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Happy New Year

(1)

At 11.59 PM, he leaned over to kiss her. With his eyes closed and lips quivering, all the years spent with the anguish of being on the fringes, leading to this, flashed in his mind. This was his moment to seize.

At 00.00, she raised on her toes, reached for his face and  gave him a peck on the cheek.

And suddenly, January 1, turned into any other day of the year.

There are still 365 days in this year, he thought to himself.

........................................................................................................................................................................

(2)

At 11.59 PM, he looked around the house once again making sure that it was just two of them. It's been years since the kids' room was vacant but he hadn't got used to it. He leaned over to kiss her. With his eyes closed and lips quivering, he felt anxious just like the first time they had kissed. 30 years of marriage had turned them into familiar strangers.

At 00.00, she raised on her toes, reached for his face and  gave him a peck on the cheek.

And suddenly, January 1, turned into any other day of the year.

There are still 365 days in this year, he thought to himself.

........................................................................................................................................................................

(3)

At 11.59 PM, he clenched tightly to his walker, tested the strength of his creaking bones to the maximum, stood up, and walked to her bed. With his eyes closed and lips quivering, he held her hand in his and kissed her.

When medical science has failed, it's his gestures that will wake her up, from the vegetative state, he believed.

She didn't.

And suddenly, January 1, turned into any other day of the year.

There are still 365 days in this year, he thought to himself.

............................................................................................................................................................................

P.S. I would like to credit my friend ARA from But The Words Prevailed  for invaluable inputs

P.P.S. I look up to my peers and readers to  share and promote my work, if they deem it worthy. My sincere thanks and regards to all of you.

Story of Failure

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently". - Henry Ford

I am Failure. Not a failure, but failure itself. Not the verb, but the noun.

I have seen people with mighty hearts and decorated chests, cringe by my very mention. Those widely respected and honored in their lives and fields, pray they never have to see me in the eye. Sometimes, in all my innocence, I wish at least such brave-hearts  would like to take me head on as a challenge. But they don't ever dare to. I have often wondered why.

Trust me, I don't look that hideous!

Like the black sheep, hidden from the glory of the living rooms of all the braggart families, I have a cousin to blame for this.

Bitch, thy name is Success. 

Success is pretty and a lot of people, despite of their age and experience (or the lack of it), have crush on her. It's blinding, it's flashy and it makes one utterly myopic. Many a great souls have lost their way after achieving success. But every courageous soul who has ever had an encounter with me has always set new goals and started afresh.

After every success lies an emptiness, after every failure lies a hidden opportunity!

Beyond every finish line, and before every start, in the solitude of thunderous applause, is me. I am the way to look into the future because I have the vision.

We have a strict framework, rules and definitions for success, but me, I am Universal. With no definitions, explanations or interpretations. Not Subjective. While your success may not convince or appease many, your failure is accepted by all. I am the gold standard against which all your successes would be measured.

Success invariably would always be incomplete. It would always make you worry about others' reactions. I am absolute. I would make you a clean slate. What else could possibly be a better place to dust off and start again?

I understand the fixation of  being successful.  But to forget my role once you have been successful is, well, just rude! If anything, I am the springboard that catapulted you to your goals.

Me and my lovely cousin have frequent contests of "tug of war". We call it Life. As lovable as she is, she never gives me credit for my role. And I don't ask for one.

I am that fifth grade Math teacher who helped you get over your fear of the subject by scaring you more. Now, you don't remember him while you accept your accolades as a great Mathematician.

I am that teenage lover of yours whom you deserted for college. And now when you shamelessly seek attention of the gorgeous ladies at your corporate job, I smile in the background.

I am that parent of yours who put in everything he/she had for your future and you comfortably forgot to mention that in your valedictory speech.

I am that sibling who prayed for your scores in his/her struggles. Now, when I struggle to meet my ends, you shun me.

Success is a result of the work put in by the best teacher- failure!

I am that patient homemaker who ignores all your flirtatious transgressions, knowing  at the end of the day, you will come back home for solace.

And sooner, than later, you will come back and embrace me. You will have to accept me as, in your fancy vocabulary, "part and parcel" of life.

Beyond all inflated egos, materialistic gains and short lived happiness, you will find me.

Accept me now, when you have the sweet taste of success.

Or I will hit back, hard.



Photo Courtesy: www.matchexecutives.au

Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A night before Thanksgiving, I was sitting in a diner with a friend. We were talking about the American holiday and its history, which to my amusement, has absolutely no relevance to the way it is celebrated. It was a dinner between the Pilgrims and the Indians, which can probably be equated to one family welcoming another family in the neighborhood. But no one celebrates it that way now because talking to neighbors is a thing of distant past, at least in the West. It simply is a day for family re-unions and a wait for Black Friday deals! As they say, only in USA, can you be sitting with family and friends, being thankful on one day, and trampling over others for cheap electronics, the very next day!

I have always struggled with the use of the word "re-union" with respect to families. May be its the growing up with the Kauravas vs Pandavas stories, but in my mind, for a re-union, there has to be a falling apart. However, with the modern lifestyles, just being apart, calls for a re-union. Why not use the term "get together" instead?

There were 5 old men sitting on the next table. All of them were in their mid to late sixties, I guess. They looked really happy and content. Their loud  and careless laughter lit up the otherwise dull place. There were college stories, work gossip and, the obvious, wife bickering! It was anybody's guess that they were having a good time.

Quite  clearly, it was a "boys" night out, away from their families and the routine hustle bustle. A  friends' "get together" on a night before the holiday that they would essentially celebrate with their families. Again, friends before family! 

Old habits do die hard!

Then again I thought, why wouldn't they be happy! At this age also, they have the luxury of being with their friends, reminiscing about the good old days and forgetting the age woes. The occasional fun nights and the sense of togetherness, especially at that age, must be invigorating.

These are the moments, we ought to be thankful for! That is a true celebration.

हम में आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

हम में आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

वोह हकीकत से बेफिक्रे है

अजब अजब उसके नखरे हैं

दिन भर की दौड़ धूप के बाद

छल कपट और झूठ के बाद

मेरा अंतर्मन आज भी सच्चा है

हम में आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

भीड़ में छुपा हुआ सहमा हुआ डरा सा

अकेले में शान्त सही तेजस्वी आलोक सा

आज उसे खिलोनों और चाँद तारों की ख्वाइश नहीं शायद

लेकिन दादी नानी के किस्सों और माँ की गोद की हसरत रखता है

भाई बहिन के दुलार के सपनों में खोया

हम में आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

इसकी चंचलता का कोई सानी नहीं

कीमती कपड़ों,लम्बी गाडी और महंगे बंगलों के बीच

आँखों की कोर से,चुपके से पुरानी गली में दोस्तों को ढूँढता है

ज़िद्द पे अड़ जाये तो अब भी आफत है

पर पिता की डांट की गुंजाईश ज़रूर रखता है

हम में आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

यह बच्चा चुपके से हम पर हंस रहा है

इशारों में कुछ सवाल पूछ रहा है

सांसारिकता में उलझा हुआ

स्वाभाविकता भूल रहा है तू

जीवन शैली के अधीन हो

जीना भूल रहा है तू

इतना व्यावहारिक हो गया है

कि वास्तविकता से परे है तू

दीवारों में चुने हुए

खाईओं से घिरे हुए

हे! आधुनिक इंसान

दो पल रुक,साँस ले

और भूल यह स्वार्थी,अभिमानी और भौतिकी शान

झांक अपने अन्दर और सुन उस दबी हुई मासूम आवाज़ को

जो अब भी उम्मीद से तुझे यह याद दिलाती है

खिड़की से बाहर सावन के झूलों को देख

मन तो तेरा आज भी मचलता है

इस यांत्रिकी मानव के आखिर दिल तो धड़कता है

हम में,हम सब में,आज भी कहीं एक बच्चा बसता है

Vote for me now!