Dream of a Dreamer....

My favorite pass time...or I think it will be correct to say it is the favorite pass time of every human. These dreams may range from a small toy for a kid to moving up the ladder of corporate life for people like me. No matter the size or the audacity of dreams, dreams are plenty. No matter the age or financial status of the person, dreams are plenty.
 

But how many of us really understand how much important is to achieve one's dream?

A few days ago while crossing a busy road signal I saw a beggar looking at a food stall with those teary yet dreamy eyes. While passing by, he begged for alms from me and I showing my so called generosity dropped a Re 1 coin. I saw him turn back to the stall with those same eyes and, might be, dreaming to garner enough alms to buy him something to eat. Such a big dream for him...but for me...just a beggar...

I moved further, and met a friend of mine. He was going through those MBA related journals and I again saw a dreamy pair of eyes. Dreaming of making a mark in this corporate jungle. With a MBA degree he aspired to earn a salary which could be a source of envy for many (including me) and buy all the luxuries one could ever imagine in life. His dream was somewhat in competition with thousands others. After all CAT is the most favored flavor among young Turks like us...

I reached office and met my senior colleagues (in short I am the junior most member in my project). As was expected, it turned out to be just another hectic day in office. There I again saw a much known pair of ambitious eyes. They were dreaming and not only that, they were dreaming big. Standing on 15th floor I was watching my own self in the reflection of glass window. This time they turned out to be MY pair of eyes. Misty, yet clear enough to see the world. Scared yet audacious enough to achieve heights never touched before. I quickly moved away from the window fearing someone may see my ambitious eyes. I feared loathing by my seniors...a junior thinking of making big might not be liked by many...who knows...

I searched a few blogs and read about tireless competition within corporate biggies and people dreaming of making to the big league. I thought for a second how is my dream different from others. How can my dream be a hindrance to someone's dream that there is an overall competition between me and my peers? My question was answered by none other than my Team Lead who just said that the moment we start moving northwards, the place to accommodate people starts shrinking. So much so that at the zenith there turns out to be place for only ONE. The Luckiest One. The Smartest One. Whatever may be the adjective used , but the place can accommodate only ONE. The answer was so simply put forward that I was taken aback. My Team Lead so fundu…whatever....

As it turned out, I never ever have aspired to move eastward or westward. My only dream is to move NORTHWARD. There are more than million pairs of eyes each having some or the other dreams to be achieved. Out of those million pairs there are many pairs who are destined to clash with the dreams of my eyes. These eyes are ready to crush my dreams with brutality which may even shame Brute. I won’t like my dreams to be crushed. So the only way out is, crush theirs. Here I may also sound similarly brutal and shameless but is there really a way out for peaceful co-existence.

There might even be few eyes sharing the same goal as I do. Friendly and pacifying. But far and few. Those comforting eyes seeing whom one relishes the joy of living in these trying times. Those eyes whose intention is to be around you to see you grow achieve everything imaginable. Many a times we are lucky to get them right at the start of the journey. Many have to slug out entire life to find those pair of eyes.

But the truth remains the same. Whatever you do, whatever you achieve, whatever you try should always be aimed towards achieving ones dream. Be brutal to the hilt because no one’s going to be sympathetic towards you either. Rather than beg for the survival of your dreams, let other's dream beg from you for their survival. Go all out in achieving your dreams. Be ruthless. After all they are a part of u. An integral part. Never ever allow anyone to make fun of your dreams. Be it personal or professional. I never know what I am going to do when I achieve my dreams. May be start dreaming something bigger. Or may be pacify someone's dream. Who knows...

After all what is dream...Khwaab wahi hai jo kabhi sone na de....humesha jaga ke rakhe....jab tak woh pura na ho jaaye....

Madness.....

पागलपन क्या है ???

मरते मारते इस जहाँ में ट्रिगेर पर ऊँगली रख कर किसी इंसान को दो पल में मुर्दा बना देने का एहसास या फिर किसी से इस तरह बेंतेहान प्यार करना की उसके बिना जीने की ख्वाहिश ही न होने का एहसास?

पागलपन क्या है??

नफरत से भरी इस दुनिया में किसी को बेमतलब बेईज्ज़त करने का एहसास या फिर प्यार से देखती उस एक नज़र को धुत्कारने का एहसास?

ऊपर वाले के बनाये इस धरती को जन्नत बनाने की फ़िराक में पल पल दोझ्क बनाने को पागलपन कहते हैं की जात पात और मज़हब के नाम पर दो दिलों को बाँट देने को पागलपन कहते हैं? दूसरों के मूह से निवाला छीन लेने को पागलपन कहते हैं की घर आये उस जरूरतमंद को डांट के भगा देने को पागलपन कहते हैं ?

पागलपन क्या है??

पागलपन एक एहसास है जो किसी की जान बचाने के लिए बन्दूक की नली के सामने खरे हो जाने पर आता है. यह एक वोह एहसास है जो किसी के चले जाने के बाद उसके खुशियों के लिए दुआ मांगने में आता है. ज़ात पात तो बहुत कर लिया अब दो दिलों को जोरने के हसास को पागलपन कहते हैं. किसी चेहरे को खुशियों से सुर्ख कर देने के एहसास को पागलपन कहते हैं और खुद भूके रह कर भी किसी भूके को तृप्त करने को पागलपन कहते हैं. ज़िन्दगी में हर ख़ुशी मिल जाए तो जीने का क्या मज़ा है. ज़िन्दगी जीने के लिए उस एक कमी को खोजने के एहसास को पागलपन कहते हैं. आँखों से बह चले उस आँशु की धार को पोछ लेने के एहसास को पागलपन कहते हैं न की उस आँशु का कारण बनने को. बिना किसी रोक टोक बहती हवाओं के गोद में बहते चले जाने को पागलपन कहते हैं न की उस बहती हवा को अपने मुट्ठी में क़ैद करने के कवायत को.

और लोग मुझे पागल कहते हैं. में हँसता हूँ और हँसते हँसते रो देता हूँ और लोग मुझे पागल कहते हैं. दिल टूट जाने पर भी बिना चेहरे पर दर्द का एक शिकन लाये आगे बढ़ता हूँ फिर भी लोग मुझे पागल कहते हैं. और आगे क्या कहूँ लोग मुझे पागल कहते हैं और इस दुनिया में पागल की सुनता कौन है?

The Darkness Within....

It was never about the words written in the book of conscience. Never about the words spoken and left in the cold. It was always about the words that never found the way to the vocal cords. Those which no one could hear even though they shouted with their dumb chords. It was always about the thoughts that grew and got nurtured in the darkest alleys of my inner soul, for that is the true place where it always belonged. They were splendid till the point I mixed them with my analytical self. And now they are all corrupt and totally bereft. They are worldly and equally pathetic. They were meant for the divinity and now they reside with the satan of my very materialistic desires. The goths knew the ways out of the treacherous hell yet they were quiet as they never were my ally. Or I thought so. I wandered with the group of my gypsy thoughts. I could see the light yet I am confused whether to go in the direction from which its coming or shun it. My eyes are adept to the darkness. The faint light might burn the dark pleasures of my desires. They may force me to the reality for I truly fear it. My hands are held by the Satan himself. It was me who chose the apple of materialistic desires when I was still happy basking in the sun of my metaphysical self. And now, the cost of the apple needs to be paid in full measure. The Eden which always existed in my dreams is the cost and come what may, I will have to pay the price. The earth of pain and toil awaits me. Its hands are stretched to the maximum to recieve me. I never saw any one so happy for others. For this is the place where I am destined to pay my penance. For this is the place where I will meet the peril of my life. This is the place where I am destined to rise again. And who knows I may not ever fall again.

My Date with The God...

...I was waiting for my date with the God when someone informed me that this might take a little more time. He informed me that due to prior commitments of the God he has to postpone my visit by sometime. I was relaxed yet not very happy with this development as having a busy schedule myself I had taken a lot of pain to visit my source of spirituality. To add salt to my already wounded ego God didn’t have time for me for next 20 years and my flight back home stood delayed for an hour. Nonetheless I was also happy at the same time because this had provided me a welcome respite from my hectic schedule. Though I was fuming with rage as I had lot of business to look into...

My schedule was cut short a day before when this fella showed up at my office requesting my audience. I was busy running through my daily office chores and had just taken out few moments to talk to this guy. Talk would be a certain understatement as I was to show my generosity to this guy and didn't want him to go back empty handed after all what he asked was a few minutes with me.

The guy insisted me to meet God. I interrupted him in between. Did he just say God? I said I didn’t show such grandeur of my nobleness to him just to be mocked upon in return. He was drop dead serious but. He still insisted himself to be an advisor with God and had come to me with an invitation from God. I was like ohh shit...look I have a guy right in front of me requesting me to meet God. Aren't the deads the one who go that way? I pinched myself just to feel the pain or rather confirm my mortal existence which was put to doubt by this humble gentleman. Not once this messenger's presence in my room a frightening experience. I was in a way more at ease with myself with him around. I started becoming greedy and just to make him stay a little longer started conversing with him. I asked him questions and he answered them which such élan that it made me realise the person indeed was a real angel. The serene smile on his face was refreshing and out of the world.

Our conversations ranged from my professional life to personal ones. He listened to my professional ambitions and advised on ways to achieve them without jeopardising the calmness of my life. He listened on how scared I was with new changes in life. How much I feared failures. Although everyone says Failures are pillars to success. But how many of us want to build those pillars? He also gave equal audience to my personal grievances and trust me this was the first time I confided with someone on such issues. I told him how hurt I was when things didn’t move the way I wanted. I also told him how much I wanted love in my life. How tiresome is the journey alone without any shoulders to bend over on. How much alone it felt to be at a place so known and familiar and yet not have anyone to confide to.

He listened to all of these and in a calming style said such soothing words that the frivolous momentary unrest within my heart vaporized in thin air. I realised I just had been completely complaining about life and its brutality to a person so unfamiliar just an hour before and so familiar an hour later. The personification of God himself made me accept his invitation for a quick trip to and fro from HEAVEN. Actually I was greedy too. I also wanted to be at a place which people wanted to be after they were dead. I was happy at the prospect of being the first human to make it alive there. Or is it?

I accepted the offer and bid the guy adieu and that’s when something hit my not so much religiously tilted mind about the bait of killing me. Shit man...This man had given an invitation of my own funeral and I had graciously accepted it. Had my time finally arrived? I was scheduled to die the very next day. Whom should I tell this? I bitched my own self for accepting the invitation to my own death. I went into denial. You people will relate denial as one of the stages one faces in case of a tragedy. I asked my PA about the guy. Had he left any visiting card or any contact or anything worth significance to save my life? I was taken by the magnitude of price I was going to pay for my extravagance in heaven. Rather than living my night peacefully I cried the entire night in front of pictures of my parents, my friends and all those who mattered to me. After all I had so many plans for spending the rest of my life visiting the beautiful places with my loved one. After all I was in love with someone whom I hadn’t expressed my feelings. How can I die without her knowing that I loved her so much so that even moments into death it was only her beautiful face that I carried with myself? How could I screw so much so easily? I couldn’t sleep and was so swollen and choked from inside that meeting God lost its significance and ways to save my existence gained precedence. After entire night sleepless I entered the acceptance stage reconciling myself to my DEATH.

With the first ray of sunlight I heard the call bell at my door. It sent shivers down my spine and believe me within the space of that very moment the feeling of dying swayed across my mind and I died millions of deaths. Just in few moments millions of death. A very bad deal for a business minded manager like me. After being young and vibrant all these years I deserved to die once and that too after 35 or 40 years. I thought of striking the deal off and reverting back on my promise to visit God. But God only knows what hit me... I turned back to take a full view of my home. My parents’ picture. Her picture. I heaved noisily. I shuddered on my way to heaven. During the entire way to heaven my mind was stuck in one single place. My home. On few faces. My parents smiling at me. She longing for me. All through my way I also tried thinking hard of ways to ward off gullible like me out there against such tempting yet life ending chances. But I couldn’t say a word. Not a word.
The way to heaven was very beautiful. After all such temptations are very alluring at start but the end results are very disastrous. To be truthful I couldn’t enjoy a bit my journey. Well how come I was going to enjoy the journey when I was pretty sure I wasn’t coming back. Arriving at the Golden gate I was pretty sore although the calmness up there was assuring and alluring as well. Well even Adam was tempted by prospect of having an apple and committed sin of offending God. I was also unable to ward off the temptation of visiting heaven and here I stood right in front of it .Paying for my sin. I was made to wait in a waiting area and given a mug of coffee and few magazines. I saw many people around chatting and nervous. I felt pity for them. Poor souls. After all they were also tempted into their deaths. One by one people went inside a terracotta door, me supposing it to be God’s study room .I sat down and in my mind started calculating all the good deeds I had done in last few years of my life .I supposed God would me asking them and being a smart manager I wanted my answers to be ready well before the presentation. Trust me I tried a lot but I was left with very few good deeds on me. 29 yrs of existence and only few good deeds to count. Was I living or was I dead already down there on earth. I started praying to myself. Just few more years to make some amends in my life, just few more years when I could live for others and not for myself only. Few more years to bring smile to those needy one’s. Few more years to tell my parents how much I love them. Just few more years. Just few more years...

Then there was an announcement stating that the days schedule has been postponed owing to lack of time. I looked around with desperations in air. I was so mighty pleased at this momentous announcement. Seeing many others I also acted being really disappointed as after all I was looking forward to his audience. I was waiting for my date with the God when someone informed me that this might take a little more time. He informed me that due to prior commitments of the God he has to postpone my visit by sometime. I was relaxed yet was acting not very happy with this development as having a busy schedule myself I had taken a lot of pain to visit my source of spirituality. To add salt to my already wounded ego God didn’t have time for me for next 20 years and my flight back home stood delayed for an hour. Nonetheless I was also happy at the same time because this had provided me a welcome respite from my hectic schedule.

Truth is I was thankful to God for listening to my prayers and giving me those few years of purposeful living rather than just living. I was so pleased to be at home and was relaxed. Deep down the heart I promised myself never to fall for such allures but one thing definitely was for sure. My reincarnation would for sure help many others bringing them smiles. Loads of them. And God for once you could trust me on this. No shit.

Love Story of A Best Frend...

“I Love You”, said a guy to one of his friend. Of course a girl. I never have ever thought about you more than just friendship was the reply from the girl. We are better as good friends so why make it more complicated. And more over we are best friends, so let us be like that.Well, I really like the way a girl says that. But its just a personal opinion.

The guy was taken aback because the response was totally 180 degree opposite to what he expected. He couldn’t say anything and just went to RCA(read root cause analysis) of the whole situation. I would certainly beg people to pardon my office jargons. I hate them but use them quite often.Back to the story, my friend tried to figure out where the feeling of friendship got replaced by the more sinister feeling of love. All the events in his life started to flashback as the pages of history book were ruffled up. They had met as complete strangers. Just a few years back only they had met after all. No response to the query of a single event that brought them together. But yup, things were so beautiful after they had met, for the guy, that he always longed to meet her. Not one single opportunity was left out. One thing led to the other. He always yearned to meet her. Talk to her. Win her confidence, faith and trust. It was growing unbearable for him to contain his love for her in his heart. The mortality rate of expressing one’s feeling was quite high going by the second hand experiences of the guy as he had seen manier friendships wasted completely and people behaving like strangers for the rest of their lives. Our hero was also apprehensive at the possibility of meeting the same fate. After all she was one girl he had liked so very much. What to do was the biggest of all questions. His mind was going crazy. The work place was driving him nuts and the feeling within him was crippling the inner system. He had to come up with a disaster recovery plan. And come up with that real fast. And then he took some advices from his friends and guess wat, it further complicated the situation.

So ultimately after weighing all the pros and cons of expressing his feeling, he came to a conclusion. He thought rather than be a mute spectator to the entire saga and to crib for the rest of life for not being able to express his love, its better to be a martyr, if required. He decided to say the three most important words of his life to one of his best friend. After all not being from a rich family, he only had words to win over her. He only had words to take her heart away. Oh I must have had forgotten to point out that the guy was a simple not so very handsome guy who could sway away any gal off her feet, although he always aspired to be one.

He finally decided a D-day for his project delivery. The deliverables were well prepared so as to avoid any last minute changes. He gathered all his courage and at least expecting a patient hearing called up the girl to come to their favorite meeting place. He came and without preparing any background expressed his feeling.

“I Love You”, said the guy.

Guys he was turned down. No explanations were rendered. But the brazen fact stated coldly were that he was turned down. No explanations what so ever from any of the party. The guy could just ask only this much that would they be friends atleast even after this fiasco. The answer was positive but I really doubted that. The fact is after such incidents when the results are not favorable the distances start to grow. Each one or both avoid meeting and the distances grow so much that even words become impotent to fulfill the void. Even the girl could have been right in taking such decision. No one knows that. The girl might well be in love with some other guy. She might be waiting for a prince handsome, who knows. She had equal right to say no as much as to say yes. But guys I am writing on behalf of my friend so I have to support him. I’ll have to be biased in his favor. After all why friends like me are for????

God of what material are those guys made who once say I love you to a girl and they both get together for the rest of their lives. If not for life, then at least for a couple of years. What happened to my friend afterwards is another story worth writing on later on but he was really shattered and promised never to make best friends again. And if at all make friends then never love them. After all once bitten twice shy.

Struggle to be Ordinary...

I have heard a lot of buzz about extraordinary feats, extraordinary people. I have also known a couple of people who are working hard to attain the feat of extraordinaire. But yesterday I saw the struggle for being ordinary. I was waiting in this park for my friend. Listening to music and hardly caring for the hullabaloo around. After all it was election time in Kolkata. Lots of thing happening around...the discussions...but there I was sitting and just listening to music seeing the sky and the trees and of course waiting for her. I had a good half an hour of time and nothing to do but lazy around. I saw children playing with their parents around encouraging them. I saw old people walking and doing yoga.
But what could not elude my eyes was the struggle of a boy to keep pace with his friends. At first glance I didn’t notice anything ‘cuz I was too busy enjoying myself and a pleasant weather around. But suddenly I saw the whole bunch of children rallying around encouraging the guy who was struggling to match one of his own species in terms of pace. This is when I put down my headphone and looked with great curiosity as to what was going about there. That is when I saw the boy in crutches. I was taken aback. Such little tender soul yet so huge tragedy pierced through his soul. Such a gentle face yet so huge pain written all over it. I just walked up straight to the place where these children were playing and started pondering on the state of the child. At first I took pity on state of impairment for such beautiful soul. But the very second though that crossed my mind was why should I have such pitiful feeling for him. Here he is enjoying his life with his friends. Although he is not able to keep pace with them, yet he is trying hard. Although he is not able to keep pace with them, yet they are waiting for him to make up. His parents were not far away from him encouraging him for the slightest of effort put forward to resurrect his already fledgling footsteps. They were all smiles yet I know deep down in their heart they were very much worried with what future held in store for their kid. For that kid.
Although I was preparing myself to leave that place I did take a long glance at the kid. I knew he would be ready to face the world once he was required to. The same bunch of encouraging children around him will be replaced by a bunch of success hungry maggots that would never ever care for him. But I was sure he would overcome their devilish imprudence with élan. He might be surrounded with people who might despise him and never ever care for his feelings in future but always he will find much tender hearted soul who would help him, if he requires. The innocence written all over his face might be lost to time trying to position himself for future endeavours. But this innocent face will always be etched in my memory for I, till date, have never seen such pristine smile at the face of cruel fate. For I, till date, have never seen such struggle to be ordinary.

Vitality of Life....

I had this friend of mine sending me a message. It read, “Far away in the deep jungles of Africa, every morning wakes a lion who knows it has to outrun the slowest gazelle to survive the day. Every morning in Africa, wakes a gazelle who knows it has to outrun the fastest lion to live through to see another morning.” How ironic for the species. But hey, they are just animals but for humans like us this has a far deeper and greater message. Fight and survive. Be timid and perish.
Now comes the ironical part. The very same day incidentally another great friend of mine sent me an article requesting the intended audience to live life at a pace that one is able to enjoy it. Her article was basically the one which taking an example of Swedish people tried to pass a message requesting for qualitative life rather than quantitative and materialistic one. For reference I have attached the article on the blog.

Now I was really in a fix. I was taken aback by the diversity of thinking among my friends. No two people think common is a known verse to me but such antagonistic thinking served on my platter was really difficult to gulp down. Going by my nature I always ponder for a while on such thought provoking mails and messages. And given the fact that I was sick and off office gave me an immense (read unwelcome) opportunity to ponder on such literary piece. I know i might sound quite vella out here but chalta hai yaar...once in a while you should always sit down in a corner, have a cup of coffee and ponder for a while. It just acts like a breath of fresh air in our so called corporate driven lifestyle.
My thoughts here might be totally contradictory to each other. Even I always have wanted myself to be part of qualitative and healthy living, although the thought process might be completely Utopian. The one most publicized by the Art of Living and ISKCON people or so many gurus and their shishyas. The one which provides a holistic view of life rather than presenting life in rather harsh perspective. I always wanted a life where there would have been a peaceful co-existences and healthy competitions amongst peers. Evenings full of beautiful views of sunsets and mornings full of energetic sunrises. A lifestyle where ideas could actually flow from one mind to another without any fears or apprehensions. A life where everything worth appreciating is given it’s due. And trust me when I talk about this kind of life I really don’t mean living the life of a sage marked by renunciation of all earthly materialism. Don’t confuse my words with that kind of living. By God’s grace I am still an atheist still loving all material comforts around and with greed to make my life plusher.
But having said this all I have also not forgotten my yesteryear's. How competitive and mind you ruthless competitive I have been all these years. My fight all started at a tender age of 3 when my struggle to in-script my existence in this place started with an interview for getting admission in a reputed city school. I still don’t remember the day vividly but what I remember the most is the tension written all over my parents face. My actual struggle started when I started seeing dreams sharing common aspirations with that of my parents. After all every parent want their children to be successful in whatever they do. Or rather whatever they are expected to do. The machine which I was built into was built to achieve. I wasn’t built to fall. I never knew what it meant to lose. My first loss was in the form of losing scholarship in middle school and tell you that made me more determined to achieve whatever I wanted. It gave me the nascent feeling of jealousness. Rather than commending my friends for achieving their feats I started conspiring for achieving mine. This created a platform for launching the dark side of my nature. Losing out on that scholarship was not just a stray incident of failure in my life. My existence till now has been marked by a lot of personal and professional failures. But each and every one of them inspired me to try harder. To overcome the losses I had to gain something somewhere. Nature after all believes in balancing act. I always thought this as the balance people talk about in life. Balance your failures with success. Here too, many people will plead indifference to my thinking. After all for many out here, life is never measured in the balance of successes or failures. But from where I come, I have never known any other way to measure one’s life. You are either 1 or 0. Going by the current situation around us, I guess every human is judged on the same parameter of success or failure, be it of anything.
Let me not sound very pessimist here. Even when Pandora’s Box was opened of all the things that escaped, the only thing left in the chest was HOPE. Let’s not forget that everything, however grey it may seem, does has a silver lining. I definitely feel sometimes that, one day, we all will realize what we are running after is and what are the retributions and losses in achieving it. We all will understand that achieving success is not always the best deal available. Sometimes even losing may provide so much exuberance that it may drown out the sorrow of losing out. Who knows? I definitely look forward for the day, that day, when going slow would be appreciated. Efforts rather than results would be given importance. When there will be genuine feeling within our hearts rather than malice. When rather than thinking about tensions of life, I would be enjoying it with a cup of coffee in my hand. I surely look forward for that day when I will be what I want to be, not what others want me to be.

Slow Culture:- I liked this article origin of which is not known to me.It came as a fwded mail to me...

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience.

Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule. 

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results.

Therefore, we have come to possess a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil

2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.

3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.

4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, 'Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot.' To which he replied, 'Since we're here early we’ll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think?...... ......... ........Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of 'hurry' and 'craziness' generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of 'having in quantity'(life status) versus 'having with quality', 'life quality' or the 'quality of being'. French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%...This slow attitude has brought forth the USA attention, pupils of the fast and the 'do it now!'

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the 'now', present and concrete, versus the 'global', undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit. In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where the blind Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now'. To which Al responds, 'A life is lived in an instant'. Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans' 

INDIA Shinning......

Frends...
I am going to narrate u an incident tat hapnd to me nd my frend at Mani Sqaure,Kolkata... As me nd my frends were sitting and idling off on the steps of the mall,there came a very ragged boy carrying a bunch of incense sticks to us.We first warded him off thinking him just another beggar coming fwd to us for alms..my very good frend anjan who generally nvr believes in giving alms to beggar sumhow felt otherwise..sneha,yet another frend of mine was really moved as she thot the young chap was atleast doing sumthing rather than begging...we all felt gr8 that really ppl are improving..situation is improving aftrall..Our india is improving....we bought the stuffs he had to offer and he went away merrily...But mind u..wen he was persuading us to buy his stuff his voice was so feeble nd in pain tat cant be described...we really felt gr8...
Aftr half an hour or so we came to knw tat it was sneha's cousin Radha's b'day who was with us at that very moment of tym...so we persuaded sneha to throw a party..it 10 o clk and the only eatery joint that was open was Uncle Mc D...we went there...we were about to order our stuffs wen we saw a view which not only baffled us but shook the ground beneath us....
Guess wat...
The same poor kid who was able to persuade and sell his stuff to us was sitting and enjoying a king size burger...the cost of which was about..ahem..79 bucks...
Our dear frend was enjoying his hard earned meal and we were left thinking hw mch our country has developed...all in 10 in the nyt...Truly India is shining...its poor ppl taking the lead in making it shine....

I am waiting for a logical end....

When I looked out of office window today, the world out was not the same. The horizon, although decorated by millions of lights,bore a glow which was some what toned down. The City Of Joy was some what searching for its own joy. I saw the road which passed right next to my office building. It was babbling with activity both varied and exciting. People running around to catch buses or cabs. Few people stood around road side stalls discussing the days thorough fare.

I was looking through the window. But something was amiss. What was it, that was evading my eyes? Rather what was my eyes searching for? I cleaned my specks and pondered a little more and let out a sigh. Thanks I was not one of those people running or rather chasing those smoke bellowing buses. I was not the one who was shoving others or was shoved by others. With this satisfaction I sat down  my cubicle but my mind was roaming with those people around chasing buses. Someone deep inside me was cajoling me back to the window. Someone was coaxing me to again get to the window and look at those people. Someone inside me was telling me that I was also one of them. But wait a second. I am not like them. After all I am working with a big MNC which everyone wants to be a part of. (The story is altogether different for me though as I bitch it like hell).

Whatever, I again stood at the window and decided it was time for me to get down and take a walk through the dusty road. After all this is the same road which lies silent like the gathering of dead's during the day time. The silence that tears through my soul is some what the same which this road bears daily. This is the road which will take me to the path of success. It never matters how silent or lonely the journey might turn out to be. I don't care. What I actually care is that, the end should be what I want it to be. But here the end is also disputed. What I want to achieve is very ambiguous. I have always set objectives in front of myself. Achieved them and then again set another batch of objectives. This is how I have gone about my entire life. So a definite goal of life is definitely elusive is my case. So the
end which everyone thinks of is very distant in my case.

How much ambitious I have become. I used to believe in making relationships that would have been cherished forever through life. But that was when I was in school. When I was in college. But now the game is altogether different. I even don't feel like listening to other's words let alone their aspirations, their dreams. I have been built up into a machine that is only designed to achieve. Achieve what, is still not defined. But achieve the zenith which none has ever scaled. I have been shaped to face all the emotions of life yet be the one without any emotions. I want to love someone. Feel the love of someone. But is love so easily available commodity?

Might be my eyes are trying to find out the eyes which will provide a solace and resting place for my ragged soul. At least a shoulder which will be the ultimate resting place. The ears which will share and keep the secrets which even i wouldn't dare say to my parents. A friend whom I can even trust with my life. One person for whom I can give everything in this mortal life. The incongruences of this life are far too much to handle single handedly.
 
But hello, I am awoken from my thoughts. Dropped dead by the desire of my eyes, I had forgotten the realities of life. My mobile was ringing aloud reminding me that my cubicle lay vacant waiting for my presence. Woken and totally torn apart, I dragged my self back to the world I have lived and hated like anything. I want to break free after all. Some one help me. Some one please listen to me..!!!!!