To The Betrayed Souls…

People come to our lives for a reason. They depart for a reason too. I am talking to those who loved freely and openly and then stood with nothing but betrayal. I have seen too many people losing faith in humanity. I have seen people afraid to trust again - all because one motherfucker or one slut has decided to breach their trusts.

Well, I can understand that you are afraid to trust again. Anyone would be. And it is because of that reason only, you must sit back analyze situation. You must consider why people betray the trust of others. Why throw something as precious as faith and respect?

The simple reason is because they are like that only. It’s in their blood and family background. Upbringing always speaks for itself. And when you put libido before respect, you are not displaying a nicer picture about the woman who carried you in her womb and the man who brought you up. But, then again, do you even have the mind to consider this fact. I believe not. You have your libido between your ears after all.

Relationships die, I agree. Love vanishes. I agree too. But, leading a dual life and fucking someone else while still celebrating your significant other’s birthday? Well, should you still be called a human brought up in a family which taught respect? I guess not.

If you are confused about the birthday bash thing, let me tell you, I know a man who went to his fiancé’s birthday with his slut in his arms. The funniest fact is his fiancé was unaware of the reality. She was happy to show her would-be husband the new clothes she bought. What do you say to a man like that? What do you call him? Motherfucker? Asshole? Or plain simply a man not worth bothering about. I happen to remember what Ned Stark said about a similar man – Some men are not worth having.

But, should you be losing faith due to a man or a woman like this? Should you be afraid of trusting someone because some people don’t value what life has given them?

It is your decision and up bringing to trust them. It is theirs to breach it. They will keep betraying everyone who is unfortunate enough to cross their paths. And one day they will betray themselves just for the heck of it. It’s not their fault. It’s in their blood, tinted with corruption. Their saga will be eternal until the day life decides to end it for them.

You have an honorable father and a respectable mother - who taught you to be true in a relationship and stand till the end. You did. You lost. But, you have gained too. You have gained your freedom from an unworthy person who would have damaged your life.

If someone cannot have you as you are, the person should not have you in any other way. If someone asks you to grow up, ask them back to grow real. It is you, immature, rude, passionate and precious. It is the way your creator made you to be. Take pride and move on. Be yourself and keep dreaming. And don’t dwell on the betrayal. You know why?

Because, there will come a day when the people who betrayed you will be happy and safe. They will think that everything is perfect in their lives. And that is the day Karma will pay them a visit and their happiness will turn into ashes. And your debt will be paid.

Don’t believe me? Well, just wait and watch it happen.

What’s Your Qualification Again…

While I was sitting by my balcony watching the sky and scratching my head, praying to the invisible power to throw a hot blog topic at me, my cell phone rang. I almost ignored it as I was doing something important that I don’t usually do. Yes, you got it. I was thinking. But, then again I thought of answering the phone. It might be something urgent. You bet it was. An HR executive of some Kolkata based IT company called me. She had a job to offer. It was the last thing I expected. I don’t usually get calls from HR’s as I don’t update my resume frequently. Linkedin does the job for me, usually.

I almost said – I am not interested. But I didn’t. Had I done it, I wouldn’t have been writing this post today. So, something in her voice stopped me from disconnecting the call. Something told me this could get interesting. So, I patiently behaved. Those who know me, know how difficult it is for me to behave. But, anyways…

So, this HR, she asked whether I was free to talk or not. I was not. But, I didn’t tell her that. It would have sounded weird disconnecting someone’s call saying – buzz off I am thinking. Lol. I patiently said - I was free to talk to her.

She asked me about my employment history like they all do. Then she came around to ask me about my qualification. I knew the question would arise. My resume doesn’t have any mention of my qualification. It is as if you are looking at the resume of a person who never went to school. Well, I don’t need my qualification to get the attention of the recruiting executives. I get plenty of attention without any mention of educational history. This is not my arrogance doing the talking. It is the truth. I simply don’t need to talk about my qualification. What’s there in a degree anyways?

I answered with patience and not for once used a word of slang. I am so fucking proud of myself. Yes, I am grinning here. My answers didn’t satisfy her. She wanted to dig deeper. She wanted to know about my percentage in each board exam. I admit here my voice did get sarcastic and I almost disconnected the call. But, I controlled myself and gave the unimpressive history of my exams and percentage.

She couldn’t believe that I never risen above forty percent in my entire life. After the uneventful conversation, she said she would call me back once the content department’s head gave a go. Frankly, I was thrilled that she did not call back. But, the conversation gave me an idea. I did some quick research and found that…

Harper Lee – The Pulitzer winner had dropped out of college. She wanted to become a writer. The rest is well…I can safely history.

William Faulkner – Well, he hardly needs any introduction. At the age of 15 he dropped out of school and never went back.

Mark Twain – The greatest storyteller of earth had dropped out of school at the age of 12. He had never let his schooling interfere with his education.

George Bernard Shaw – This playwright dropped out at the age of 14. It is said that he found no value in formal education.

H.G. Wells – Wells was forced to drop out of school at the age of 11.

Jack London – Jack London was through with formal education at the age of 13 and dropped out of school.

John Steinbeck – Dropped out of college and did not get his degree.

You see degree is just a piece of paper. How much you have scored in your exam means nothing after college. Writing needs a heart that can imagine. High percentage hardly makes a writer out of anyone.

It is not only about writing. I will write a post about entrepreneurs who dropped out of college next time. You think Bill Gates is the only one who dropped out? You will be surprised to learn there are many more than just Mr. Gates.

Follow Your Passion – Follow Your Dream

Do you have passion?

Well, if you do you are lucky. I have had the opportunity of meeting people who absolutely have no idea about what they want from life. Such people puzzle me. I cannot understand how can anyone continue with life with no passion at all, with no destination in their minds.

Passion is more than just a strong feeling towards something. Passion is your dream. Passion is that one dream which won’t die. Passion is that one vision which survives despite millions of doubts. Passion is that one desire which keeps you awake night after night. Passion is that one wish which scares you.

Ever had a vision like this?

Ever had a dream that you haven’t shared with anyone yet?

Ever experienced fear while wishing for something?

If you have such a vision, such a dream, such a wish, you have a path. You have a destination. You are luckier than those who live a secure life without knowing their true calling.

Follow your passion. Live it. The life will not be easy. You will face rejection. You will live a duel life. You will be scared of being laughed at.

In my case, I had lived with the secret that I am a writer. I wrote in the privacy of my room and stashed the materials inside the safety of my drawer. I didn't let anyone catch a glimpse of the work I did. To be frank, the pieces were not worth sharing. But, that’s not the point here. Whether your creation is good or bad is irrelevant. If you are bad today, don’t lose your heart. You will become better at it with time. All you need to do is stay committed. If you are a writer, you need to write every day. If you are a painter, you need to paint regularly. The more you do it, the better you become at it.

I don’t believe that good does not come out of bad. I don’t believe that someone who is struggling at the bottom level of a pyramid today will never be able to climb up higher. Of course, reaching the top level will be difficult, but not impossible.

If you follow your passion, you will be ridiculed by your friends and some of your relatives. This is a natural course of life. Whenever someone tries to do something different people make fun of the person. The more your struggle, the harsher these criticisms will become. It won’t be a pretty scene. You will certainly not enjoy it. But, if you stick to your dream, you will surely have the last laugh.

The key is sticking to it. The magic is into continuing. Miracle happens when you don’t give up. I am not trying to be a motivational guru of some sort. God knows there are too many of them already and their advice come for a price. Mine is for free. Mine is for whoever takes it. I don’t care much about money. When I write a motivational post, I motivate myself. You can give it a try too. Write something that will make others feel special or say a word of encouragement that will make someone smile.

Do it and follow your dream. The road will not be beautiful. But, if you walk the walk, you will surely reach your destination.  

I AM

It has been a long time since I have written anything. I have tried to write posts so many times and failed. Instead I ended up writing a poem. I call it I AM.

I am the stream of water

I am the endless sky

I am the mellow sunset

I am the golden sunrise

I am the gust of wind

I am the flame of fire

I am the driving force

of my heart’s deepest desire

I am the solid rock

Forever silent and still

I am the towering mountain

Valley and the hill

I am the sweetest smile

I am the droplet of tear

I am the rush of courage

I am the jolt of fear

I am the forceful wave

changing the shape of earth

I am the pride of victorious

echoing in the laughter of mirth

I am the hungry ocean

I am the eternal hour

I am what I am

I am the power

Well, not a masterpiece, not even a poem to remember. Yet, it is mine and I am proud of it. Next time I will come up with another poem that I have written a long time ago. Till then miss me. It’s good to be back.

Pain and Pleasure of Writing – Confession of a Writer

Writing a novel is like making love, but it's also like having a tooth pulled. Pleasure and pain. Sometimes it's like making love while having a tooth pulled - Dean Koontz

I guess the above mentioned quote said it all in one line. Writing a novel is a journey. It begins from a blank page. It ends with a world and its’ people. But how exactly writers cross the path? How they fill out the blankness with words and create an entire world? How?

Some days back a very witty friend of mine had said – ‘If you have the time to read and think blah, blah, blah, you can write a novel.’ I had curled my fingers and prayed for control. No, I did not have the urge to strike the idiot. I had to fight the bubble of laughter that threatened to emerge out at the comment. Man, I truly do have a talent for finding friends. But they help, you know. They give me ideas for blog posts and they make damn good characters.

Anyways, when the urge to laugh died down, I sat back and pondered what he had said. If you have time to read and think blah, blah, blah…well really? It bothered me to realize that the world view us as a bunch of nobodies with ample of time to read and think blah, blah, blah. Frankly guys writing a novel takes a lot more than reading and thinking blah. Blah, blah. It takes desire and unyielding passion.  

If you are not born with the desire you are not a writer. What do you think? Why a group of people endure rejections, mockeries and harsh criticisms and still continue writing? What makes them cry in seclusion when no one is watching and then wipe the tears to write yet another novel or short story or poem? It is passion. We are fortunate or unfortunate enough to born with it. We cannot give up. We are the prisoners of our own desires. But, the strange fact is we don’t want to be free of the captivity.   

So, what exactly do we do? How we write novels, poems, short stories? I am sure about any of you. I can only say about myself. To me it is like the above mentioned quote, a fusion of pleasure and pain. I begin with utter zeal and dreams of being the next best seller. I dream of attending book signings and getting mobbed by the admirers. With this glow I begin writing. As the process continues and I head towards the middle, slowly and painfully, dreams wane and reality creeps forward. This is the time I walk straight into walls (no I don’t call them blocks). I tear the pages and blow the pieces in the air (yes, I write the first draft with pen and paper). I bare my fangs at about everyone. I transform into a whole new person.

Believe me the picture is not nice enough. Writing takes away a lot of things and demands sacrifices. These we do willingly, if not happily. I have given up watching television. Although I have never been a TV freak, I used to watch an hour of TV everyday. That I have replaced with a session of reading. I avoid attending parties unless I absolutely must. Once a month I do step out in style and attend a get together of some kind. These are not sacrifices, I am investing my time into something that matters to me.

So, you see we are not born with all the time of the world. We make times for what we love. If anything, we are always hard pressed for time. You know why? Because we live double lives. We balance day job and writing everyday and survive to tell the tale. Some tales, we never tell. We never talk about rejections and negative feedbacks. These we deal in isolation.

If you are a writer, you must have heard words that hurt. Take them and move forward and keep writing. Don’t let the world pull you down on your knees and keep you there (yes, I borrowed that from my favorite character Rocky Balboa).

This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until its done. It's that easy, and that hard ― Neil Gaiman

Suffering from Writer’s Block? Sure I Believe You

We, writers, suffer from many romantic notions. We think that we are different (may be some of us are). We think we are born with the blessing called imagination. We prefer to spend time in isolation. And we blame writer’s block for everything that is wrong in our lives. Been there and done that. Every time I scream my heart out and humiliate someone close, I put the blame on writer’s block. It’s like blaming God for everything that is wrong in my life. God does not defy and thus He is the easiest target.

It’s easy you know and it’s handy. This is something people don’t understand. Those who don’t write, don’t know what blockage is. I know this and so does everyone who calls themselves writer with pride. It is romantic to walk into a dry well. It is almost God like to feel something that others don’t understand.

The reality is another matter all together. The reality is…writer’s block does not exist. Yes, it does not. I am a writer and I have never faced a block in my life. I blame it on the block when nothing else works.  It’s a guise that I wear to conceal the fact that I have been lazy.

There's no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California who couldn't write ― Terry Pratchett

If you call yourself a writer, you gotta have the passion or the dream of making it to the publication someday. Respect your craft. Respect your skill. And respect your passion. Don’t create something that does not exist just for the heck of it. People without writing experience may believe you. But those who know the craft, those who write and those who write everyday, will not believe you. In their eyes, you will be nothing but an excuse creator. I came to realize this – the hard way.

The only reason you can't write is because you don't ― A.A. Patawaran, Write Here Write Now: Standing at Attention Before My Imaginary Style Dictator

I am into content writing for the last two years. I am writing even since I have learnt to speak. I know a thing or two about the craft. The worst thing that may happen is you will produce trash. But you cannot write, that you are suffering from a block, I am sorry my friend, this is just an excuse for not writing.

Writer's block' is just a fancy way of saying 'I don't feel like doing any work today ― Meagan Spooner  

Creative writing requires thinking and you may face a problem in imagining things and that may linger for a day or two. But this romanticism is not applicable in content writing. The only way you can face a block is by writing too much. Too many words or articles can turn you into a zombie. But if you are not writing or writing one  blog post per day and still blaming it on writer’s block, you are committing a sin.

Okay, let’s assume, you are really suffering from this block. That you are really finding it hard to write. I will still ask you what you are doing about it. What action are you taking to overcome the block? Be honest to yourself and answer this.

You see I am not trying to call you a liar. I hardly give a damn about what you are doing. It is just that you are lying to yourself and your passion. It’s your craft that will suffer and sometimes your clients who have trusted you to deliver the job. It’s about time you stop lying and get the things done.

So, next time do us a favor and find another excuse. We have been writing for too long to believe you. 

This World is a Projection of Your Own Mind

You are a big personality in your own mind only. This comment has been hurled at me few days ago. By whom? You won’t know as the person is a fucking nobody. Yeah, true, that’s what he is and yet…

I was dumbstruck for a moment. I wondered – what the fuck? How can someone who has done nothing to write history about can say this? Had it been John Grisham, I would have bowed acceptance. But to hear it from someone who frames sentences that require deciphering? Well that gets me fucking pissed. But, hey…wait a minute. He is right, I am a big personality in my mind only. I truly am. In my mind, I rule. In my mind, no one writes better than I do. In my mind, I am the queen of the world.

Reality is a projection of your thoughts or the things you habitually think about - Stephen Richards

This is what most people are unaware of. What you think in your mind ultimately comes true. So, be the king of the world in your mind first. Project properly and then only you will be able to see it in reality.

If constructive thoughts are planted positive outcomes will be the result. Plant the seeds of failure and failure will follow - Sidney Madwed  

Our world is full of losers. They are the ever waiting souls. They want to pull you down on your knees and keep you there, forever. You will have to decide your action. Do you want to stay on your knees? Or, do you want to get up and get going, no matter what?

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you - James Allen

Losers have a particular power in them. They are convincing. They have convinced themselves that the Lamborghini is out of reach. So, they will laugh at you when you will express your desire to drive one. They know that they are not capable enough to achieve success and they are afraid that you will someday. So, they try to demoralize you with their words. It’s only words and words are all they have. 

I also play with words. Words are my weapons. I build castle with words. I also destroy those castles with nothing but words. Yet, my words are never a means to demoralize anyone. If you are happy with your mind’s projection, I bow down and accept that. I also know that someday your thought will help you reach your destination.

The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking - Albert Einstein

If there is someone, who claims to be your friend and yet keep saying to you that you are nothing but a projection of your mind. Smile and accept. Dream big. Let you imagination go wild. And say it aloud. Say that you are the next best seller. Say that you are the conqueror of this whole world. Declare to everyone that you dream of driving that Audi or the Lamborghini. Do not be shy to admit that you have the desire to become the next multi billionaire. Let them laugh at you. Listen to the sound of laughter and the tinge of mockery. Nothing motivates better than sarcasm.

You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind - Darwin P. Kingsley   

To build or to destroy depends on you. Walk away from the negative influences. Discard these people from your life. Keep following your heart and build world in your mind. And always remember – This World Is a Projection of You Own Mind.