Life is a gift – Notes 23/06/2022

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein

Life is a miracle. I have always considered life and daily living as a miracle. It is the ordinary which is extraordinary. I think that’s Zen 101.

To feel a sense of oneness with all beings and being centered in one’s tiny little universe. Lots of people drunk with ambition and capricious nature will consider it nonsense. This is me and that is you.  I think life is a gift. Today after sometime took thirteen year old vehicle to service station. The same early morning. The same place. I was expecting to meet same people. The same walk back home which has been routine. A cup of tea. Oneness with every one. However was struck by sadness as the supervisor there told me of some one whom knew passed away with COVID last year. The 2021 delta outbreak was severe. I just lost myself in a moment of grief. The supervisor showed me a photograph. I deleted departed’s number from mobile with a prayer. I had known and relied on him for years for all matters of automobile. I surrender to people’s expertise. He had told me his plans to buy a house. I had volunteered to sell my apartment.   Young life lost for nothing? If this is not destiny? what is ?

Life is random and unpredictable. I think free will is overrated. Both free will and luck have equal measure in life. The problem is every one does not have the same experience of life. Hence our sensibilities are different. I want to leave you with this thought from the great scientist ….

A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
― Albert Einstein

I think life is a gift. We must make the best possible experience of that gift. Extend compassion to all.

Love and Light.

Sincerely, Suresh

Happy Fathers day!

Now I’ve done my best, I know it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didnt come here to just to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand right here before the Lord of song
With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

― Leonard Cohen

I met a college friend today while cycling after decades. It felt good. His dog was not convinced though. A good moment. Most of life is this uncomfortable feeling. I have not had a full handle of life. To quote Cohen:

“The model I finally understood,” he recalled, “suggested that there really is no fixed self. The conventional therapeutic wisdom today encourages the sufferer to get in touch with his inner feelings – as if there were an inner self, a true self, the real self that we have glimmerings of in dreams and insights. . . . There is no real inner self to command your loyalty and the tyranny of your investigation. What happened to me was not that I got any answers, but that the questions dissolved. As one of Balsekar’s students said, ‘I believe in cause and effect, but I don’t know which is which.’”

― Leonard Cohen

There is no fixed self. I must stop seeking answers. I don’t think it’s going to get better. I keep reminding myself to stay silent in  class or life. The questions keep coming. I had questions all the time. I hope the questions dissolve and want to spread in the city, town, village, country and world. Just stretch and Cohen is right to stop this tyranny of investigation. Is it a drug? a seeker’s high. Followed by a inevitable low. Its a roller coaster. I think love is the answer. Chanting, affirmation all work in spades. Mostly love and Friendship. Losing people is very difficult.

One of good experiences of life has been father. It was not easy for both and mostly for him. Its one of  two good experiences in this life. My father taught  ” Look down and walk or you will fall down.” I always remind myself that one is fortunate and there is plenty of suffering and poverty around. One just has to look around. I just felt 90% of struggle is unnecessary. It must be karma or the rebellious or seeking path.  I agree life is cause and effect. I don’t know which is which. May be  do. We are the cause and other an effect in all scheme of things. Can we then assume responsibility?

I hope to drop the search. Become dumb. Eat a chocolate Or is it Chocolat. I cut out pleasure. Not a good thing. Do what’s essential – work, meditate, chant, read, cycle, love and laugh. May be one more Tattoo.

Happy fathers day!

Sincerely, Suresh

References:

Leonard Cohen: Remembering the Life and Legacy of the Poet of Brokenness, Rolling Stone, Mikal Gilmore.

CSE 21 Toppers – Notes 11/06/2022

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”
― Thomas A. Edison

Like every year follow CSE results. It gives  great joy to see young people who made it to the list. I read their interviews and hopes with interest.  Its every year tradition. I have no reason to follow results. Am possibly in second act and as Leonard Cohen said quoting Tennessee Williams ” Life is a fairly well-written play, except for the third act.”  Mine has not been well rehearsed play. I hope second  and third acts are better. I lived like a student. That’s why young are my heroes. This perhaps may be one of  most important pictures that have seen recently. 

 

Shruti Sharma Rank 1 in center, Ankita Agarwal Rank 2 on left and Gamini Singla Rank 3 on right.

I used to volunteer in girl schools and have seen first hand how difficult it is for girls from poor backgrounds to go to school and study. They have to do house work, don’t have adequate food and nutrition, do not have uniforms, sometimes no parents and yet they go to school to study. It’s huge effort on their part and system to keep them in school. I think this image will fire their imagination. For all those girls from villages, towns and even urban ghettos will be huge motivation that nothing is impossible with hard work. I hope these young achievers reach out to schools and not just UPSC coaching centers. I am interested in poor schools. I hope young girls dream big. It takes a lot to do graduation and take an aim at civil services examination. I hope the system helps young students all the way. Its not so much about civil services examination. It’s the possibility that hard work pay’s off in life. I hope this image reaches schools in remote places. My very best wishes to these young toppers. Hope they change the world.

Since this is the only exam studied for understand difficult nature of the examination. I couldn’t cope with failure and was one of most difficult experience of life. My calling perhaps is in private sector where there is no scope to do any developmental work. Its all about a company or at best an ecosystem. I hope second act is better than first act. I want to contribute as always regardless of setbacks. Am still 21 year old who went to university classes for civil services. In some ways better than the person used to be. I stay away from all kinds of megalomania.

Some of my earlier friends are doing a good job of helping aspirants in cracking UPSC personality tests and interview. They are doing a great job at demystifying interviews and personality tests with their experience. Kudos to them.You can read about them in the newspapers.

UPSC is best hope for students who can work very hard and do something for society.

I just hope to help school students and girls dream big. I hope am able to continue to do more work in private sector and good act 2.

Sincerely, Suresh

Reference :

CSE Topper’s Image – News18.com/Twitter
PS : (It’s great to see students Top CSE with subjects like History, Political science and Sociology )