This blog contains outpourings-poems and prose of Gautam Sinha. At various times he has been an engineer in a steel plant, corporate trainer, professor in an IIT, poet, avid biker, photographer, an incurable optimist and a perennial student at heart and currently, back to teaching after setting up an IIM from scratch as the founder Director.
Standing at the watershed, today looking forward not so far away into the future, I can see the river of life take a plunge in to the unknown- death, life after death, end or new beginning who knows? One thing is certain, I will not exist As I have in this form, ever-changing as it is, from that moment onwards. Standing here at the watershed, today looking backward Over the twists and turns That the river of life has taken, How would you evaluate my existence? Am I a sum total of my achievements, successes? Or am I a sum total of my failures? The sum total of my efforts? What I have done for myself? What I have done for others?
You have been granted a mind of your own, a maturity beyond your years and beauty. Don’t let these divine gifts cloud your vision. Let not your beauty be an end or an asset, it is indeed a mere chance, a chromosomal lottery and the credit is not yours but that of a forgotten ancestor. Let your mind be free, assimilate all the good that there is in this world. What you achieve is immaterial, what portion of your potential you have realised is important. Where do we start the A B C of life, that we as parents can equip you with, to live a meaningful life?
A Always be on time. The watch on your wrist is not an ornament, but a tool to subjugate the fleeting minutes and achieve what you want most. If you plan to be on time you will be late. Plan to be early and you will surely be on time.
B Be honest to yourself and you are but human. Books lead you to a larger world, the breadth of human experience, thought and action. They can help you to learn, to pass a tedious hour, to prepare for tomorrow, to forget a sad today. Read as much as you can, for knowledge is power.
C Compromise not what you consider important, what you cherish. Consider your options before you commit. If you commit ,do it. Try not to live on credit. Use it only when you must.
D Do what you must do to achieve your life’s goals, what is close to your heart. Have a dream. Dream, for dreams ask people to strive for something better. If something disagreeable has to be done, do it. Waiting won’t take it away or lessen the negative feeling.
E Every day is a tally sheet. Did you improve, learn, gather something new today? Else it is lost, just another milestone gone by in a blur. Exercise your body and mind. After all, your head needs a strong neck and shoulders to support it.
F First things must be done first. What’s first, depends on what you want out of life. One must have a few friends one can trust, to share both tears and laughter. Without friends life is quite barren. Friendship means learning to accept a person as he or she is and not what you want them to be. So, choose your friends with care, once chosen, care for them.
G Goodness is always there, even in the darkest hour. Search for it. God is manifest in all goodness of the human spirit. All religions say it, you better believe in it.
H Hope is as perennial as grass; God ensures a sunrise after the darkest of nights. Have faith on yourself and your abilities Hope sustains you in crisis. Hope and work for a better tomorrow.
I I, perpendicular pronoun is important but more important is ‘we’. Look beyond yourself at the whole wide world of people; some have more but many more have much , much less. Be thankful for the smallest pleasure that life has to offer. They don’t cost anything. Important you are for your parents indispensable you are not for this world. Lessen your I to a point where it does not blind you but never, never let it become ‘i’.
J Jealousy is a corrosive acid, beware. It can burn you and all around. Learn to appreciate and let it spur you to greater achievements. Joy is as natural as pain, try to be happy. One does not need anything to be happy, you can choose to be happy.
K Kindness lifts a human and brings him nearer God. Never lose it or you are a machine.
L Love is a power more potent than any other feeling or force. Even animals sense it. People will love you when your aura is pure and that will bring more love and affection. Love cannot have pre-conditions. We love you because you are YOU and not because you are perfect,
M Men are half of God’s creation. You will need one to live life. So choose carefully the man you want to spend your whole life with. Music is a divine gift bestowed upon you. It can lift a person from the depths of sorrow to the peaks of joy. Keep music alive in your heart. Money is not everything, but it’s important. It smoothens the path of life. Spend only what you can afford, but also save for a day when you may need it.
N ‘No’ is a word you have to use sometimes, or people will use you. Use ‘no’ to maintain your priorities, carefully.
O... O...is a circle. It means, everything must come around. What you do will come back to you. It is also a mouth open in wonder. Never lose your sense of wonder. There is so much in this world to wonder about, to marvel at-a tiny flower, myriad of stars, birdsong at night, a child’s pure laughter, golden sunsets, the sea crashing on the beach, sunrise on a misty morning, a rainbow.
P Pay your dues to society, to people. Pleasure is as natural as pain. Do not shrink from pleasure; pamper yourself once in a while. You deserve it. Politeness does not cost a paisa - but it pays back. Be polite to people, but do not overdo it. Plan your work, it will make the work easier.
Q Question the status quo, the present and that will open new vistas. Question yourself often, Is it right? The answers are invariably there in your mind.
R Respect yourself, and the counsel of elders. Remember names, for names lead to people; people lead to relationships. Remember good times and they will sustain you through bad. Rest is as natural as work.
S Sleep comes easily when the mind is free. Free your mind at the end of each day, meditate. Slowly recount what you have done, search for the good. Do not shrink if you see something bad. Save that memory and the act will not be repeated . Savour every moment, smile.
T Trust yourself. For others to trust you, you must keep your word and promises every time . Friendship and all relations are built on trust.
U yoU can change the world in whatever way, small or big, the power is in you.
V Vivacious means full of life, vigour, lively. You are, keep it that way
W Why, what, when, who and how are wonderful servants for the mind to explore the world, it’s truths, it’s expanse or minuteness, everything in and around you
X, eXpand the horizons of your mind, eXperience life in its fullness, eXamine yourself, eXplore the possibilities you are eXtraordinary.
Y You are unique, nobody can create another. Your actions therefore must reflect that. Use your mind, it again is unique.
Z Zed, has a tone of finality, it means everything must come to an end. Zeal makes for a good beginning. If you must do something do it with zeal. --------------------- These are what we feel. You can choose, what you like.
Small house, where the air is still clean. Comfortable by the standards of 'sai itna dijiye....', With something left for sundowners With old friends. At least one climb above the snowline, Before the salt overtakes the pepper. Being accepted as I am, warts and all By the only child, then an ‘I am OK’ adult Old wife by the side, old rocking chair Summer time chatter of grandchildren Accepted as an expert, in the chosen field, And a good teacher. A book on management, perhaps A book of poems definitely. Sepia toned, fading photographs, Of good times gone by, on the walls; Much thumbed books on the shelves.
Telephone to remain connected, computer to gaze at cyberspace. New bicycle to loosen the stiffening joints, young dog to walk the constitutionals
Three trees in the courtyard, a neem, a mango and a guava to tempt the passing schoolboys and teach them something about life. Death in my old dressing gown, in my own bed Sudden, unaided and alone. Release. --x-- * Old Hindi couplet by Surdas,” Sai, itna dijiye, jame kutum samaye, mai bhukha na rahoon, sadhu na bhukha jai”: "God, give me only so much.., so that I and my family do not go hungry, nor the mendicant sadhu who come to my door."
