Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Graphic Novels - forever people

Graphic novels - like Jazz, quite possibly are the one original contribution that the USA has made to contemporary literature.

And then of course, just like everything else, the Japanese have adapted this creation and made it their own, made it better.

But this isn't about the USA or Japan, this is about those forever people that continue to live through many fantasies in these worlds of the graphic novel.

Just a few days ago, I tried leafing through a few web pages of a graphic novel and found myself hopelessly disinterested, the feel of the paper and print - the genius of the greats like Neil Gaiman, Joeph Loeb, Geoff Johns and the likes coming to life in our hands - the attraction is instant.

When one thinks of these characters superheroes, super villians, super side kicks and all the other "Supers ", why is it that there is a strange sense of association - we aren't like them, we would never be.

Why is it that we identify sometimes with the Bat, or the Wolf or the Big Blue - when the bourgeois isn't about any of these.

Part of us - identifies with the duality that these characters have,
Part of us - is always white and black ( while most of us is somewhere in between ),
Part of us - means for our life to have a larger than life, "Framed as a poster " kind of meaning, part of us - and we can all admit it truly really wants to kick butt.

So - as a parting SHOT -

Flying isn't about dreaming, its about thinking beyond imagination
Being a hero - isn't about being a super hero, its about being an ideal

We can be truly free not in our dreams but in our beliefs for in our beliefs lies a superhero in each one of us.
Lets Fly.












Inescapable truth - acceptance and belief

Change as the metaphor suggests is the only constant.
Yet Change is also the also the one reality that confounds and confronts anyone who dares question it.
Why Question " Change " ?

And Why not Question " Change ".

A very radical view that one may present is the fact that under the excuse " Change is the only Constant ", unnecessary fads consistently present themselves as the new reality.

Truth is - Truth is the only constant and the world changes to revolve around it.


Truth - once understood, once accepted, once freed from its perceptive shackles is the only constant that would drive change, beliefs, behaviour and morals.

One must also understand this constant to find acceptance in one's own being.

An example :

A universal truth that may be proven many a time especially at the work place - there's almost never a scenario when one may utter a lie and not have to utter another one connected with the first lie.

A localized truth especially relevant to conflict - my reality is different from your reality because I am different from you - now acceptance of this truth results in acceptance of every change that may come with it.

Again,

A common misunderstanding - truth differs from person to person, no, it doesn't. Reality could, circumstances could, behavior could - but not truth.
All truth are true whatever the circumstance - the only thing that differs is the morality behind the truth.

Change is not constant, neither is reality, neither are taxes - the only constant is Truth.

In truth - we believe for believing in truth makes us true believers.











Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Imagining Memories -

"Eyes like twinkle twinkle star " - and imagine watching these eyes light up, light up brighter than the star from somewhere around here which sustains life.

They light up and those familiar sights which may not be any more than what they seem, or maybe far more than what meets the eye.

For she - only she - when she looks at those sights she doesn't glance at what they are but she reminiscences what they mean.

In the embrace encouraging air that unspoilt hill stations always spread in plenty, she walks down the crowded street, smiling looking at the old shop selling sweets, looking appreciatively at the hopeful street seller keenly glancing at her watching out for a faint flicker of interest.

She stops at a small door, small, far too small for anyone with anything more than humble proportions to ease themselves in and as she walks in she knows that its not just her memories but her taste buds and her senses, all await not just a delicious but also a nostalgia filled mouthful.

They keep twinkling both with relish and with joyful memories and she shares the most delicious of meals with me by her side. How wonderful would that sight be"she in her school uniform stopping by on her way home just to enjoy a meal before a meal.

She talks to me about how she had the best jalebis in the world - and she watches me devour them just as she says so.

A mouthful of red - a tongue burnt - and a memory re-energised. She says kwai - and the look of what that could do to me - reminded me of the "bridge on " .
The constant twinkle makes me want to be there - makes me wish to be with her through those days of education enforced skirts and forever conspiring, life affirming friendships.

And through it all - the three of them, friends through many lunches and condiments, I watch them sit on the hidden walkway looking at the valley below, holding each other - both for love and warmth - a smile breaks on my lips as I imagine - imagine memories.




























What's the Hurry - there's always tomorrow

A close friend of mine once told me "everything that may be pushed for tomorrow can be delayed enough for it to be no longer needed done ".

Funnily enough, it holds more true than not.

" If only ", " I wish " - aren't they all words which make us rue a decision we took to not take any decision. " If only, I bought a house then ", " I wish we could get a right car at the price ", " I wish I had more time for myself ".
But then what - but for a moment when its uttered, it goes no further than a lament, on what wasn't - almost translating to us doing something about converting our lament into our pride.

There's many a curious thought that comes to mind when it comes to rationalizing procrastination.
They vary from telling ourselves " there's no time ", " I've something more urgent to do ( which almost always translates to " let me not to do this " and very rarely " let me do this next ) ", " this isn't going to change anything ".

Bringing a workplace reference to the same thought - Mcgregor while discussing theory x and y - quite possibly had the same reference to context when he categorised those in theory y.
This day and age, most of us, in all our honest ambition are driven by our unending drive to succeed , for oneupmanship.
Everyday, we're driven by what we want to achieve professionally - so much so that not only we strive to turn tomorrow into today but we try to many a time turn someone else's tomorrow into our today - sometimes with means which are less than ideal.

What, if anything indeed - holds us back from achieving the same level of proficiency when it comes to personal existence.

Truth is, we're more a creation of our personal circumstances, of our friends and family than of anything that we encounter at our workplace and yet if we were to truly measure our efficiency, our versatility or our purpose when it comes to our growth as the multifaceted human being we are - its always comes somewhere invisible in our speeding sprint of priorities.

Can we ever be a versatile professional if we are a uni dimensional person ?
Can we ever appreciate an organisation's vision when we don't attach enough importance to having one of our own.
Finally,
Can we ever truly excel if our person continues to accept and compromise - lets all look within,

who we are is what we become.