Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The paradox of rich and poor...

Today is Diwali - the most important festival of Hindus; the festival in which we pray to Goddess Lakshmi to bestow us with happiness and prosperity. And, I am one of those few fortunate people, who have their parents to ensure that all the world's happiness - the one I deserve and the one which I do not - is all mine. To celebrate Diwali with some street food I went out around 9:00 pm with a thought in the mind that we might not get much food due to early closing of shops. To my happiness, I found BTW open. I jumped out of the car and ordered food; telling mom and papa that we are fortunate enough that a decent eating outlet is open. However, while collecting my Rawa Dosa and Aaloo Tikki from them, I realized that I was taking food from some really sad people. Then, I thought, that they, like me, would have desired to celebrate Diwali with their kids, their family. That it was almost 10 pm, the time by which they should have reached home, had their dinner and should have been spending beautiful time with their family. While taking the bite of delicious tikki and dosa, I felt if I was being selfish, if I was taking advantage of belonging to so called "better off" family, if it was "my" society, if I would also become selfish when I become a full-fledged part of the corporate world.....

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

When I was a child.....

When I was a child, I always thought good people were respected

When I grew up a little, I thought intelligent people were respected,

When I grew up a little more, I thought smart people were respected,

When I grew up still some more, I thought rich people were respected,

It has now turned out that people aren’t respected, it’s just money

Some more money, and yet some more of it.



When I was a child, I always thought innocent people were loved,

When I grew up a little, I thought hard working people were loved,

When I grew up a little more, I thought sincere people were loved,

When I grew up still some more, I thought people at high position were loved,

It has now turned out that people aren’t respected, it’s just power

Some more power, and yet some more of it.



When I was a child, I always thought life was all about my chocolates and butterscotch,

When I grew up a little, I thought life was about my dreams and desires,

When I grew up a little more, I thought life was about happiness of my loved ones,

When I grew up still some more, I thought life was about uprightness and his blessings,

It has now turned out that there are some, for whom, life is but a choice between survival and survival.



When I was a child, I always thought, I could be innocent forever,

When I grew up a little, I thought, I could be good forever,

When I grew up a little more, I thought, I could be honest forever,

When I grew some more, I thought, I could be ethical forever,

It has now turned out that, it is, but a choice between being bad and pretending to be good.



When I was a child, I always thought I was free,

When I grew up a little, I thought my senses were bound by my childlike wishes,

When I grew up a little more, I thought my heart was bound by love,

When I grew some more, I thought my mind was bound by respect,

It has now turned out that my soul is forged with the chains of selfishness, greed, wants and desires.