am I free from my cultural prejudices?

Am I free from my grown-up prejudices?

Am I free from my experiences?

Am I free from plethora of information?

Am I free from what I know?

Can I unknow what I know..

If I am a free man.. free from what exactly?

There is no Free man but only Free child..

Who buried the child in me and thus my freedom ?

- Jk

06-02-2023
 Harder ways

Isn't it easy to do a mistake than not to

Isn't it easier to find a reason for your mistake than to

accept it

Isn't it easy to find fault with others than with self

Isn't it easier to fail someone than not to

Isn't it easier to break a relationship than trying to keep

it

Isn't it easier to do the wrong thing than to do the right

at all costs

Isn't is easy to give in to desire than not to

 Life's purpose

What is the purpose of life?

This is a question that I felt, I would never have an

answer. Strangely I think I found it. I hope so.

Let me state simply, Purpose of Life is living.

What is living?

There are so many life forms on earth. Aren't they

living? No, I am not talking about the biological
definition of living. Of all the creatures only we can ask
these questions. So we are different.. And for us living is
different.

If you are one of those people who can see science in

arts and art in science, you might understand my
gibberish.

Have you ever EXPERIENCED an Excellence?

Stress on the word experienced, one may like many

things but experiencing is different.
Have you ever listened to a song and thought about the
creators? What might have been their thoughts? And
making the song all over in your mind and just
appreciating the creation.

Have you read the writing and been able to understand

in between lines?

Have you watched a sport and been completely

succumbed by the skill and spirit of the player(s)?

Have you tasted a dish and thought about the cook and
ingredients in awe?

And finally have you ever felt this feeling of Pride

welling up inside you just by experiencing their work?
Pride in a thing in which you have nothing to be
credited for.

This is the purpose of life. Feeling and embracing

excellence. In order to appreciate excellence u should be
living. Living a life seeking excellence. By witnessing
others excelling at their work, you will get motivated to
seek yours.
 Excellence is a habit and it is an addiction. One who
experiences excellence can never be pacified by
mediocrity. He will strive for excellence because the
flare that ignited the raw passion inside him will never
let him rest. There is nothing to prove to any one except
to feel the mental high that only a great deed gives.

Failing in the process is a part and the never ending

quest for excellence is the purpose of life. Excellence in
all walks of life. Being able to cherish and enjoy the best
of humankind and their deeds is a perk of being alive.
 A grown-up's past

I still remember those days when my mom used to make

special sweets and used to hide them from me ( I was
notorious for emptying everything in one day) , I used to
find the hiding place each n every time and behave as if I
didn't find out n ate more than my brother.. Pcch miss
those days, miss my mom..
 A new adult's turmoil

I feel a strong longing to go home and be with my

parents.

Don't know why, I feel like being with my family away

from tensions, not that I am in tension but I suddenly
feIt I can no longer be carefree without anything to do
but to enjoy myself with my habits.

I wanted to do a job now that I have one, I am seeking

something else in my life. I am getting paid well. I am
doing my job without any regrets. Learning things daily.

My job has nothing to do with my thoughts , I am not

in the comfort zone or ease with which I can live with
family

Now I get it , I am now a well settled grownup. I don't

like being a grown up.
 Day by day

Man is a habitual creature.

The question which should be persistent in your mind is,

what progress have you made today towards your goal?

Knowing is not enough u have to implement it

U want to overcome your shortcomings? U have to act

and find a corrective step and should practice.
 Sarvagnani

There was a time when I believed I knew everything

that has to be known by an adult .. irony is dat I felt so
when I was in adolescence. . Isn't it pure adolescence..

Now as a better self.. I realized Life is meant to be

learned.. learned each n every day.. Knowing your
ignorance is the only true knowledge u can get in ur life
time..
 Defining - I

My eyes see the world .. only the way my mind wants it

to see.. I think it is so.. Every physical sensation is felt
and adulterated by my mind.. It is who I am as an
entity.. My flesh and bones are stripped out to be
nothing. . Just my thoughts, my feelings is all what I
am.. The heaviness of this realisation is puzzling me.. 'I'
means nothing more than a few fists of gray matter..
 Contentment

I may not be earning money but I am living.

I am learning, I am growing.

I may seem like a failure when actually I am a huge

success.

My contentment is my success. Live the day..

That doesn't mean u vaporize all u hv today.

Try to live close to earth, close to people u love, at the

place u are.. laugh with them.. fight with them.. get
scolded.. feel all the emotions.. paint a complete picture.

More importantly retrospect. Retrospection prevents you

from becoming cold, be glad for people in your life and
your relationship with them, never take anyone for
granted. At Least admit to yourself all the misdeeds u
did.
 Old

I am traveling in an old bus.. old really old.. old which

gives u a sense of security.. by the experience it has been
gaining on its service without getting dismantled.

Old is wisdom from a lifetime of experiences..

emotions.. relations..

Old the Un avoidable. .

 Search

What defines you? You change with people around you..

you are studious .. you are sincere .. n again you are
naughty.. you are cunning.. you are care free.. The irony
you know .. In simple terms you are COMPLEX..

I think somebody had it nailed when they said your true

behavior is what when you are alone..
 Elixir

I am the bad one

and again I am the good one

I have cheated Someone n at times I have cheated myself

I have hurt someone n at times I have hurt myself

I have broken many said promises

I have kept many unsaid promises

I did the deeds like a flowing river

River does not differentiate between a lush green forest

and a rocky terrain

No one says " The river is bad".

They just plunder the river ignoring what it has done

and hasn't.

And there comes a time when the river gets suffocated

by its own rotten stench

What does the river do now?

It disappears...
 Disappears by merging in the sea.

Becoming one among many

Like any other river...

But still the river is good it does not let itself down

It looks skyward..

Finds a ray of hope

Lifts itself up leaving its filth behind

Purifies itself and becomes the "Elixir of Life".