Showing posts with label talking to myself. Show all posts
Showing posts with label talking to myself. Show all posts

Monday, 12 August 2019

In which I Pardon the Universe and Seek Forgiveness

Image result for letter to universe
Letter to the Universe

Dear Universe,

I am really appalled at your insensitivity. I fail to understand why you have to pick up only the negative strands and stupid things said in utter innocence in the heat of the moment and manifest them. It is mighty daft of you if you ask me and has played havoc with my life.

You seem to be like the matron in this super-strict boarding school that listens through the keyhole and hears only the absolute worst and then, takes action. It's totally unfair.

Often I say a whole lot of things just for effect - never meaning it to actually happen but, you seem to latch on to just those. Out of these also you seem to pick up only the absolute worst of the lot and go about making it a reality. Come on!

What about the zillion times I wanted great things for myself directly? Wait. You were not listening. You were busy listening through other poor victims' closed doors. Why would you listen to something that's not dramatic like, problems, miseries and heartbreaks. 

Like when I asked for fame and riches you were totally deaf to my entreaties but, the moment I said - for effect, "I need tragedy in my life to hone my craft," you were right there jumping in to fulfill my most gigantically stupid utterance till date. 

Sometimes you make me feel like we'd be better off without you making the wishes of the most vicious of villains through history come true while overlooking the collective conscience of a million victims. How do they get to you when the hordes of innocents like me go through life partially - read selectively or whimsically - unheard?

Listen, I believe sincerely that you are super-busy and therefore multi-task. But, you must understand that Shakespeare must not win. You know, the Brit guy they call the Bard of Avon. He said in his play written during Elizabeth's era (1500s!), about a delusional father who suffers for his own ego, 

"As flies to wanton boys, are we to the Gods,
They kill us for their sport."

I sincerely hope that you are not trying to make that quote by old man Shakespeare come true. I am sure it was not a wish he wanted inflicted upon mankind.

Listen, I know you are overworked with this surge in population and taking care of innocent babies in the war zone that's the world today. But, I'd really appreciate it if you read this and not just listen through the keyhole when I am crying out that, humans need to be exterminated from the face of the Earth because they are killing the planet. Believe me, it's just a rant. What I really mean is that they should mend their ways and try save the environment.

I need you to read this post because I am going to do something really nice for you here - I am going to forgive you for all the sins you have committed against me.

Dear Universe, I understand your limitations in understanding anything indirect and covert. I also understand that you must be flooded with serious prayers everyday and the numbers are only rising. I also get it that with rising wars, terrorism, crime and wanton fly killing activities that humans are indulging in with more and more frequency as their numbers increase exponentially, you are becoming stressed and hard pressed to pay attention to  peaceniks like me who really don't matter because, "hey! I am not trying to poison the water tank and wipe out a whole town any day in like, ever."

So, I want to do something nice for you today. I want you to remember this when you do the Shakespeare thing on me next. I want you to feel good about all that you do and have done for me keeping my "wishes" in mind. I want to thank you for them. I want to thank you for family and friends and neighbors who care and love. I want to thank you for all the blessings that you have conferred on me like, good health, sharp mind, compassionate heart. I want to thank you for unconditional love that I get and for the roof over my head and food on my plate. I thank you for the education I received and continue to receive till date.

With this, I want to absolve you of all your past misdeeds and say, "I forgive you."

There. I have said it. I pardon you for all the hurt that has come to me because of your poor listening skills. I understand that it was also due to my poor communication skills. 

The fault in my stars is actually a two-way street and I am also not without a blemish. I promise to change my ways and void out all stupid and irrational utterances as soon as they leave my mouth. I will try and be more of a Zen-ist than a Satirist. More direct than dramatic. I hope you will also stop listening selectively once I do that.

I promise to think before I speak and treat myself with more respect and behave with more caution when it comes to you. I also promise to work hard on my communication skills to be able to improve my relationship with you.

Here, I want to let go of my anger towards you - whatever little there is of it and give us a fresh start. I know that you do not do emotions so, I am sure you are neither angry nor upset with my ranting which should be good for our future partnership. I plan on putting all the mistakes we made together behind us when I publish this blog piece.

I also most humbly would like to apologize for my own limited understanding of you and my frequent bursts of anger / frustrations at you for getting it all wrong. In so many ways the fault also lies at my own doorsteps. It's my own communication skills that make it so difficult for us to understand each other. I promise to work on that in the future for a more profitable partnership going forward.

Dear Universe, I am sorry and with this I want to turn over a new leaf in our partnership and start afresh. Please accept my humble apology and my absolve-sion of you for all the past miseries you have unknowingly inflicted upon me. 

From this day forward, let us live as best friends who communicate well and react to each other favorably.

Thank you for everything good in my life and lots of love to you.

Yours truely,
Shoma

Sunday, 5 July 2015

A Rendezvous with Me

Looking at nothing is addictive and counting your breath first thing in the morning (with a cup of tea) is addictive, not to mention restful. I often stare at nothing in the mornings to rejuvenate myself. But, I have now realized that my mind is not doing the same thing as I.

How's that?

Well. My mind is always miles away and ahead of me. It is at the same time, planning, thinking, plotting things on some invisible timeline and wandering off into what ifs... The mind is mindful. Period.

Mine in particular, loves to gather wool.

So, even when I am trying hard to look at nothing and focus on none. I am a slave to my thoughts. And most often than not, they are crazy.

I have often wonder how my thoughts see me as.

Do they feel that I am a procrastinator? Do they think that since I do not keep too many incidents alive in my head, especially the sad or depressing ones, therefore, I am being good to them? Leaving them a lot of space to wander around in. Is it good for them?

I decided on a Sunday to sit them down over over a cup of tepid tea at a chai shop and ask them. 

This is how it went:

1) Me: Hi there! How are you today?

Response: A road trip to Leh. It should be done right after the rains when Summer's over and so are the Monsoons. But, it may be too cold. Will it be good to go in the Summer then? Do you think you'll be able to get good pictures using your piddly phone cams? Or should you first buy a camera that is worthy of such a trip... Do you think the monasteries will open their doors to you? Will you want to browse through their ancient texts? Do you think some monastery would allow you to stay on for a few? How about going to Lhasa? Do you think your pictures will one day be famous. Will you put Lhasa in a story? Will it be a mystery?

2) Me: I see you are in great spirits today! Do you think I'm supportive of your ideas?

Response: When do you plan to read that book on Swami Vivekanand by Sankar? It is languishing in that carton for a couple of months now. Do you think it will reveal the human side of the saint? What about the book on Indira Gandhi? Where did you put that book on Van Gogh? I think you should look it up again... By the way, do not worry about picking out that dress for the baby. She looks cute in rompers.

3) Me: OK. I get it. Errrm... are you worried that I do not get enough done?

Response: The trams in Calcutta! We must go back for a ride. Though Calcutta is very crowded and you had a tremendous adventure driving there last time (getting almost run over by a tram at College Street!) What fun that was. Each time I think of it, it reminds me of the movie Ghulam! Do you think Amir Khan's any good or he only pretends. You know about acting, being a nice guy etc. Oh! These Bollywood types i tell you! You had used the Bollywood angle very subtly in that book you wrote. You must... Hey! When do you plan to take it around to a publisher? Why don't you rewrite it? Make it more exciting. You know it was a good book. You must go to Lahsa and write a great book around it. All intrigue and mystery. That's best seller material...    

4) Me: Whoa! Wait for me will you. Where were we?

Response: Apply for a passport. We must see Paris! It would be fabulous if you can get a job in Europe and just go there for a while. It will do you good. Bombay was awesome for you. You are... But, you'll miss the baby. But, once she grows up, she can come and visit you. Your ma and baba can visit you in the Summers. They will be saved from the terrible Delhi heat!

5) Me: Paris? Europe?

Response: Listen. You need to go out more often and live with real people. Not just your family and people you know. Why don't you do think about what the Buddha said. Practice some compassion on yourself. You are too freaked out to be of any use to anyone...

6) Me: Uh! I am not listening any more. I have paid the bill. Let's go from here before these people think I am a freak talking to myself!

Response: It's so hot in here! Do you think Iceland is ever warm...

7) Me: Iceland! What?

Manager of the Restaurant: Ma'am! The other patrons are feeling uncomfortable. You OK? The kids are getting spooked out. You are talking to no one. The chair across is empty. Maybe you should see a doctor. My friend had a similar problem. He changed his job. He was stressed out. Another girl I know. She got cancer. The doctor said, it was because of stress. Maybe you should take off and go to the hills...

Me: I'm going, Don't worry. I'm fine. Just wanted to get in touch with myself...

Manager: In touch with yourself! Ma'am this is a respectable place. The door is on your right. Please mind the furniture.