Awakened

The bright beam of sunlight made its way through my eyelids. But it didn't hurt me. It was not that scorching as I had thought. The world around me is getting much more clearer now. I have started stepping out of my dreamland. It's only that, it took me 24 years to be awakened. Perhaps , I didn't want myself to be awakened before. I feared the scorching heat outside. People around me, who cared for me, thought me to be too delicate to face the rogue world, so did I.

But now, I am awakened (not fully I must say). The world out of my dreams, is not that bad and ugly. I could now see the silver lining of the dark clouds. I now know that there is the bright, glowing sun behind. The dream world was undoubtedly, safer and comfortable, but it was certain that I could no longer keep myself cocooned in it. The long sleep had come to an end, making its way to a "new beginning".

Heart vs Mind

"I can't live without you" says my heart

"Why can't I?" says my mind

"I want to meet you" says my heart

"Ignore" says my mind

"I want to talk to you" prompts my heart

"Put the phone back" shouts my mind

"I want to listen to you" urges my heart

"Why should I?" dictates my mind

"I want to care for you" says my heart

"No need" says my mind

“I want to think about you” whispers my heart

“No time to think” scolds my mind

You have struck a fight

between my heart and mind

Now tell me whom to listen

my heart or my mind.

We...

You may call me selfish and self-centered. I can sleep peacefully when my fellow countrymen suffer at the other corner. I belong to that group of citizen who keep an eye on the daily news on the newspaper and shed some word or two in consolation and analysis. Perhaps avoid reading and listening to them when the massacre is too bloody. Their pain and tears doesn't pierce my heart. Their loss doesn't make me cry. Their sorrow doesn't jolt my emotions.

I am only concerned with my lot. I feel the pain only when my family is in trouble. I spend sleepless nights when my mother doesn't keep well. Otherwise I'm happy and complacent with my life, totally unmoved by the world around.

Does that mean I'm not patriotic? Does that mean I should be ashamed to call myself an Indian?

But I have something to say. I'm not the only one. You may call it a lame excuse, but this is the truth. Unless it happens to our family we do nothing more than sparing some hours in watching the news and discussing the tragedy with colleagues. Perhaps we think we can do nothing more than this and head for a new day as if nothing has changed. We avoid thinking of it and wish that it never happens to us or to our family. I petty myself and those who are like me.