Of sprints and leaps

I remember Junior School Sport's Days with great alacrity. The sack races, the sprints and the march pasts. Every left-right-left resounds in my heart with the same verve as it did a little more than a decade ago. I used to like the relay race, with the baton being hurriedly passed and the go-go-go being yelled as if it was a medical emergency! For one, it was the only thing wherein I wasn't singly blamed in case of a disappointment. But as far as I recall, we used to be good at it- as a team. I wondered why, of all the things in the world, running enticed me then. And maybe somewhere down the line, I found my answer.

Running is inherent to human nature.

You run to catch the train, you run to run away from your fears, and you run in order to achieve what you set out for. Sometimes, it tires you out and you really wonder whether it was worth the effort. More often than not, it isn't.

We are a bunch of sensible people, living in a nonsensical world. And because of this blaring irony, we learn to run. Run to change, run to accept, and run to accede.

It's not life until you've run your part. Don't worry how far you can go, it's never going to be far enough! But run, not because you have to, but because we are humans at the end of the day.

And THAT, is closure.

Once upon a time lived Tom;
And then there was Jerry,
Tom never missed a chance;
To make Jerry dance
To his tune.

One fine morrow;
Jerry had enough,
For he left the show;
And Tom had no role to essay.

Tom's beseech for Jerry's return,
Was met by a cold distant stern.
"For all my misery, I still haven't complained;
To the King of our Kingdom Animilia."

Tom, aghast, stood with a bent;
Patted Jerry and left in silence.
Jerry called out, and wished him well.
And that, folks!, is closure!

Cause and Belief

Idealism is very personal. A sense of right- and wrong- is dependent on how one seems to strike a balance in life. For me, there are no shades of grey. Either you are spartan white, or trojan black. It is rather unfair, and at times I do feel I should give myself the benefit of doubt, but it is an arduous task to change one's perception after so long. No wonder children are the spartan white. They bear no malice, show little displeasure. For children, hurt is expressed in tears and happiness in uncontrollable laughter. How I wish we could be back there, again.

When does one feel wronged? Can you feel cheated by only a person? Isn't the system worthy of blame as well? It is inherent in human nature to take the badgering, not to utter a word in protest.

I'd rather not take on something out of my league. Does it really matter?

Does anything really matter? Does it matter that you may be the most admired person in the room? Or maybe the most despised? No, nothing really matters.

Then why does one feel cheated, humiliated and disrespected when meted with an unfair treatment? What is fair in this not-so-fair community? Some questions do not have answers. And maybe they are best unanswered.

When you see the tallest person in the room walk with a slight bent- hunched, a recent development- you realise life takes it's toll on everyone. And maybe all the teaching of being true to yourself are not actually possible in this non-utopian setup. There are certain values that everyone takes along with them, and many times these values get modified to suit one's convenience. If you are able to modify yourself according to your principles, you are a winner. Respect, unbound!

When does a parent become a child? The transition is very subtle, yet very sudden. The reversal of roles is a beautiful phenomenon of the world- a true example of symbiotic existence. You may lose touch with some, but the bond seldom decapitates. And that is how you take them along- in mind and in heart.

Believe in something, and hold your ground. Live for a cause, and make it happen. You don't want to look back at some point in time, and grimace. A smile of satisfaction goes a long way in making history, and after all, it is his story that we read ever so often.

Of food, and home!

I wonder who coined the term 'Holidays'. Conditioning makes us believe that these 'holy'days give everyone an opportunity to relax, sleep that tad bit longer, do that wee bit less. Sometimes, and I speak on behalf of inherently listless brethren, these vacations seem to pass in a jiffy. Snap, and gone.

Wait, What?! Oh, okay!

Everyone looks forward to breaks- long and short. It is impossible to keep on going, tirelessly and determined, at a stretch beyond a point in time. You need to refuel yourself, maybe gulp down some water and eat some morsels of food, and get back on track. That makes me realise the importance of food. There was a time when people ate to live, and then they lived to eat. Now, people live and don't eat. Fads, tsk.

I used to be a couch-potato. School, food, home, food, television, food, sleep. And Cartoon Network of the yore used to be my favourite. It used to be quite informative as well, you see! In one of those programs, I heard and vividly recall, "The only way to get rid of your broccoli is to eat 'em!" How true!

To be able to vanquish your worst fears, face them. You can take the easier route- skirt the issue, take the simpler path- but where does that lead you? To a bigger version of your fears. That's the irony of existence. You run away from your fears, only to be faced by them yet again, in a more vicious form.

Well, my only fear right now is how to finish the food on my plate. The lady of the house seems to crowd the dishes with servings after another of ghar ka khana, and it seems to be filling me up, and out. If I don't finish this, I wonder what would be in store for me for the next meal. The Last Supper, eh?! You bet ya!

So, I'd rather gobble along now. I have to seek inspiration from Man Vs. Food, and oh boi! Does that bugger have an appetite?! Respect.