Know thy Achilles’ heel

Any one taking charge of a place or an institution generally would like to assert that his worthy predecessor was not altogether innocent of many of the things that the new person would approve of. Finding fault with predecessors is nothing new with new executives, and this is all the more true in the case of persons who had been occupying the high-end chairs for a decade or more; it is too long for them to occupy a position, and as a result they fail to see the rut that might be collecting around them. It would be the duty of the successor to clear some of the dirt, especially those collected under the carpet, and those hanging from the ceiling. The new executive is also duty bound to protect the identity of the predecessor, and even unwillingly support what he had done before the employees, because that is what is expected of him from the institute he has become an integral part of.

I am quite wary of the people who would sell the institutions they represent, in order to show favoritism towards a couple or more persons, who do not even come under the ambit of the institution. It is a dangerous trend, if outsiders take advantage of the generosity and openness of the executive in order to curry favor, much to the chagrin of the other staff of the institution. I had come across such instances quite a few times, and had been quite critical about this kind of dealings, but there was very little that I could do to prevent such a kind of dealings. How can one allow outsiders take the institution for a royal ride? After all, the institution is not a private property of any particular individual, but belongs to the people, and when one receives the appointment letter to give the leadership role, one needs to bear in mind that one has to protect the greater interests of the institution before all else.

As an executive who has great responsibility laid upon his or her shoulders, one of the most important things he/she needs to be aware of is, his/her own weaknesses. People outside know how to locate and attack on the Achilles’ heels. It is after all not altogether difficult for people to find out the weaknesses of their bosses, and it would not be too late before they spread the net to catch them unawares. There are people, who are weak in certain respects, and I do not need to elaborate what people are generally weak at, and once people know what the weaknesses of their bosses, then half their work is done, and all they have to do now is, create a situation where the boss becomes an easy victim, and that is the starting point of the institution being taken for a royal ride by unassuming persons, with unlimited power and prowess to dictate how the boss deals with the daily affairs and the policy decisions of the institution.

One of the first lessons that I require to learn before I begin to take charge of an institution is to be aware of my own limitations and weaknesses, so that when someone tries to attack me on my weak points, I could catch them there and then, and therefore do not permit them from making me a pawn in their hands. Becoming conscious of and acknowledging my own limitations is nothing demeaning for me; there are areas in me, which are beyond my control to reform or transform, and being conscious of these would be more rewarding than even getting out of these limitations. This is like guarding one’s home from the hands of the burglars who might be attempting at the thick of night. If you are alert and agile to any such attempt, then the burglars cannot succeed in breaking open the house and robbing the treasures. Let me give a silly example, if everyone knows that I go to bed at 9 pm, and wake up at 5 am, then they also know that the best time for them to break open my room is between 9 pm and 5 am. But then, I may also have systems, such as digital alert systems so that as soon as any one tries to break open the door, they are stunned by the sirens honking at deafening volume, waking up the entire neighborhood.

If I am a person who likes to have a few people always at my side, who would always support my viewpoints and perspectives, irrespective of if they would help the institution or not, then I am sure to become their slave too soon, and it would not be long before they put their conditions to me, and extract out of me whatever they might be in want of. The interests and welfare of the institution should take precedence over the interests and welfare of the boss or the employees, and it is only under such circumstances can the institution last long; or else the institution might become a useless entity too soon, and it might come to a situation when it might need to be given a decent burial. Unfortunately this is the story of many of the towering institutions disappearing into thin air over the past decades, and the life of the institution is party in the hands of the one steering it; while it is a privilege, it also calls for greater amount of responsibility on him/her.

Showers of Blessing

It is quite interesting to observe how it rains in some places and not in some other; a few minutes before we began our journey, the sky was dark, and we were sure it would pour quite heavily. Therefore we preponed our journey, so that we might not be caught by the rain. But some half an hour later, the rain was nowhere to be seen. As we got out of the city, we came across dry ground, and not a drop of water was there. Where has the rain gone, and why did it not rain here? I was asking myself. How is it nature is so insensitive to the suffering and pain of the people? We cannot force the rain to come down on a particular place and not another. Maybe that is a grace in disguise.

Fortunately rain is something that one cannot make claim over, and no one can hoard it in the godowns, storerooms and warehouses. Luckily rain cannot be bought and sold in the open market; it is not yet a commodity which can be auctioned, and handed over to the highest bidder. Is it not something beautiful that some of the most beautiful things on earth are beyond the reach and control of the human beings – the rain, the shine, the moonlight, the movement of the winds and pressures, the movement of the sun and the moon, the growth of plants, the inner dynamics of the human body and mind. Thank God, no one can put a copyright to the monsoon rains.

Though much of the natural resources had been at the disposal of humanity, God had not given control over these resources, which are far more significant and noteworthy, than the minerals, water, and the natural resources, such as the flora and fauna. I cannot imagine what the situation on earth would be if someone had a copyright over rain and the air we breathe, and we would have been paying through our nose to even to breathe and to get wet in the first rains of the season. Now we know that God is a wise person, who knew that if the human beings were to have control over these, they would have made a mess of them, and therefore he decided not to let them mess with his great gifts.

The many attempts of scientists and technicians to bring down artificial rain have met with utter failure; human beings have learned that there are at least a few things in the universe, where they do not have the last word, and have to turn to the great power. Sometimes it may appear that the poor peasants and farmers get far too little rain than the people who are responsible for desertification and deforestation; but if we look at the phenomenon carefully, we would realize that it is not the case always. There might be rare exceptions, but by and large, nature is far more generous to the poor than to those who can afford to go without it.

Rain has been one of the signs of God’s blessing from time immemorial, and even today simple people consider it a special blessing of God, and without his mercy, we may not have rain for months and even years. This is one of the prerogatives of God, and we can get it only from him, and there is no shortcut to receiving this gift. The first drops of rain are considered to contain the sweetness of the heavens, and they are believed to contain healing power – scientifically, the first rains contain minerals which have the capacity to bring healing and wholeness to persons. Today I pray for this rain to the Lord of the rains, to shower his blessings on the people who yearn for it.

The Art of Flying Kites

Makar Sankranti (which generally falls on either 14 or 15 of January according to Lunar calendar) is considered an auspicious moment for the religious Hindus; on the one side we have the Ganga Sagar mela in West Bengal, and on the other the Kumbh mela in Haryana, where devotees dip themselves into the cleansing (?) waters of the Ganges, and get themselves purified. For good many Santal tribals, the occasion is celebrated as Sakrat, the festival of 'eating and drinking', marking the end of the harvest season. For reasons unknown, Sankranti is also a season of flying kites, and across the country one comes across special kites competitions organized during these days.

Flying kites is not as simple as it looks; it is an art, just like singing, music, and dance are; or just as not every one can write great poems, or sing in accurate pitch, so also not every one can fly a kite. Some years ago, I didn't believe that flying kites can be a challenge; when I found a few kites perched on the terrace of our building, I tried to fly it, and what a disastrous attempt it was. The kite refused to soar; I tried to imitate little children so wonderfully maneuvering in order to keep the kites soaring higher and higher, but all in vain. It was a great moment of enlightenment for me: one, not all can fly kites, and two, it is easier for smaller children to learn flying kites than for adults!

But what does the art of flying kites refer to, and what is it all about? Put simply, it is all about the art of maneuvering; it is very similar to the maneuvers that a fighter pilot would make, in order to escape the target of the enemies. Sadly a killer instinct is also made to thrive while flying kites; it is no longer a game to let the kite kiss the blue sky, and wander freely amidst the clouds, but it is also targeted to knock down other kites, and the thread is given a coating with glass paste, which is capable of severing other vulnerable thread. But this is human ingenuity going beyond reason and good sense.

To maneuver a kite in the midst of strong winds is not an easy task; just as a boat which is supported by a mast is left to the whims and fancies of the winds and the tides, so also is the kite is left to the winds; but it is only a master kite-flyer who can turn the kite to face the winds and bring it back home. But there is yet another easy option left to him/her, to let the kite follow the winds, but then one s/he has to make sure there is enough stock of the thread, if one still wants to have an hold on the kite. There is the third option, to let the kite go free by leaving the thread, and just enjoy gazing at the kite freely and gently glide through the winds and going beyond the sight. There is a pleasure in watching your dreams, fantasies take wings of poesy!

It is only the small children who would have the inner freedom and generosity to let the kites go free in the sky, and not make a hue and cry if the thread is snapped and the kite takes freedom to go where it wills. The freedom to let things go free from our hands demands we have the generosity to let things go out of our control, out of our hands. We cannot have the threads of the kite held tightly in our hands, and at the same time let it go free; we cannot keep the cake and eat it. But there is no greater joy and satisfaction than to let the kite glide through the winds in the blue sky, and gazing at it with the contentment that it is in the good hands of the sky and the winds! For like all arts, flying kites can bring us joy, and letting it go free can bring greater joy!

When Nature Spread Carpets...

All around I see a white carpet of snow, carefully strewn on plants, housetops, on top of every conceivable object on the lanes and by-lanes of this vast city. It is a treat to one’s eyes, and as I walked along the streets, with hedgerows piled with snow, I stretch out my hand to touch them, and they immediately slip from my hands, as if playing hide-n-seek with me. Unadulterated white powder generously strewn, no human mechanism may be able to reproduce such artistry, such delicate work of love. But alas, there is hardly anyone to even take note of this wondrous miracle! Gifts of nature abound all around us, every day, and every hour and every minute, and we need a thousand eyes to behold her beauty, not out there, but here and now.

The greatest miracle-worker, nature, does not measure and give to the world; her gifts are always in unlimited measure, like a true lover showering all that he has on his beloved. He does not calculate and measure when it comes to self-offering. Nature gives all that she has, and the best gift that she could give to the world is herself, and is there anyone to receive them? As I walked along a park with lovely carpet of snow all around, so soft and so gentle, at times I felt indignant to put my foot on them! Oh, how can I be so cruel to stamp this lovely gift of nature? I would like to take this gift in both my hands and give it a gentle kiss! Oh no! I am too old to do that! I should be a little child to do that, and no one would frown at me; they would think that it was part of my childish play. But now, I have to be careful as to what others will think, how they would regard me if I were to do that. I cannot be entirely what I am as I behold nature; I have to be heartless and emotionless before her bounty.

Nature’s great gift lying in vain, unregarded, uncared, and the vast part with trees around, I can find hardly anyone. A gift is often exchanged only between people who care for each other; we do not give gifts to someone we do not like. Nature showers her gifts on us only out of her boundless love for us, and even if we do not treasure her gifts, is it not proper that we at least receive them with dignity and honor? What we can give her in return is a big question, we cannot enter into, but is it not human to treat her with love for giving to her gifts we surely do not deserve? The only people who really recognize this gift are children; I could see three children while walking along the road, play with snow, throwing it on one another. She becomes the object of joy and happiness among people, and probably that is the reason why she came down from heaven. Is it not true then that when she is down, the temperature is kept under control? How can we be so blind to take note of her in our midst?

If the weather is cloudy for days on end, then we look forward to the sun, and are very happy when he turns up (though science would warn us that it is not he who turns up, but that we who turn ourselves to him!), and we get out of our heated rooms, to be bathed in the natural stream of warmth and life. But when the sun light is too much in abundance, we hardly take note of him, and the gifts of nature that come in large measure become a routine object, like the church bell chiming each day at the appointed time, or the train passing by with a loud horn at a particular hour each day! Unfortunately we have so many things to keep us busy the whole day long, that even some of the most beautiful events and incidents of life become routine exercises, and we can care very less. There may be a year, when we may not find snow spreading a lovely white carpet all around our city, and then we may complain to nature what made her turn to us harshly, for denying the lovely gift!

Today I would like to pause for a while to reflect about the different gifts of nature that come to me unannounced, unprepared! They come to me so casually without much pomp that I don’t pay attention to them, and they may even escape my notice, and I may miss them forever. Today I go through my mind’s eye and enlist all such gifts that come to me freely – the air I breathe, the water I drink, the sunlight and the moonlight at day and night respectively, the cool breeze that soothe my drooping spirit, and enliven my heart, the blue sky that takes me beyond the horizon, the birds of the air and the flowers, plants, even a little grass has tidings of joy and happiness for me! They all make the world and my life beautiful, if I really care for them. Today I fold my hands in sincere reverence and love for nature, for her unconditional love for humanity! I do not dare to promise her that hence forth I will take her seriously, and accept her gifts with open arms; if I do that, then I will have to regret for making such a promise I cannot keep. I plead with her to bear with me when I am blind to her beauty, deaf to her music, senseless to her soothing sensations, tasteless to savor her sweetness, and give me the grace to accept her whole-heartedly into myself and be immersed by her love beyond all measure! (Brussels)

Annual Clearance

Probably there is no other creature on earth as selfish and greedy as the human beings, and this is not something that we can be proud of. All around us we see the fruits of human greed, in the economic melt-down; the small-scale investers and producers find it hard to keep the shutters, and they are looking up to the government and industrialists to work out a magic formula that would ease the tension that hurts the pockets and purses. But will there be a viable solution to this global phenomenon? We are yet to see the signs of a reversal of processes.

If only we had the humility to learn lessons from nature, the earth would be still full of flowers for us to admire, grains to fill our barns, fruits to keep our stomachs full. But we are all too proud to take lessons from nature. The animal world too has so much to teach us. Is it not a wonderful thing that a tiger would never hurt the best of prey, once its stomach is full. Have you heard of a lion which kills a prey, and after eating its fill, stores the rest for the next day? It would leave the rest in open for others to eat.

Sometimes I feel guilty when I open the cupboard/almirah in my room, and find clothes that I dont need to use in the next three months, when there are millions in the far flung corners of the country who have nothing to wear. Is it not a crime on the personal front? It is because many of us have the compulsive tendency to hoard things (often superfluous objects of pleasure), that the deserving dont get a chance to enjoy them.

May be it is possible for us to undertake an "annual clearance" day, and clear all the excess that may lie in our cupboards, and give to the people who are in real need of them. They could be clothes, gadgets, equipments, books, objects of pleasure... anything that costs a price. It is a fact that the more we hoard, the more will be the greed to acquire more, and that will never come to an end. On the other hand, once we start clearing all the excesses (just like shedding of the extra kilograms in our bodies), we would feel so light, so joyous.

Today the Lord calls me to keep a check on my life-style - am I floating with the trends of the world, which are far too removed from a contended life that I can live within the means I have, or am I fully in control of the means to a happy life at my disposal. My prayer to the Lord of the Universe is that I may have the generosity and the heart to tell Him/Her, Enough Lord for the day. Let me share the rest with the deserving brothers and sisters around me.