Dancing on the Rope

Life is a tightrope, and to live is to move. Every step is a moment of balance, a silent game played breath by breath. Yet balance isn’t found in a single step—it’s woven through time. You may wobble, falter, even lean toward the edge—but keep moving.

Step by step, forward is enough. There will be many milestones - each with its unique sense of completion. You keep moving forward yet it feels like you are moving in circles. Keep moving ahead over the knots that lie in front and you will see the circles will get bigger and bigger. As you move, your feet learn the rhythm. Once heavy with doubt, they grow light with grace. And one day, you’ll find yourself not just walking, but dancing—steady and free—on this tightrope of life. 

Oh Baby My!

When life gives you a choice,
Betwixt licking your wounds 
& Prepping for the fight,
Oh baby my! Give the healing to time,
To the next adventure you dance along!

When life gives you a choice,
Betwixt hating the fools,
& Letting the garbage go by,
Oh baby my! Bid the hate good bye,
To the next adventure you dance along!

When life gives you a choice,
Betwixt a thick dark frown
& A big fat smile,
Oh baby my! Don't think before you laugh,
To the next adventure you dance along!

When you feel that only one way lies,
That life wants you to feel low & dry,
Oh baby my! Trust these words of mine,
A choice hides close by, 

To dance as life's adventure carries on!

PS- A random scribble at the airport as I return to Raipur after seeing Niyati and our week-old Zen.

Let's Cut to the Chase

Let's cut to the chase dear. What do you really want? Beyond your exalted miseries, your celebrated evasions, what is it that you really want?   

Now, please don’t pretend that you are not in control of your shit, of your destiny or of your mind-made misery. Please don’t. As I said, let us really cut to the chase.

What do you want? Do you want to sleep some more? Pretend that it’s not really your responsibility? Pretend that you can’t handle the pain?

Or do you, for some more time, just want to carry on like this? Pretending that you are insufficient, incomplete and incapable?

If you do – then by all means, please continue. But do give me a deadline ‘coz I am getting bored of it. I am bored of accepting the commonplace excuses of finite thought. I have seen magic. I know it’s there within me. Waiting to be unlocked. I know you have answers to everything. I know that you know. You have the damn keys to the doors you love banging against. You only pretend to look for a Master Oogway while you stuff momos down your Panda throat. You know there is no one else coming. It’s just you and me. I am the only Master you have got. I am the only Master you need. You know that. Or do you not?

 
मौके पे चौका नहीं, हम छक्का मारते हैं,
चाहे अन्दर हो या बाहर,
बाधाओं को पकड़, हवा में फेकते हैं ...
शरीर और मन पर, रख कर संयम,
खुद को पुचकारते, मुस्कुराते हरदम,
ले के हवा का कश गहरा, बड़ी सी छलांग मारते हैं ...

मौके पे चौका नहीं, हम छक्का मारते हैं.
 

All I am asking of you, my friend, is to take your fighter jet for a spin. Not on the runway ‘coz that’s where the cool crowd hangs; but in the sky – where it really belongs.

नटखट मस्तियाँ

जिस्म की चुस्कियां, मन की अठखेलियाँ,

अजब है तेरा,

क्षणिक आकर्षण को समर्पण,

हो तू नंगा, पर छोड़ मत  दर्पण ...

क्या है सही, क्या गलत,

ये तुझे ही है समझना,

जंगल है, यहाँ मार्ग कई,

पर ना है कोई अपना ...

जब जीवन लागे नीरस,

छाँव में दोस्तों संग जा हंस,

इस हंसी का सुख है अपना,

पर भूल से इसे परमानंद ना समझ ...  

अपेक्षाएं - खुद की, खुद से

 

I

क्या कहूँ मैं खुद से,

क्यूँ खफा हूँ मैं खुद में?

क्यूँ ढकेलूँ अपनी सीमाओं को,

इन जालिम अपेक्षाओं से?

क्यूँ जीने को लागे, इन अपेक्षाओं का सहारा,

क्यूँ बिन इस ढोंग के जीना है गवारा?  

II

है जालिम जरूर, पर है ये जरूरी,

इन अपेक्षाओं से है जुड़ी, आस जीने की।

तो जी ले तू ऐसे,

कि है कोई कल नहीं।

जो लेना है जीने का मज़ा पूरा,

तो सब कुछ तू कर अभी।

A Few Minutes ...

There is a boy. A young, energetic lad who wants to do well in life. He is doing a lot to make everyone around him live a better life. He seems to be helping them. He does everything that he is capable of (at least, this is what he is made to believe by those around). Yet, our boy is sullen. He feels there is something missing.  He feels as if he is trapped to  do things that are much below his real capabilities. He is feeling alone. Alone in feeling that he is operating in a world that is fundamentally flawed. It's like a room that is devoid of any real light. All his efforts to uplift others are mere struggles of finding treasures in a room that is dark. He begins to believe that there is something more to it. He desperately seeks the beacon of light to end the darkness all around him.
 
In his heart, he knows, he just knows that there is light. Years pass by and his struggles continue. Oft correct, his passionately lethargic efforts to ignite, are consistent with time.
 
One fine evening, it happens once again. His serendipitous encounter with the knowledge that confirms what he already knows - that there is light beyond. A source of light, mighty enough to light up his entire world. He is elated. Imagine what he, a shaky attempt of a man, would be able to do in this world if it lights up? How much more difference he can make in this otherwise futile existence in the space-time void? It's a realm of possibilities that make him shudder with excitement!
 
This evening, something was feeling different. Life's pregnancy was palpable. Our boy saw a hand, pointing up to something in the sky. In a blink of time, he got the message. This was what they were talking about. Those glitches in the matrix of his algorithmically programmed worldly life. They had told him that one day, after all the struggles of a few hundred lifetimes are over, he will find his chance. His only chance to leave the darkness and enter the world of light to which he really belonged. In the chaotic maze of life, that day has come, the day of finality. When he finally found that hidden clue to the puzzle of the great Mystery of Light.
 
After enough squinting in the dark, he realises what it really is. It is the hand of the universe pointing to the source. He cries his heart out. His dry tears questioning his capacity to use that clue to solve the puzzle. He knows, all he must do is to follow the direction of this life's finger and stare at the source for a few minutes. The clouds will shift, and the moon will be clear in a matter of time. The moon, who was always there with him, yet eluding him all this while. So many lifetimes. Just 5 minutes, and the entire puzzle will have a solution. In fact, he himself will become the solution...

 

PostScript: I know, you don't understand. My unreasonable actions and inactions; my merciless choices of life and zero tolerance to corruption. Corruption of my sense of purpose. You don't understand why I do it. It's ok, very soon you will. Let these few minutes pass.