WHAT DO YOU SEEK FROM THIS TRIP? (CXV)

Me: I am going for a trip. I have booked the tickets but haven't booked the return tickets yet. I have told my dad that I will be back in ten days, though I am not sure about it.

He: Can I ask you something? What do you seek from this trip?

Me: Well! I go without any expectations. Every trip teaches me something. And if nothing much, it acts as a good break. 

Between, I have finished reading Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer.

He: Really! So what it is your opinion on it? Was he crazy?

Me:  I loved it. It delves into lot of psychological, philosophical acts.

And he was not crazy. Not at all! He was a seeker. 

He: What did he get?

Me: He himself is the best person to answer that. But if I put myself in his place I would get peace. Peace for being away from the society, its hypocrisy, its cliches. And if I would be alive after such a trip then I would become more confident with more self respect and self satisfaction. I might get answers to many questions which are still unanswered.  

He: So you get insights. But tell me, you return to the same old world that forced you to take a life altering path. How would you be able to deal with the same rust? How would you fix things? 

She: This World is good, society is also good. The whole battle is within us, with us. Stop expecting, stop getting hurt, stop getting attached. Then we would be the happiest people on this earth. And to win over this battle is the most difficult task and that's what travelling does for us. 

He: Inner harmony is what you are pointing at. I totally agree.  I feel he was doing justice to himself. He could have been a bit more prepared though. I seriously want such people with wisdom to flourish and inspire. And sorry for asking so many questions.

She: So true. And O! I love such conversations. 

THOSE CONVERSATIONS (CXIV)

He: Are you awake? Can we talk?

She: Yes! My eyes and ears are wide open and I love talking to you.

He: I wanted to share my thoughts, my feelings. I have some strong views against the society.

She: And what are those?

He: I am worried about the education system. I think the vocation and dreams do not align nowadays. There is too much of marketing everywhere. There is this meaningless competition everywhere which continues to the deathbed. There is materialism, individualism, power. There is greed. This is not healthy.

She (while thinking): But that is the way it is happening since ages. Society keeps running on the same rules and regulations, on the same laws. Everything is cliche. You are so right. There is no scope of any creativity these days.

He: Exactly! Creativity is the thing I was hinting at. We are being conditioned to be the next big machine.

She: I was feeling the same thing few days back and I wrote this: 

"Sometimes I cry when I am not sad

Sometimes I laugh when I am not happy

I have removed all the shackles

Disowned all the rules and regulations

Abandoned all the cliches."

He: This is some good stuff. I also write sometimes. Writing is the best way to vent out feelings. It acts as catharsis for me.  I am a dreamer. But don't take me as a total dreamer.

She: Even if you are, that is awesome. We are all living because of our dreams, otherwise life is a myth. 

कागज़ और कलम (CXIII)

आजकल बिना कुछ लिखे नींद नहीं आती l शायद लिखकर ही मैं अपनी बात बयान कर पाती हूँ l मैं क्या सोचती हूँ , क्या समझती हूँ , क्या व्यक्त करना चाहती हूँ - यह और कोई समझे या ना समझे , ये कलम ज़रूर समझ जाती है l

मिली हूँ मैं बहुत से लेखकों से , किताबें भी बहुत सी पढ़ी हैं l अच्छे लेखक और अच्छी किताबें कुछ ही होती हैं l  कुछ ही होती हैं जो आँख में आँसू और चेहरे पर मुस्कान ले आती हैं l शायद वो किताबें दर्द से , दिल से लिखी गयी हैं l

मेरे लिए लिखना एक कला नहीं , खुदी से बात करने का ज़रिया है l  लिखकर एक शांति , एक सुकून सा मिलता है l  मानो दिन भर की सारी थकान , सारा चिड़ चिड़ापन इस कागज़ पर उतार दिया हो l मानो मेरा सारा दर्द इस कागज़ ने सुन लिया हो l