As I light the lamp before the deity and utter his good name, the introspective mind wanders into the various issues that need to be resolved. It’s ironical that I seek his blessings to resolve my issues and in the meanwhile my frivolous mind spends energy at introspecting on them. My clasped hands suggest respect, while my mind has little time to devote to the lord himself. For once, it seems that the “introspecting mind” is an atheist while my holy soul is a firm believer in the omnipotent lord-two diametrically opposite views within a human being.

I am not a saint; I convince myself and continue to utter his name with greater vigour. The greater the problems, the more the vigour in my prayers!

The introspective mind is like a monkey, it jumps from ‘problem’ to ‘problem’ within a microsecond, leaving every problem unresolved at the end of it’s ‘journey’. Introspection is good. It helps you to analyze the issue. However the mind often gets embroiled in the mayhem that it seldom provides a result. Sometimes when we think hard, we hardly think!

I have for months been introspecting over countless issues that in turn has affected my productivity. It’s been more than six months since I have written on my blog. This is my “comeback post”. My reclusive mind has taken a sabbatical from some productive work. It’s been a few months since my introspective mind has been on the task. Every time there has been little result to the complex thought process.  Finally today as I began to write, I put to rest the thoughts that impeded my ‘writer mind’. I am a little edgy. It’s been a few months since I sketched my absurd imaginations on paper. As I scribble, I slowly begin to articulate my views and give some sanity to my thought. An unused engine will rust. The mind also needs ‘food for thought’.  The various thoughts slowly dissipate as I begin to write.

‘Words on paper suddenly begin to speak louder than those inhibiting thoughts’. For once there is action -concrete action. As I slowly conclude this post , there is a mixture of anxiety and triumph- anxiety because I haven’t written since long ,triumph of having completed a little piece of ‘articulated complex thought’-this Post ! . 

 Introspection in life is good. It’s a “check mechanism” to keep yourself updated and also helps you take corrective action. People, who introspect, accept change and are adaptive. Human beings are many a time carried away by extrinsic factors such as success, glory or even gloom and depression, that we fail to stop and think. There are times when we need to stop and think where life is taking us, but everything has a measure. If you introspect a lot, you’re inactive, redundant and effectively sleeping over issues. The ‘monkey mind ‘takes over leaving you with complex thoughts and complicated solutions.

At such times – “Just Act!”

Your actions will provide the desired results!

Introspection should always lead to an action!

Successful people act according to the way they think. So act!

“ Anger needs to be a positive emotion “, is a remarkable dialogue that I came across in a regional movie. More often I have only come across statements that degrade anger as an emotion that spells doom and most rightly so. However on the flip side controlled anger or aggression prevails in real life situations. Any emotion that governs an individual can be used either as a constructive or destructive tool. The choice is ours.

Let me be clear that I m not in support of using anger as a tool to “ make things happen “. I to this day believe that “ Patience prevails  “ and patience is a virtue that the blessed possess. I find that in today’s world anger is creating hatred and leading to inhumane and insane acts unacceptable to mankind

However, not all of us are blessed with patience. After an act of insanity all we say is that “ We are human after all “. However behavior and temperament cannot be changed overnight. I also believe that basic emotions like anger or sorrow should never be suppressed, cause it could only turn worse with time.

It is seen at workplace, that more often “ soft ‘” people are considered timid and people who are “ Loud” and outspoken are considered as arrogant  and unfriendly .It is those who have a broad outlook towards life and possessing “ controlled aggression “, have their way with others. It is surprising but true that controlled anger for valid reasons works! If anger is employed as a positive emotion, it prevails!

In all our lives there comes a time, when we are unable to interpret the laws of human nature, which is more so profound in a shattered mind. When mind is shattered, the thoughts are scattered!

I look for solace, seeking answers, searching for a soothing balm to quell my aching heart. My mind dwells in the past rather than living in the present, such is the magnitude of that shattering moment.

We live a life of hope and expectation. Goodness in thought defines our lives, but the inevitable twists to a “rosy tale”, leaves behind scars. I am now dealing with a scar that has created a ripple effect of a deluge of emotions such as anger, frustration, betrayal and a bundle of unexplainable thoughts that intrude my restless mind. Amidst this mayhem, my hopelessly emotional soul seeks a reprieve.

It is a state of self-pity. For once I’m not sure of what I need to do. The overwhelming effect of the catastrophe has created a wavering mind. In the midst of handling the emotional trauma, I am unable to decide on my future course of action. It’s sheer hopelessness. I seek relief in the frivolous advice freely given by others. Every word of advice creates a new tangent to the already sophisticated problem. My thoughts are running wild. Pain and a lack of clarity in thought transports me into a world of illusion, where I begin to consider the improbable. I’m torn apart.

They say that the best way to overcoming a tragedy is to live through it. I have little choice, but to live with it! With every passing moment I begin to steadily drown in a pool of ‘self created sorrow’. I simply submit myself to fate – It was probably bound to happen.

As I dwell over the unfortunate event, my mind reaches a tipping point, where it fails to absorb any further stress. I walk down the street, to sip a cup of tea. A mundane task to deviate my self-indulgent soul. As a gulp of hot tea trickles down my throat, I feel better. For once, I begin to enjoy the warmth of tea. It’s an intentional approach to deviate my shattered mind. The effect is short lived. In a few minutes I’m back to being my sulking self.

As I return home that evening, my mind is still embroiled in sketching my story of self-defeat. My mother at once unravels my state of mind. A question is all it takes, for me to shed my share of grief. We sit at length discussing the issue. She doesn’t advice, she never does. As we speak, my rational mind slowly begins to recover from deep slumber. I for once start to think. It’s encouraging and life is less painful. After a long conversation with my mother, I slowly begin to create affirmative solutions to my shattering problem. My heart still aches, but I have begun to live with it. There is a realisation that I need to deal with it. I begin to gather my scattered thoughts. An ounce of motivation from my mother and I reaffirm the belief in myself.

As I retire to bed that night, I am still hurt but geared to handle the problem. There is a sense of growing confidence, stemmed by anger. An emotional mind can also be a source of motivation. I realise that this experience has only strengthened my resolve to prove my mettle!

When the mind is shattered, feel the pain, understand your emotions and resolve to fight back.

It’s not great to feel shattered, but there are some such dark moments that may define our lives. We need to face it and emerge victorious.

I leave you behind with a quote by Confucius, The Chinese Philosopher:

“ Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”.

Arise from the dust like a phoenix and thou shall define the resilience of the human spirit!

The mind wavers. There is a specific goal and the method to achieve it is clear, yet the mind wavers because of stray thoughts that intrude my emotional soul. The human brain is funny; many a times it complicates simple matters. I have been working towards a goal. All I need to do is focus on delivering my best, yet certain unpleasant experiences of the past pervade my mind, creating an analysis of the possible results. The permutations and combinations of the possible end results are being analyzed, eliminating ‘lower risk ‘factors and creating a three dimensional possibility of the various results.

The analysis is complex. The various possibilities make life seem like hell. It seems discouraging and the world biased. You still need to survive in this biased world and achieve your goal. I begin to plan my route map of accomplishing the same, accounting for the various “expected human traits” that I would need to encounter during the course of my endeavour. The mind is now suddenly filled with inhibitions. I begin to grow insecure, considering the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. I’m suddenly low on confidence, shattered to say the least.

The same goal, the same objective, but now a deluge of frivolous emotions begin to act as deterrents in my path. I’m now a very different person, creating a world of insecurity, which never existed.

The mind many a times plays the devil’s advocate, sowing seeds of doubt. The desire to be successful in our endevour supersedes the basic principle of ‘giving your best and forgetting the rest’.

In life, we cannot control many extrinsic factors. We cannot ascertain the final result. Unpredictability is the essence of life. It adds zing and energy to an otherwise mundane life. The uncontrollable forces will continue to govern the final outcome of any endeavour.

It’s natural and human to think of various possibilities. The wavering mind can sometimes spring new ideas in life. However, when we have a goal in sight, a task at hand and a mission to accomplish, the wavering mind, needs to be ignored like it never existed.

I begin to recoup, gathering my rationale. Every outcome has a reason. I decide to give it my best and believe in the universal principle that a conscious effort always gives dividends. The wavering mind sometimes conspires to creates a garbage bin, that’s worth being dumped in no mans land.

When the mind wavers, remain calm and let the storm die an eventual death. Think about the process, positive results will follow!

He stood admiring her beauty, unmindful of the maddening crowd. His eyes remained glued to her, while she was gossiping her way to glory, amongst a bunch of girls. She was bubbly, enigmatic and filled with character. The little lumps of flesh on her rosy cheeks blossomed like a flower, each time she blushed. These were moments of ecstasy. There was an unexplainable connect he established with this feminine soul that stood across the street, waiting for the signal to turn red. He felt like he had known her for ages and had been waiting for this blissful moment all his life.

Unaware of a pair of gazing eyes, she continued to chatter breaking into an animated conversation, expressing her natural grace and mannerism, with spurts of heavenly laughter-It was the free spirit of a lively teenager. She was no means a “model figure” .She was gracefully flawed, giving character to her very existence. He remained absorbed admiring her face. The large eyeballs oscillated like a pendulum, in an effort to appease both friends who stood on either side. The subtle glances, to acknowledge their presence were like the motions of a classical dancer. She for once spoke with her eyes.

He was immersed in an ocean of fascination. He had spent all his life, amidst the choicest of cosmopolitan woman, neglecting the most coveted beauties in town without a sense of concern. They were flawless in looks, trained to the hilt in mannerism, enough to drive any young man into a nomad. Yet they had never troubled him. He would always “glance and forget”, like he had never seen them. This time around there was a magnetic power that held his thoughts, emotions and a restless body. He craved to be beside her; there was a growing impatience building up within him. Yet, he knew that they were still strangers- two human souls in a berserk city crowd.

He quickly glanced to check the timer. There were 27 seconds left. His time was limited. He cursed his luck. He had little time to rue over fate. He looked at her again, hoping to establish an eye contact. With every passing second, he seemed to be intoxicated in her beauty, when suddenly she noticed him staring at her. Typical of a woman, she looked away in disgust, in order to ward away this everyday phenomenon. He cared little. True love is void of ego and any response from her end was like feeding a parched soul with droplets of water. To him, they were gracious looks of heavenly bliss. She continued to look away aimlessly, but yet she couldn’t avoid that innocent face. He was different from all those men who had looked at her with awe and envy. She gently glanced across and he stood still captivated in admiring the “Mona Lisa”.

The signal turned red, and the impatient crowd were on the street, crossing each other’s paths as they headed to their destinations. She slowly stepped on to the street, unconsciously slowing her pace to capture those magnanimous moments. She intermittently looked into his eyes; otherwise staring at the dusty street while her friends continued their ‘never ending ‘conversation.

He remained on the footpath, unmindful of the traffic signal. He was following the signals of life-before him was the woman of his destiny. As she closed in, he gently turned his head to visualise her concealed emotions. Her face remained firm, while her heart swayed to the motions of love. He gently smiled at her, while she continued to hold back her feelings. She gave him an ‘angry look’, while in reality she was deeply engrossed in admiring his “ cute face”. Unmindful of her resistance, he stood in lonely bliss, while the crowd had crossed the street. She was only a few feet away, as she turned her back, heading to her destination. She seemed to be going farther away from him, and his heart was beating hard.

It seemed like they were being separated after ages. She continued to walk down the alley, while he stood in sheer hopelessness. The signal turned green and the vehicles sped like a bunch of cattle set free. As he glanced to have a final look of this diminishing beauty, he noticed those large eyeballs looking at him. Lumps of flesh on the cheeks slowly blossomed into a flower. It was a moment of ecstasy. Two souls spoke the language of love, as they parted ways at the traffic signal.

It was his moment of redemption. They were destined to meet; they would meet again. When two souls speak the language of love, the world is too small a place to keep them away. It was a blissful, defining moment!

Each of our lives are filled with these little blissful moments of redemption that give meaning to an otherwise mundane life.

The mind is agitated, emotions are running high. The very thought of being wronged-offended-hurt erupts an internal volcano that aggravates with time. Thoughts of politicization and distrust begin to take shape. Your angry, beyond bounds that you wish to remain aloof. It seems the world is against you and the person in question will never be forgiven. You wish to return the ‘favour’, by giving him a piece of your mind. There is a sense of insult that brews within you.

“He shall never be spared”, you convince yourself.

The very moment that you felt insulted keeps replaying in slow motion creating an ‘animated motion picture’ within your mind. It is a moment when the emotions take complete control of you. The rational half remains a mute spectator, unable to find space in an agitated mind, that it gives up without a fight.

Emotions always create expressions. Your face is somber, eyes red in anger, the tip of your ear is steaming and in a moment of insanity you express your anger on the people around you, without even realizing the consequences of your action. Every object in sight is now a tool to express your furor.

The cell phone that lies besides you seems inviting. You contemplate ‘immediate action’ to appease your agitated self.
“What does he think of me? “, you aimlessly question.

Unable to tolerate it any further, you punch in the inevitable number of the ‘offender’, the keypad bearing the brunt of your growing anger. The line is busy and nothing seems to be going your way. Frustrated with life, you bang the cell phone on the ground to see it disintegrate into parts. There is a moment of sudden silence, when the world stands still. The cell phone lies on the ground. The thought of having destroyed thousands in a flash arouses a moment of guilt. You gather the parts in a jiffy, placing the displaced battery in its rightful space. As the finger presses the “On” button, there is a moment of animated suspense, when you hope for the best. Thankfully a “welcome” pops us, relieving you of the momentary anxiety. You sigh in relief, but yet are unable to come-to-terms with the ill doing. Mixtures of emotions rule your mind. Life seems complex and unforgiving. You’re totally “switched off’ from your surroundings, like a lonely soul deserted in a dense jungle of deceit.

As you contemplate the line of action, your ‘god sent’ friend walks in. The minute you see him, you spill out your frustration, anger and disappointment at the unfortunate turn of events. Like a saint, he sits quiet, absorbing all the aggression in order to calm your senses, to appease the agitated mind. After five minutes of your discourse, he calmly replies
“Why do you bother about him? You have your own identity, thought and are the best decision maker “
The words are a morale booster. It soothes your mind.
“He speaks sense”, you tell yourself” Why care for such frivolous souls”

There is a sudden sense of complete sanity. The rational in you, slowly begins to claw its way back.

“Let’s chat over tea”, he suggests

You agree at once. With every sip of tea the senses slowly begin to function in a desired manner with the mind in an analytical mode, contemplating the next step forward. The rational steps in, providing its views for any question raised by the “not so agitated” mind. Finally you arrive at a solution to the thought that has been troubling you since long. You’re now convinced that a measured and timely reply to your ‘offender’ would be a befitting answer to the problem. Happy at having arrived at sensible solution, you for once unwind and enjoy the cool breeze blowing against your face.
Till a moment ago, life was upside down, such are the thoughts induced in an agitated mind.

When the mind is agitated, you feel offended and are upset – borrow time and express your feelings to a friend/confidant. Only react to the situation once you’re certain of your decision, because you’re judged solely by your actions.

Time is the best healer!

It was about a year ago, my friend and I were strolling down Residency road when a sparkling black Mercedes whizzed past us like a bolt of lightening.

“That’s my Car “he claimed, bringing back a cheer on his otherwise distraught face.

“Leave alone owning a Mercedes, I do not have enough to purchase a new cell phone “, I cribbed

“You may not own it, but that does not stop you from desiring to own one someday “, he claimed, “I’m working towards it “

The Mercedes Benz has always been a symbol of status. As a child I kept hearing the term “Mercedes” even before I could relate to it. I still remember the first time I saw a used Mercedes Car, owned by a friend of my aunt. It was an ancient piece of bottle green that the owner claimed to have exported from Dubai. Every time the vehicle was parked before our house, there were a group of onlookers admiring it’s elegance (this was about 2 decades ago!). Some took pride in touching the vehicle.

Now, years later, I could relate to an owners pride in showcasing his Mercedes. The vehicle was the owner’s identity –a symbol of power, style and elegance.

I could not but help appreciate my friend’s optimism. He had a bad day at work, was not in the right spirits when his dream car made a timely entry, rekindling his innate desire to own a Mercedes. Deep within him was this undying desire to achieve the unthinkable – A day when he would speed down the high street in his Mercedes Benz, to the awe of many others.

His dream to own a Mercedes was a motivation to work harder, day after day.

A disintegrated cell phone, a used two-wheeler and an empty wallet, precisely described my state. Yet, I felt he spoke sense .I was reminded of the days when I would get completely drenched in the rain while returning home on my bike. There was a growing desire to buy a four-wheeler (not a Mercedes for certain!), which was being silenced by the authoritative rational in me – “It’s improbable, your daydreaming “, it would convince me.

Today the emotional half in me countered saying “There is no harm in day dreaming “.
I for once felt momentarily happy at the thought of owning a car. The next minute was spent in visualising my future, while my friend continued to blabber of his newfound philosophy. It was that defining moment that gave birth to my Mantra of Sustenance called – “The Mercedes Phenomenon”

The Mercedes Phenomenon Rule 1: “Transform your dreams into goals”
A dream/desire is a longing for an object. When you start believing in your dreams, you begin to nurture a goal.
. The key difference between a Dream and a Goal is – “The Effort”.

An effort towards the goal helps realise your true potential. I resolved to purchase my cell phone in the next 3 months. When a goal is set, a deadline fixed and a sincere effort applied towards it – The world will conspire to see it happen .

I managed to purchase a new cell phone in instalments in the stipulated time. There was a greater sense of financial management. I never thought I would manage to pull it off with my meagre salary!

A couple of months down, the passion in me, of being a writer were growing stronger. I had been nourishing this dream for over five years. Every time I would suppress the desire till a day when I began believing in the ability to achieve my dreams- The Mercedes phenomenon had begun to work!

I did not have system (computer) or a medium to attain my needs. My dear friend offered to provide me a medium to showcase my potential, which is today a part of my life –this website www.mads4u.com ! I started using the internet cafés to send across articles and it seemed troublesome. This is when I dared to dream again and decided to buy a computer. After researching on the products available in the market, I short-listed a Lenovo laptop, which was cost efficient. Having borrowed a loan, I bought the laptop last August. For once, I cared little of the consequences or risks. I just followed my heart.

I am now systematically paying my instalments to clear the debt. Today, the website is a reality, the laptop is a means to achieve my dream of being a writer. I continue to nurture an aspiration of publishing a book one day and having my articles in different print mediums. My readers are the greatest source of inspiration. I will continue to drive the effort until I realise my goals.
Confucius, the Chinese philosopher has rightly said “It is not in never falling, but in rising every time you fall “.Obstacles are natural to any process.
Obstacles in life can curb a dream, but cannot deter you from attaining your goals. So friends, begin to believe in your dreams. I would share my insights on the other Mantras of The Mercedes Phenomenon in the days ahead. Until then, revisit your dreams that have gone astray, transform each of them into a goal , by setting realistic deadlines and yes, give it your best shot!

As of now, my dream of a four-wheeler remains merely a dream. I now set a deadline of a year (12 months), from this day to attain the same.
The goal is set, the deadline fixed, the effort to realise it has begun. The time begins now….

The mind is confused. The various permutations between a “YES” and a “NO” are being analysed. For every ‘YES’, there is a counter ‘NO’ .A war is being waged within the grey cells, an internal war called decision making. The battle is being fought between the “Rationale” and “Emotional “half in me. History has it that they have seldom agreed during a decision making process. ‘Internal Ego‘ fails to provide space for the other.

Amidst their battle, I lay wide awake at 3 in the morning, seeking a solution to my current predicament. As I restlessly turn sides in bed, I chide myself for being indecisive. I have grown old enough to take decisions, but yet have failed to say a ‘Yes ‘or a ‘No’ during the last 24 hours. With every passing minute, time seems to be running against me.

I have been an ‘advisor’ all my life. My friends have always looked up to me for solutions. I am known for giving sound advice. My track record has been impeccable. My flawless decisions were lauded. Today, when it matters most – Iam a terrible failure.

As I continue to think, life seems mysterious. The harder I think, I am further drawn into a world of ambiguity. Every second my mind seems to be swaying, the decisions varying. My blood pressure may have hit the peak. An electro-cardio graph at this moment would be doctor’s fantasy.

I ponder in thought whether the current predicament is an opportunity in disguise. The rationale within me says “Opportunity knocks only once, learn to grab it“.

The emotional half detests. “Better safe, than sorry “.

The rationale counters “Luck favours the brave”.

“My decision ought to fetch me a bravery award”, I aimlessly joke, in order to prevent further ‘infighting’ between the brain cells.

“I need rest “, I tell myself as the clock strikes 4. In a desperate move, I pull over the blanket and shut my eyes. My exhausted body, that has been bearing the brunt of a confused mind, finally overpowers the brain cells. Before I could realise, I was snoring to glory.

It’s 8 in the morning when my eyelids give in to the sunlight sneaking through windowpane. As I slip out of bed, I’m reminded of the indecisive problem. The designated time for an answer is fast approaching. I need to decide. I am left with little choice.

When the inevitable approaches, you prepare your mind for it.

“What is the worst that could happen? “, I ask myself and feel relieved that I have little to loose.

The human mind is tricky. It never gives answers without ambiguity. What seems simple and straightforward to others, is highly complicated when it comes to oneself.
Despite my evading tactics to keep the mind cool, I continue to remain nervous and confused with every passing minute.

As a last resort, I pick two pieces of paper and scribble a ‘Yes’ and a ‘No’. A draw of lots would decide my fate.

At the first instance I get a ‘No’ .

Dissatisfied I draw the lots again for a decisive result. The chit reads ‘Yes ‘.

It’s furthers my confusion that I tear the chits in frustration, abusing myself at resorting to superstition.

Unable to withstand the pressure any further, I ring my mother;

“Every decision has an outcome and learning. You will learn from your decisions “she says.” Make Your Choice”.

Life for once seems light as the fear of failure slowly dissipates into thin air. With my new found courage I finally make a decision and punch in the message “YES”. As I pressed the send button, there was a sudden silence in the ‘internal atmosphere’. The battle ground had been cleared and for once and it seemed there was never a tinge of confusion or doubt in my mind. I wondered why it took me this long to decide. Happy at having finally made a decision, I sat enjoying the warmth of the sun on a cool winter morning. Life is not so complicated after all!

When the mind is confused and you fail to decide.

“Just go with the flow and take a decision!”

Every decision has a hidden message of goodness and learning. Life is about making choices. Make your choice between a ‘Yes’ and a ‘No’, either way you will be right.

I continue to think. The more I think, I am reminded of the various commitments that slipped my mind. There is a sense of guilt, a wee bit of embarrassment of having to make up excuses and a growing frustration for procrastinating this long. Yet , I do not feeling like doing anything now . The last one hour I spent grappling with the situation, preparing my mind for the daunting tasks ahead. As I scheduled the day, it seemed like I would get little rest. That very thought was tiring. My body seemed to be calling for rest. I have been lazing around the whole weekend, still it seems that I have had little rest.

I was too preoccupied in thought, that I did little. The side effects of a thinking mind! There are so many thoughts to handle that the processor fails to compute any. The system crashes in no time.

There are days when your active and at your best. There are also days when you’re just not able to do anything. You try hard. You’re physically committed to completing the task, however with passing time you realise that you have finished only a miniscule. The more time you spend on completing the task, the greater the agitation within. At a certain point, when the mind is completely idle, you break away in anger and frustration.

“Enough is enough!”

A worried look on my face, prompts my mother to prepare a steaming cup of tea. As a gulp of hot tea, trickles down my throat, it’s refreshing. Life seems to be better.” Not all is lost “, I convince myself. The world runs on the 80-20 rule. I wish to be positive – “ 80 % of the work can happen in 20 % of the time “, I gather my stray thoughts, reorganise my mind.

“ You need to relax, let’s go outside “, says my mother. Within no time I am ready. It’s probably the break that I have been longing for. As I step out of home, I leave behind the baggage of thought that has been disturbing me. The beautiful girls, who are flaunting their beauty, are a welcome sight. While my mother is busy picking grocery from the supermarket, I stay outside aimless gazing at the beauty of life. I am engrossed in creating a caricature sketch of the bustling world, when my mother intrudes the scene. I ride back home, feeling the cool winter breeze and life is pleasant like never before.

Once back home, I do not plan any further and just get to do my work. With time, I slowly begin to complete the little tasks, one by one. Life seems less complicated. As I complete each task, there is a sense of growing confidence of accomplishing the rest. Murphy seems puzzled. “ There is nothing to go wrong, Murphy”, I retort. Murphy silently makes an exit. “ I am bound to have the last laugh “, I tell myself.

By the following evening, I had accomplished my tasks – “ All completed within time “. There was a growing sense of satisfaction and self-contentment.

When the mind is idle, you’re burdened with work and fail to accomplish your tasks – “ JUST UNWIND”, because it’s only a matter of time before all is well .

“ An idle mind is not always a devils workshop!”

Having a hair cut on a Sunday, every month, has become more of a ritual in my life .I end up lazing on the barber’s chair, while he goes about exercising his skill at trimming the overgrown locks. The typical Indian barber shop is a fascination of colour, mirror and light’s where customers step in with the hope of changing their style to “look and live” the life of a film star.

As the client eases into the chair , he finds the reflection of a stylish Amitabh Bachchan, Ranjikanth and  Shahrukh Khan  striking a heroic pose .With every stroke of hair trimmed , the client begins to feel like a “Hero in the making “ . A few pleasing words by the barber, and he obliges to a head massage. As he walks out, he is in seventh heaven, only to realise that he has overshot his budget.

The shop was unusually empty, when I walked in last Sunday, to be greeted with a broad smile from my “stylist” (I Like to give him the credit for a job well done!). He seemed to be glued to the “Supernatural powers” that manifested itself on the small screen. The jarring sound of the television serial kept me from having a word. As I settled down on the chair, I saw the reflection of a villain ( I wonder who made him a TV host ) yelling atop his voice . It was a local version of “Believe It Or Not “, where supernatural powers were curing the ailments of people. Patients with incurable diseases were being miraculous healed by an invisible power who conducted “surgeries in their dreams! “.A background music, which was conveniently copied from of a horror movie, made it intolerable.

I wanted to change the channel, but my stylist’s fascination at this new discovery kept me silent.

“Great, Isn’t it Sir?” he asked with vigour, I smiled in obligation.

“I ought to keep him happy” I told myself.

As he went about “designing” my hair, there was a characteristic knock on the glass door. A lady with her 6 year old daughter had come to drop off her husband. It is uncharacteristic to find a woman in a gent’s saloon in India. I quickly glanced to notice that her husband was blind. She instructed the barber in a jiffy, and left behind her little daughter to tend to her father’s needs. Little did she care about her surroundings, while she stepped into this “Strictly Male domain” . She had been here and done this before. It was the life of a “gritty woman shouldering her family’s responsibility”. The husband was guided to the seat beside mine, by another barber.

“Make it short “, he declared.

”You’ll look funny, if you cut it short”, his daughter quipped.

” No, trim it short”, he confirmed.

For a man without eyesight, style was “visionary “. The very thought of visiting a saloon troubled him. He was unusually composed and directed his daughter to be seated, as she browsed through the latest edition of ‘Femina’, unmindful of its glamorous content.

“How is the business doing?” he asked, to keep the barber engaged. He had certainly mastered the art of surviving with his disability. The annoying sound of the television continued to play like the background music at a pub. I had begun to dose off when my stylist gentle moved my head sideward’s in order to wake me from my mid-afternoon siesta.

Ten minutes later , I sat up examining my stylist’s ‘ artistic excellence ‘ , as he gave the finishing touches to my formidable head , when I was startled by the poser

“Which is that place?”

It was the blind man. The barber dazed at the question, kept staring at me.

“Which is that place on television, where they cure diseases”, he reiterated, in an anxious tone.

“Oh Sir, you should surely go there “replied my barber in excitement, not providing him an answer.

Suddenly all men (and the little girl) at the shop were glued to the television, seeking an answer to the elusive question-“Which is that Place?” There was a sense of indefinable excitement in the air.

I sat staring at the man, in astonishment. His last 10 minutes at the barber’s chair were spent in carefully assimilating every detail of the “Supernatural powers that healed incurable diseases”.

A television program which was immaterial and nonsensical to me fascinated my barber and ignited the spark of hope in a blind man’s life. Such were the strange ways of life!

The very thought of seeing his loving daughter and wife, was a source of inspiration to keep him glued to the jarring noise of television.

“Yes, I got it. It’s RAMNAGAR TALUK, CLOSE TO MANDYA”, he declared with pride as I walked out of the barber shop, the little girl smiling at me.

It was certainly a life of hope.

Hope of a better tomorrow, hope of a little miracle, hope of seeing the “Real” world!