I like…
- cracking really good (or bad?) PJs (poor jokes a.k.a. pun)
- people who really make some impact in the world whether in a large scale, or in grassroot level
- talking to people
- listening to people who talk and are ready to listen back
- the fact that I never hold grudges
- when I always give people a second chance to be good
- people who are open to the possibility that their religious principles may be imperfect and needs constant tuning
- smell of fresh rain
- free hugs (or “Jadoo Ki Chappi”)
- to wear seatbelts
- to drive fast and safe
- cryptic crosswords
- Jennifer Aniston
- anything made of potatoes
- spirituality
- knowing more about cultures around the world
- movies
- the sheer beauty of life
I hate…
- when someone asks, “So why don’t you tell me a PJ?” PJs have to come spontaneously
- candlelight protests which don’t seem to convey anything useful to anyone
- introverts who don’t open up even after I try hard to include them in a conversation
- people who boast
- when I have sudden bursts of anger
- when people don’t give me a second chance to show that the angry me is not the real me
- people who are narrow-minded with respect to religion
- smell of Chinese soy sauce
- any kind of formality at my home
- when people break traffic rules
- sitting on the other front seat when someone else is driving
- riddles
- Aiswarya Rai
- anything with Coriander/Cilantro added in it
- materialism
- when people have a very cliched view of my culture
- killing sentient animals for food, sport and vanity
- Cricket
- people who don’t know how to value life
This list will keep growing.
I opened my eyes. I was floating. I didn’t feel my body. It was so subtle. The world seemed so far away. Or was I even in the world?
I was rising. There was a bright light all around. It was the most beautiful Emerald green I had ever seen, which was interspersed with a bright Golden color. I slowed down to a halt. I saw a beautiful golden light flanked by several shapeless forms of various colors – 12 on each side.
“Who are you?”, I asked.
Why did I attribute a being to the light? Did I know more than I thought I knew?
As if that was true, replied the golden light, “Me? I am YOU”
“What are these?”, I asked pointing to the shapeless forms.
“They are ME. They are the 24 formless beings”, came the reply.
Why didn’t I attribute a being to the forms? Did I suddenly feel that I knew much more?
But as I watched, the formless beings started taking different human forms.
As if the golden light knew what my next question was, it said, “”It is your free will that is asking them to change their shapes.”
As I looked around the surreal setting not knowing whether to be awed or to be afraid, the golden light spoke.
“You never cease to have questions, do you? Do you know why?” I felt that the light was smiling teasingly.
“Why?”
“Because it is the most basic of human natures to be inquisitive.”
“Why am I here? What is this place?”
“This is what you 3rd dimensional beings call the universe.”
“Are you God?”
“If you say so.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can call me God just as well as you can call yourself God, because YOU are ME and I am YOU. I am your conscience. I am your consciousness.”
“You mean… I’m God? That is ridiculous!” The very idea was revolting. This was not the God I grew up learning about. Nor was this the God I had created in my imaginings.
