Definition

To know who you are. To know every fine line where you end and begin, is important. Because if you meet life without a clear idea of who you are, you cant shape it. Its like painting on water, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to paint, otherwise it becomes one big grey mess. While you are defining yourself, make sure its independent of anything that you can touch or see. Independent of beauty as it will fade. Independent of what you do, as it will change. Independent of who you are with, because they will go. Independent of events, because they may or may not happen. Independent of your body's strength, as time will rob you of it. Define yourself on something that time, people, destiny  cant take away from you.

Your definition should be independent, as independent as you want to be. I keep seeing everyone around me, wanting life to fall into a pattern. A successful job, money, marriage, a house, a car, kids, successful kids, grand kids. If any or all of these things don't fall into place, we lose our identity. Who are we if one of these things take a miss step, suddenly our life doesn't seem to matter. Our past, present and future are irrelevant because of a list of events. The fact that we are alive doesn't seem to matter because of a list. Who made this list and this list keeps changing. The concept of marriage didn't exist in the stone age. It didn't matter if your kids were successful during the great depression, everyone was just happy to survive. It didn't matter if you didn't own a house during times of slavery, all people wanted was their freedom. Don't define yourself based on anything you can see or touch. Define yourself on something only you can feel and believe in. Don't put a value on your existence, because you cant and it is not something that was meant to be valued. There is no market for it and it cant be summed up in a few numbers or a few lines. Even great men have flaws, even flawed men have great times. Just know who you are, not your value, just who you are.

Love on streets of mumbai

I remember being stuck in a traffic jam on my way to office. There are eight traffic lights, which I counted one day, as I found it odd that I was getting super tense every morning. On this particular day, while I helplessly looked at the red coloured light, which turns green for 30 seconds and remains red for 2 mins or sometimes even longer. I saw this couple on a bike, the guy was riding the bike and the female was sitting behind him. She seemed lost in her world, I guess the heat must have got to her. But every few seconds with a blank expression on her face, she would gently put her chin down on his shoulder, oblivious to the profound effect of happiness it produced on his face. Every time she rested her chin on his shoulder, his mouth would break open into a smile. She would then lift her chin up and his smile would subside, chin down, smile back.

Another day on the same crossing waiting for the fabled but hardly ever seen green light, another couple were on a bike. The female got off and crossed the road. The guy didn't take his eyes off until she was safely on the otherside. She then would keep turning back to say bye and his eyes were always there to meet hers.

Is it the traffic jam or I think bikes are more romantic means of travel. The great thing is doesn't matter how hot it is, the exhaust fumes, the tarmac road radiating heat, the noisy honks, love always finds a way to make life a little soft.