The People of Meesa!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

“Is there a God?” asked the brain. The pillow wasn’t surprised at this question. It understood that the bygone weeks had been quite a tiresome, fearsome and weary after the disgusting attacks on one of the cities of the country. “If there is GOD then why is there such a gory!” asked the brain. The pillow said “What do you think? Isn’t there one?” the brain shot back “Then where is he... Why doesn’t he come down to save people?” The pillow said “’Goodness is Godness’, if you can understand this! How good are you to others? Why do you always question his existence only when you are in trouble? There is no God living to meet you after you die. But God live with us. They never created anybody in fact you created God! So also the gory is all created by people. This pain is inflicted by a pseudo reality group called ‘Society’. The terrorists belong to the society of extreme psychopaths. God is love. God is humanity. Listen to the story of the people of Meesa.
Far away from the land of India there was a place called Meesa. It was a small town. That place was a poverty stricken place. People called it the land of hell or the land of curse though they did no harm to anyone. People were dark in color as the sun scorched the town thru the most part of the year. There were passersby but no one cared. There was a temple in the town, every year on one particular day people used to gather there and pray. That day was celebrated auspiciously in spite of their poverty. On one such day, a pregnant lady who was passing thru the town to go to the next town gave birth to a boy baby and died right in front of the temple gates. Everyone thought that the baby was a messenger of God. The boy grew up in that town. The people fed him with whatever they had. He loved them too. When he grew up and crossed his teen he decided to involve in robbery in the neighboring villages to save the dying people from poverty. While he was robbing, a priest caught him red hand. He explained the priest about the land of hell and his attempt to save them as return to their love of him. He said that GOD is partial to his people. The priest said that he too has heard of the land of curse and in fact God loved the place so much. He said there is legend about the land of Meesa that a man born at the feet of GOD and will unleash the treasure inside the town. He went back to the town and informed the people about the legend. Everyone in the town became happy and started to search for the treasure and they were lead by the boy. When they started to dig the earth deeper some got water, some got gold and some got diamonds. People who got water from their lands started farming and the others became gold and diamond merchants. The boy was celebrated as their savior and worshipped him for long years. The land of curse became the land of rich!
Now who is the GOD in the story?” Asked the pillow.”Is that the people of the town who supported the boy in spite of their poverty, or is that the boy who was willing to do anything and lead them to reap the glory or the priest who did not punish the boy for robbery. In fact everyone for all the love they had for each other. Every crime happens in the name of society. The God never created any society. It’s our creation. Everywhere in the world there is a society that dominates and ill-treats the other. For example in the land of whites the blacks and browns have no place and so the vice versa. Neither education nor sports can solve this but pure love can do the trick. Stop questioning God start questioning yourself. There is a lot left in you…spread the message and practice it without any barriers of society.” Now the brain was quiet once again and thought ...”How Should I start to love?” and slept...The pillow was beaming now for having achieved something…

To be continued…

Sleeping well!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

I was about to sleep. It was a bad day in office. I went home – switched on the TV and had my food. There were news of gunshots and grenade blasts in Mumbai. It was still going on for the second consecutive day and the reporters were bursting with news and live facts that they could gather from the Taj, Oberoi Trident and Nariman House. It was funny to see the neophytes talk without scripts. I wanted to be with them for some more time. I was hoping that they would tell that the fight is over and the buildings are sanitized. I was not able to stay awake and had to sleep. My eyes were weary and wanted to be closed. I switched off the TV and went straight to bed. Fell on it like a dead stick. Someone called from there. I knew it would want to talk. I said, “Yes.” The Pillow said, “Are you trying to sleep?” I said, “No, I am going to sleep.” I thought it would be enough; but no, the pillow continued, “How can you go to sleep, when so many people are still being held inside the buildings by those fanatics? How can you sleep when hundreds of Indian policemen are fighting against terror without food and sleep for scores of hours? Do you think the families of the deceased and the hostages are sleeping? If all these people are awake, can you sleep?” I did not want to answer. I had no answer, for that matter. I pulled one more pillow and covered my head and tried to shut the eyes. I was losing my sleep already, but did not want to stay awake. My friends, the pillows were determined this time, not to let me sleep. They started again, “You were asleep, when the terrorists crept in and killed so many people. You were asleep when they came in and planted bombs in different parts of the country which blew hundreds of people dead and injured. Will you still sleep? Is this a time to sleep? Won’t you go out and do something for this?” I thought, “What can I do?” It seems the pillows could read my mind too. They almost shouted, “Who else can do? Everyone is thinking like this and none is stepping forward. If you do not step forward, how can you expect someone else to obverse to deal with your issues – issues with your own country, your home? If you sleep, you should not expect anyone else to be awake – fighting for your country’s safety – your safety. Did you hear the blasts that took place in Jaipur, Bangalore, Agartala, Delhi and Mumbai? If you did not, who else would? If not you, who will face all these? Who will fight for you? Who will fight for the country? If you do not start, who will?” I disliked this. I did not want to discuss this now. It was not the time – and never the place. It was my bed and I was back after a hard day in office. I wanted to sleep. I was not allowed to. My friends were turning to be my foes. They were right, may be; but I did not want to think if they were not. I have not heard any of the blasts – neither the ones in Bangalore, where I live, nor the ones in Agartala, my native town. Probably I was sleeping. If not, I was in office, resolving technical issues of US people. It has to be shameful but I could not help it. I am having a hard time in office earning my bread and butter. I am not getting paid for what I am doing in office and there is no increment in my salary this time. I had plans – which are now nothing but ruins. I have to talk to my parents regarding a hell lot of issues which I am not able to do for a long time now. I have to fix my fridge and the fan in the bedroom. I have so many works pending – I am just not doing them. And now, the pillows wanted me to fight for the nation? They wanted me to fight the terrorists? What nonsense! What can I do? How can I make any difference? I am no leader, neither am I an activist nor do I have commando training. I am a simple lower middle class man, trying to be the backbone of my family. I do not have time to do my household works, how would I go fight with the extremists there? However, the pillows had good points and their questions were not wrong. But I had no answer. (I still do not have any.) Probably I should think about this – but when and how? I kept on thinking…

The next time I opened my eyes, it was already passed 3 PM. I was late. I left the bed in a jerk. Inserted the tooth brush in my mouth and switched on the TV. The terrorists were still there – the commandoes were still there – the news reporters were still there – the panic was still there. Nothing changed while I was sleeping. Phew! I looked back at the pillows, now scattered hither and thither on the bed and wanted to tell, “See, nothing has changed. Everything is same there.” I laughed within in satisfaction. Then another thought came to my mind: Is it because I was sleeping, that nothing has changed and more panic has been created? I do not know – I am still searching for an answer here …

Billu and Kullu

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

“How was the day today?” The pillow asked thinking the brain would have had a better day in the workplace after a weekend. The brain said “Another hectic day. ““Hmm… you need some rest then.. “ The pillow said. “I need peace...” saying that the brain took a long breather. “Hmm, then there is trouble.” the pillow asked.. The brain who was already annoyed said “Am so sincere in the place of work and honest not just that, am also working tirelessly and am still not rewarded.” It continued “What is the point if your honesty is not rewarded..?” The pillow said “why do you need recognition? Why don’t you simply enjoy whatever you do?” The pillow continued “The order of the day is different. Only the accomplished can now speak about honesty, sincerity and humbleness. The people on the path of accomplishment have to have attitude.” The brain said “what do you mean” The pillow quickly responded “Attitude is not wrong as long as you have the right one.” The brain said “you are confusing. What is the right attitude?” The pillow said “Okay. Then listen to this story of Billu and Kullu.”
The pillow started the story “Once there lived a rich man by name Manav. He was a cook. He was so famous and every one used to go crazy over his cooking. Everyone in the town invited him to cook at their residence for any kind of occasion. Soon a beautiful girl by the name Parvati fell in love with his cooking and married him. They lived a happy life. After a few years they had twin sons. Manav thought that it was a gift from God and named the sons as Billu and Kullu. The twins were not just quite identical in appearance but also in habits and grew up very fast. One day Parvati died because of a strange disease. Manav became lonely and he stopped to go to work and soon the family had the meltdown. Manav also became very weak and he was also lying on his death bed. He called for Billu and Kullu. He said that he loved his wife so much and never cared for the boys and also said that the best he can do is to pass on his tricks of the trade to them and some money that he saved in bank so that they can do something for the living and he died.
Billu and Kullu wanted to make big money and separated and started a restaurant in their names. Billu engaged people to work for him and said that the whoever cooks the best and serves the customer quickly and happily will be rewarded at the end of the month while Kullu employed few people and said that whoever makes the maximum revenue will be rewarded. Soon Kullu started to make money while Billu business was quite average though successful. Billu had repeated customers and only one new customer daily while Kullu had so many. As a result of this Kullu increased the rates of the recipes and increased the incentive targets as well. Billu did increase the price marginally but the customer flow was constant. As the targets were revised the employee of Kullu started to concentrate on sales than anything else. The customers were paying more and got less service and the business started to decline. At some point there was nobody in Kullu’s restaurant. While Billu had the same and Kullu looked up to Billu to save him and asked him the magic recipe that makes the customers to come back again. Billu said there was no secret recipe and indeed shared the same recipe as Kullu’s however his target was not the accomplishment (Money) but service. Then they lived happily ever after…”
Now the brain was quiet, the pillow continued to speak “It’s not always your accomplishments that keep you high but your attitude. Billu had the right attitude so he succeeded. So keep the right attitude never satisfy for smaller gains but always have a big dream to achieve.” Then the brain said “Am quite convinced now, Let me have a dream now..Will see you later…”
To be continued...

Satisfaction VS Achievement – the pillow way.

Friday, November 21, 2008

I started to sleep after a stressful nightshift and my brain was still awake. Surprisingly, my brain began to talk to the pillow. The pillow was inquiring about my wellness of the day. My brain started to crib about the day’s bad happenings. At some point of time the pillow had to interrupt and said “Stop that. Why are you so pessimistic?” That was hard to take. Pessimistic. I was never a pessimistic person. i don’t see the empty half in a glass of water. The pillow said “Is that just sufficient. A person who knows psychology can never fail a psychic test”. True, the actual test is not just that simple. Pillow continued, “Life is simple. Just live it.” The brain asked “But how, what will happen to ambitions, the landmarks which want to cross. Importantly, my promises to keep before I sleep.” The pillow asked “what are they”. The brain listed all that I wanted to do from my childhood and never achieved any. The pillow asked “is that what you wanted to achieve.” The brain said yes. “Will you be satisfied then ..?” the pillow asked. The brain said it will try. The pillow asked “Do you have a hobby? How often you’ve rejected your own idea? How many things have you assumed rather than understanding the actual?” The brain started to ponder. The pillow continued “Great people don’t compromise. They don’t work for achievement; but it’s their passion. Satisfaction is just the state of mind. State of contentment. But passion is a burning desire it never sleeps. It never recognizes milestones. Neither hatred nor flattery falls in the sight of passion. Passion leads to achievement and achievement leads to glory. Passion is hunger and satisfaction is contentment. Think of what you can do today than tomorrow” The brain started to think “What am I working for? Money, glory, passion or just the need? Am I really passionate about something..?” The pillow stopped but brain started to think “is this simply my inability to cope up with the change or should I create something of my choice…”
To be continued….

Tough needs to be going ... before I sleep!

When Going gets tough, the tough gets going! The going is getting tough; I am not sure if the tough will get going at once. I am in the late twenties now – half of my life is gone now and I have not done anything great – not yet! When will I do that ‘something’? How will it be done? Will it be done or will it happen? When will it happen?

Well, too many questions to (en)counter now. Too much of question marks all around me – in office, at home and everywhere else. I have got questions to answer before I sleep. I know; but then, working for 9 hours in the night shifts with an additional 3 hours of travel – one needs to sleep – I need to sleep. I don’t get enough, but when I do, I ensure to have my pillows all around me. There was this incidence when my wife came back home that day and I was still sleeping. Looking at the bed, she asked, “are you sure, that you were (only) sleeping?” Well, I was sleeping – trust me. I could do nothing else that time, once I reach home after office at dawn. All my tiredness and my anxiety end when I hit the sack. The time is odd – I understand, but then, this is the time when the Americans sleep. They are the ones who pay for my living – so, I have to (literarily) sit when they do; stand when they do and sleep when they sleep. No worries.

Self Satisfaction is factional. It has to indulge your family and the people sharing time with you. In my case, family means my wife, as my parents stay far from me. I spend the lion’s share of my day with my colleagues in office. So, all these people contribute to my satisfaction – factional satisfaction. You say you do not need so many people around you to be satisfied. May be you would go to Himalayas – but you would not be satisfied if people concerned to you are not. You can avoid your thoughts to roam around your family only if your family is satisfied and can go on without you. You will not be happy if they long for you and you pine for them in return – not even if you are in the Himalayas and you want to become a sage.

Where am I? No, I am in the same track. I was telling that with all these questions revolving around me, how can I be satisfied? I cannot be. And till I am (read my soul is) not satisfied, I cannot relax, think, dream or act with discretion. To do these one needs peace of mind. Peace, I get only when I am among the pillows in my bed – fast asleep. Well, I can practice Self Control – actually, one has to practice that. Without ‘Self – control’ one would not be able to relax, think, dream or act with discretion when there is no peace of mind.

As the heading of the blog says, ‘I can and I will’ find peace of mind someday and will answer all the queries and I will be happy! Till then – “thanks to my pillows.”

SELF CONTROL

Monday, November 17, 2008

Let us learn the basic lessons of self control from this lovely little friend. What ever is the scenario we can see that these pillows are calm and collected; not just that after all human torture we can see them back at work- " no grudges". This can be said to be as the signs of Orthodox Professionalism.
Let me explain: At the heights of frustration; my biggest satisfaction is in punching the pillows and throwing them with out any aim, as if I am throwing away my anger far away from me. Pillows are so loving and so caring that they literally take off all our anger and when we go and take them back; they would come back to us again with a beautiful dream. I know pillows are life less but there role in our life is remarkable. A pillow gives you something beyond comfort. Now you may think Comparing life less things with life is craziness, but I feel it’s not a mistake; because we can learn life from any thing or any one. India is a fast growing country now. We can see a remarkable growth in all aspects of Indian life. All this happened after force fully taking in, a handful of a life less substance called salt. Thus we know how we can make life with life less substance.
Just like soup without salt, sleep without pillows is incomplete. And a life without sleep would be a disaster!!! So let us break the shackles of hesitation and prejudice and get freedom from all our physical and mental bondages; with a good sound sleep over these sweet little pillows.
“Let’s relax”
“Let’s think”
"Let's dream "
“Let’s act with discretion”, and
“Let’s practice self control”

Pillows and QC T

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Think of a pillow, think of sleeping, so think of QC Team its as good as thinking a pillow. This was the stage when i came to pctune up. It was in its nascent stage then and nobody had any idea of what the process was. Today we have crossed 3 years, truly a successful transition. We fought, we cried, had thrown attitude at each other, still we stayed united. Should I call United People of QC T. Do we really have the same scene now? I doubt. Earlier we were motivated to work. I know people who have sacrificed the offs just to come to work. Am just one among them. We never had manager, no operations support infact we sat in a corner of the floor but we never felt we were alone. Here I have to mention Mr. Abhijith Chakraborthy for the only psychological and operational support to everyone. serious issues looked like petty things and every one had a dream to chase. After 3 years in the new scene do we have anything to act, its indeed a serious question. we sit in the middle of the floor and no one cares, we have everyone only to transfer blame on us. Petty issues were made serious ones who cares. Even now every one has something to chase thats not a dream its just a happy sleep.
Nothing like Nostalgia. Earlier I used remember my pillow to remind my dreams and ways to chase it indeed like mothers lap. Now!!! Am scrambling for words and looking for sleep. GOD SAVE QC T!!!

Quotes on Pillows...

Friday, November 7, 2008

Many people have come across the thoughts regarding pillows and have seen the pillows in different ways. Things are as we see them. They saw - they felt and put their feelings in black and white. There are many quotes and proverbs on pillows . A selected few are listed here:

“Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow.” .... [Anonymous]

“How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak” .... Jack Handy

“If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me” .... [Anonymous]

“When I lay my head on the pillow at night I can say I was a decent person today. That's when I feel beautiful.” .... Drew Barrymore

“I put a piece of paper under my pillow, and when I could not sleep, I wrote in the dark” .... Henry David Thoreau

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” .... Lyn Yutang

“The sick do not ask if the hand that smoothes their pillow is pure, nor the dying care if the lips that touch their brow have known the kiss of sin.” .... Oscar Wilde

“There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience” .... French Proverb

Hope you like the quotes. The first one is my favorite of all those quotes that I read recently on pillows. Have fun and stick to your pillows … have a good one!