Wednesday, May 26, 2010

MY MEET WITH MY MIRROR


I turned to that mirror, hanging in my room
He smiled as i peeped deeper into his eyes
And as i saw it i realised, he had some tears
Some pearls he was trying to hide from me,
But i was as naughty as i was when young
I stared on and on and stopped beside him

Upon seeing my questioning eye, he smiled
He smiled as broad as he could, to tell me he was happy
But i could see the hollowness of his smile,
The smile that did not comfort me, i asked him
Not if he was sad or not but
What made him sad?

He said, Oh my dear friend, you do not have time
You do not have energy, enough to waste listening my blabber
Ensuring him, i would lend all me ears to him
That he might fret speaking, but i shall not while listening

Finally i had convinced him, and happy i was
He said, he would ask me three questions,
And i without doubt affirmed to answer them
Yes, i would answer all his questions

He said, “ Are you deaf? “
Dumbstruck i was to listen, but holding myself i told him
Contemptuously i said “ Do you think i could listen to you, had i been deaf?
I had thought you were wise.
But i forgot, after all you were that tiny piece of glass
That glass which has no common sense.”
He said again “ I ask you again, are you deaf ?”
Laughing at my foolish companion, i thought
He was dumb enough to understand anything but this way
And i said “No”

His face grew sad, he said, “ Okay, but i give you another chance.
Is this your final thought?”
Red with anger, feeling insulted i stood up and shouted
“Yes, yes! I can hear you. I can understand what you say”
He smiled and said “ No, i just wondered,
why you cannot listen some things then.”
Anxious i grew, i asked him “ Oh you tiny mirror, i can listen every word.
Tell me what i cannot listen”

His smile grew broader and he said “ You deaf, you cannot listen your soul’s voice
You cannot listen your heart’s deepest desire
You cannot hear those cries of millions out there. “
Shattered my proud was, my ear diagnosis had failed
I stooped with sadness, calm, thinking what to say.

He then said,” Okay, would you like to answer my next question?”
Nodding my head silently, i affirmed
He said,” Can you see ?”
I kept wondering, and realised, i had the proof
Forgetting quickly what happened earlier, i ran to my almirah
And came with those white papers and said
“Hey you, you think i’ll remain calm after answering one question wrong?
See, see these reports, that say, my eyes are healthy
And that i can read, yes i can read those tiniest of letters between the lines
Those letters, that you cannot reflect”

Mirror smiled, and said” Oh really? Then my dear wise friend
How did you ignore those sad eyes of that little boy
Yes, that little boy who collects the garbage for you everyday?
How could you not see the despair of that old lady,
Who works at you place, cleans your room and washes your clothes?
How could you see the injustice happening to that
That waiter who served you your favourite meal?”
I sat down in despair, realising i was ignoring all that
Because that had not happened to me, i thought it was not painful.

Worried mirror to see his loved one sad
Said to me , “Oh let’s leave it here.
We’ll talk some other time.
Don’t you have to recite your chants?
Don’t you have to do your work?”
Sadly i said,” No, ask me your next question i plea”

He said, “ Okay, tell me, are you dumb?”
The devil of ego rose again, and i said in my adamant way
“Ofcourse not, i can speak for hours.
The most talkative of all my friends i was”

Smiling at my ignorance, he said
“Why did you remain silent when that little poor child
He was being beaten by that trader?”
My face grew pale with shame
“Why did you not speak when your vices
Were tying those fetters of greed and selfishness around you?”

Tears trickled through my eyes, and
I sat hopeless, unhappy, self-rejected
I suddenly heard a breaking sound
It was my mirror, broken
All those thousand pieces still showing me my true picture
My inner self, not just once,
A thousand times, my inner self,
Broken like that mirror, broken with
My own selfishness, my own ignorance
My complacency, my dishonesty.

Monday, May 24, 2010

CARRY IT FORWARD.......

Our parents, friends and mentor, they always help us, unquestionable fact, but sometimes, people we don't even know nicely, they offer a helping hand in the crisis situation. I can recollect an incident when we were three, i, my father and my brother and our car ran out of petrol 1 am in the morning. And my father tried fixing it up, but somehow failed to do that. My brother stopped an auto travelling in the parallel lane, opposite side. To my surprise, he stopped, leaving his passenger sitting in the auto, he crossed the road and came towards us. He fixed the petrol pipe diligently for thirty-thirty five mins, and lended us a bottle of petrol. On being asked indirectly by my father, if he would want anything in return of that, he just politely declined and went away. And i learnt an important lesson, the only way to thank such people is, to stop for someone else, just as he did for us, when someone needs our help! Yes, the only way to express your gratitude for all those who love you, who care for you and help you is to love, to care for and to help others, just as they do it for you.