Sunday, November 2, 2008

Perfect

Artist: Simple Plan
Title: Perfect
Another parent problem, another long conversation, arguments, no arguments, held back tears.....Sigh. Cue song.
Hey Dad look at me
Think back and talk to me
Did I grow up according To plan?
You know what the problem is? Its expectation. Its that bloody plan. The ideal of perfection that you hold in your head. My son should be like this, my daughter should be like this. This is what he should do. this is what he should study, these are the specifications for his frends. This is not a son ure looking at folks. This is myProduct 0.23 Alpha. It comes with the following specifications. It Doesnt? Well ill bloody make sure it does.

Do you think Im wasting My time doing things I Wanna do? But it hurts when you Disapprove all along
Always the disapproval. Dont allow your kids to spend time with their frends. And if you do allow them time-make sure you disapprove a lot. Cos disapproval is good for their souls. Do you know how much we yearn for your approval? Do you? i have this picture in my mind. This lil boy has built a castle in the sand. He's been working hard on it all day long. His dad comes in, the expectation on the kid's face is heart breaking. Does the dad notice? Does he approve? Oh no. His white shirt may get dirty. He gingerly picks up the kid. Ticks him off properly for wasting time. The kid should have bee studying- or otherwise productively employed. ( The definition of "productively employed" for a kid is one word -" studying" ) A single tear hits the sand as the kid is carried away. Im not angry anymore. Im just sad.
And now I try hard to make it I just want to make you proud I?m never gonna be good Enough for you I can't pretend that I'm alright
I want my parents to be proud of me.I want them to point to me and say " That 's my boy", wit pride. And when they dont, Im broken.
And you can't change me Cuz we lost it all Nothing lasts forever I'm sorry I can't be Perfect Now it's just too late And we can't go back I'm sorry I can't be Perfect
We once had so much. You thought i was growing up fine. I was the perfect child. Or was I? Were you just waiting for me to grow up and make real mistakes, differing from your perfect ideal so that you could show me what i was not? Im sorry. I really am. Who's perfect in this world mama? No one is. Why must you expect your son to be perfect. Im sorry.
I try not to think About the pain I feel inside Did you know you used to be My hero? All the days You spent with me Now seem so far away And it feels like you don't Care anymore
My childhood seems so far away. My parents smiled a lot more then. They were my heroes. The time they spent with me, the joy we shared. Who changed? Did i change? Did they change? What went wrong?
Nothings gonna change The things that you said Nothing's gonna make this Right again Please don't turn your back I can't believe it's hard Just to talk to you But you don?t understand
The child was trying to explain himself to his dad. Everytime he tried he was told not to argue, not to be disrespecful. Then he was asked to justify himself. They all got up and left, going their seperate ways. Everybody turns their backs on everyone else.

The song itself alternates brilliantly between a sad, reminiscing regretful tone to a tone of anger- akin to what we go thru with our parents. We 're sad, insecure and unhappy because we feel that the love has gone. We feel frustrated and angry when they dont understand us anymore. Sigh.
So many wars, so many problems, so many broken families could have been avoided if people had just talked to each other as equals.

The Wolf Run

Day Nine:
The wolf met yet another runner-the lizard. The wolf was not too sure what to make of the Lizard. He seemed like a good creature and yet he was like a shell. the desire to run was not his own. The wolf decided that the lizard was a mere puppet. His interest lay in pleasure. all his allies were pleasure seekers. The only disadvantage that the wolf could see in the lizard running was that he had disabled three of the wolf's supporters- The jackal, The Hermit crab and tthe gibbon. These had decided that their allegiances lay divided between the wolf and the lizard and in their confusion - they opted for doing nothing. The wolf was disappointed- two of them had given him their express word. He was more than disappointed- he was angry. But he held his anger in check. There would be time. He still hoped that they would see the error of their ways. Fools.
Day Ten:
The wolf went about doing good. His fame spread. He did this not with the intention of gaining favours but with the vague idea that all animals are inherently good creatures. He believed in the maxim" Cubs are born with no prejudices". He hoped he was right. Maybe they would remember him when the time came. Maybe they would not. Who could tell.
Day Eleven:
The wolf became aware of a spy. The old sparks of vengeance-long dormant- ignited in his blood. One of his friends was a traitor. When the time came he would make him pay so dearly that the other animals would cover in terror. The Chameloen had been an ally,then had turned against the wolf. The wolf snarled. How naive did the son of cur think the wolf was? He still expected the wolf to believe that he was on his side. The wolf could do nothing but gnash his teeth in fury. His time would come.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

The Wolf Run

Its been three months.
Day Four:
He met the Deputy. The Deputy was the man who could bring about the wolf run. The wolf could scarcely believe the power that the Deputy wielded over the other animals. Legions seem to rest on his word. His followers trusted him implicily-without question. And the wolf saw him, and was pleased he had gained the Deputy. He was an invaluable ally-with him the wolf would make history.
Day Five:
The wolf met another runner- the black fox. He was a wild creature-wild and wily. It became apparent to the wolf that the fox was a fool, a fool with followers, but nevertheless a fool. The fox had a trusted ally- the monkey. The monkey appeared more intelligent than the fox. The wolf started to grow wary. He even thought of not running. He had his pack and his work. There was no reason for him to run. He wanted no glory, or riches. He spoke to both the Deputy and the Priest. They were not impressed. Victory is ours, they said. Why do you fear. One of the wolf's friends -the mongoose convinced the wolf. The fox is evil, he said. If he becomes king we as a forest will be led by an evil fool. You have the chance. You have the strength. I have faith in you. You will do it. The wolf squared his shoulders- he had a job to do, a race to win.
Day Six:
The fox had the tongue of a snake. He was a snake-fox. He was trying to poison the minds of the animals of the animals against tthe wolf. His fear of losing was becoming evident. In his desperation he was making rash and wild promises, tempting the animals with dreams of glory and riches. The Deputy and the Priest made short work of the fox-snake's efforts. The jackal, another of the wolf's trusted allies, began to come into his own. His work in aiding the wolf's cause began to show itself. The wolf was pleased.
Day Seven:
The Priest brought the Man. The wolf was wary. The man appeared tame, even respectful, but he exuded danger the same way a tiger exuded danger. He spoke casually of murder. The wolf was uneasy in his heart. The man spoke well, of that there was no doubt. But still something tugged at the wolf's heart. The man was making requests that left the wolf wondering if it was a race or a battle they were preparing for. Perhaps it was a bit of both.
Day Eight:
The man was proving to be almost as invaluable as the Deputy. he seemed to know all the animals. And they all seemed eager to please his every request, almost afraid even. The wolf's uneasiness grew. But the man's actions did not betray him. Only his requests tugged at the back of the wolf's mind.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Wolf Run

Day one:
It began with an idea.The wolf wanted to run.It knew how to run.And the others knew that it could run, and run well.The wolf knew them all-all the others.And he knew that he was faster. But he was'nt sure.It wasnt enuff just to know how to run.You needed to learn how to cross the potholes.And you had to escape the hunters.You had to ensure that the others didnt cheat.There appeared a lot more to running than running.The wolf was in doubt.

Day two
The others began to approach him-in ones and in twos.They wanted him to run.
They said that they would support him.They were but mice-but they offered their swords.And the wolf was touched.He knew that in these mice lay the strength to fell great lions He began to grow in confidence.Maybe the idea wasnt so bad after all.He would think about it.In the mean time -he was hungry.

Day three
The day that decided him.It was the priest that did him.You run, he told the wolf, I will support you.I have a congrgation behind me.They may not be all good men.But i can bring them towards you.Leave those who wil not come through good will,the wolf told him,they do not matter to me.I will do my best, said the priest.
How should i run, he asked the inspirer. Run as i know only u can ,said he.Run honestly,run true.Set yourself apart from the others as the true runner.God will help you. The wolf was decided.He would run.There was no turning back now.You may fail,said another inspirer.Butit is better to fail honourably than to win dishonourably, he added.The wolf knew this.He was decided.He would run.There was no turning back.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Because they Love us

This blog is about letting go.Its also about what people can justify with the phrase"Because I love you".This is a note to all parents-Learn to let go.You have brought up your child in the best possible way.You've done everything you can for him.You've given him everything he has evr needed or wanted -within reason of course.But there comes a time in every child's life when in the eyes of the parents he seems to turn on the hand that fed him.This is when u need to led go.How long do you think you can protect him?For ever?Can you stay with her till she walks into her grave.The young do not fear death.Let them live.Let them make mistakes.They need to learn who they are. I'm warning you there will come a time when your child will cut herself to see whether she can really bleed because You've molly cuddled her so much that she simply does not know. There will come a time when ure child will take a rik just to see what happens.Tie a man in a strait jacket long enuff and he will one day try to choke himself.In parenthood there comes a time when your child will run a sword thru ur heart.He will turn on you and say "Dont do this for me anymore.Enough Protection." He will tell you that he needs his space and that he needs to get away from you for a while. Instead of clinging on to him at this point like a drowning sailor take a deep breath look him in the eye and say "I trust you . Do what you feel necessary. Remember that we love you ad that our hopes and dreams res on your shoulders."You will not be let down.Now onto a related issue..
There is an amazin amount of things that parents seem to get away with using the phrase "because we love you.."It is implied.Every time my mother comes up to me and says something like "i'd like to accompany you to college" I find myself thinking "Alrite,she wants to accompany her son whom she loves dearly.She wants to be the proud mother she has always wanted to be.Is that so bad?It wil cost me some face with my frends .But what the heck."I pray that my son thinks out the same line of thought some day.But there are times,times when i really wish i could draw the line.When my father gives me lines like"Dont go to the movie because one my friends will see you there and therefore my reputation as a good father will decrease and also I have reason to believe that movie goers are spoilt brats.Besides all your brothers were spoilt by goin to the movies."I feel like throwing up my hands in sheer total frustration and banging my head on the wall.Dont You EVR trust me ?Dont give me that about it not being a question of trust.It IS about trust.Can't you put aside your fears for me?Just because HE got "Spoilt"when he went to the movies,doesn't mean i will as well.Youve drilled your "morals" untill i can recite them backwards.Then what are you afraid of?The bottom line is:You dont trust me.Atleast thats what i feel.You dont trust me.I trust you so much.I would lay my life down for one of your decisions.But I'd like some trust in return. Someday.

Disclaimer:This particular blog is not something I'm riting outt of my own personal experience.It's second hand.Peace

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Home

Home
I really can’t help it. My life is a song. Every time I look at the world, at some incident that touches me or makes me happy or sad-I hear a song playing in my head. It helps me understand-and it eases the pain. This next song is a beautiful number that tugs at me every time I hear it. Its called “Home” by Daughtry.
If I were to set a scene for this song-I would imagine myself driving back home after a concert. Its late at night, its been a long day and I’m thinking..
Home. I look outside into the night at the busy city, the world outside-and I feel comforted by the knowledge that for today at least it’s all over-that I’m going back to a place where I’m loved, where I’m wanted. No matter how bad the day has been, no matter how much I’ve messed up, I’m going back home now and its all going to be alright. I can see it already-My home, my house, my family. There are smiles-not plastic ones but real ones, and there are people who really care about me. There’s a mat at the door-it says, “Leave your problems at the door son, you’re home now” We spend our whole lives searching for things away from home to make ourselves feel better. The other man’s grass is always greener. But at the end of the day what we fail to realize, is that everything we truly need or want is at home. Home is where the love is.
The last few miles are always the worst aren’t they? Just when you’re almost home, when you can almost feel home ground under your feet, the world seems to be trying to slow you down. The traffic seems heavier than usual. Stupid people come up with stupid, trivial reasons why you shoudn’t go home right now. But when you manage to brush them all off and finally get home the prize is always worth the wait, trust me. And the best part of it is-home is always there-something that’s steady and unfailing. And something that gives you another chance, and another one after that, and another one. The world doesn’t give you extra chances-home does.

I’m an introvert. Frankly, I find myself out of place most of the time-except when I’m at home. That’s where I belong-that’s where I don’t stick out.
I ‘m nearing home now. I think about the life that I lead-the life I’ve chosen for myself-and I wonder-did I chose the right thing? Is this what I really want? Sometimes I’m sure. Sometimes I’m not. But ultimately, no matter what, you’ll find that there’s only so much of time away that you can stand. After that- the “places and the faces start getting old”. That’s when you know that its time to pack up shop and head home.
Ever chased a pretty rainbow? There are times when I’ve devoted so much time and effort chasing a dream. And when I finally get what I want-I find that its not really what I want. I get things I didn’t really bargain for. And when I reach this point-again, I know its time to head home.
What’s the difference between a home and a house? Answer-home is where the love is. A strange thing is always beautiful-exotic and tempting. We may chase it for a while. But in the end there’s nothing more beautiful than picking up that phone and saying, ”Yea mum, I’m home”
I'm going home,Back to the place where I belong,And where your love has always been enough for me.I'm not running from.No, I think you got me all wrong.I don't regret this life I chose for me.But these places and these faces are getting old.I said these places and these faces are getting old,So I'm going home.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

My Immortal

My Immortal

Artist: Evanescence

Album: Fallen

Wind Up records.

It’s amazing, isn’t it? How one piece of music-just a few words really-a few words and a few chords, and an idea-can change a life. Can speak to you-speak to you from the innermost reaches of your heart, speak to you .with the voice of your own heart. It just fits doesn’t it? Like a glove. The lyrics are about you. The song is singing your life. And all you want to say is, “Yes. This is how it was. This is how it should be. This is me. My life.” Each one of us has a special song. Some of us have several special songs. Songs that touched us,moved us, made us happy, made us sad. Well this article is about one such song. This article is a tribute to a song that spoke to me, and has spoken to millions of people the world over. This article is a tribute. A note here-I do not claim to understand perfectly what the song means. And I don’t need to really. This is what the song says to me. And that’s enough. The song is “My Immortal” by Evanescence.

‘Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. Sometimes, I wonder if Shakespeare had it right. There’s so much joy in loving. There’s so much pain. This song is about the pain.

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

We’re here again aren’t we? You’re here now.-at the end of a relationship. And honestly you don’t know where to go from here. Ever felt the feeling that it would probably be better if they just went? That things would be alright if they would just pack up and leave? And then, when they leave-the pain starts. Everything reminds you of them.-that shirt, that empty glass. If you lose a person you love, the world seems to conspire to remind you of them-in every way possible.

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

Time’s a healer they say. All wounds die with time. You know what I think? I think time is like Band-aid.-only, bad band -aid. Imagine band-aid on a septic wound. It will hide the wound. Sure. It will hide the wound just until something opens it up again. The smallest prick and we’re bleeding all over again. Because the wound inside-that doesn’t ever heal.

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me


He looked at the flower, and though that look was for but one instant, the beauty in his heart he froze, long after he saw it no more. Now, take that one step further. The image that he froze in his heart-that image, devoid of the reality it represented, froze his heart.

Sanity is such a fragile thing. And we are such precocious, emotional people.-so easily disturbed. To the impartial observer we would make fine fools. We give our happiness and our sanity in the hands of another. And when that person goes away, or dies, well, a part of us dies, slowly.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

The mind will not accept what the heart knows has happened. No matter how much we tell ourselves that they’ve gone-that it’s over and that it was for the best. It doesn’t ease the pain really. It only makes us feel alone. And then we start to think-probably we were alone all along.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
Now these lines. Well they’re the most beautiful ones in the song, at least according to me. They’re sung three times. The first two times have a soft mourning lilt to them.

To love someone so much. Ever woken up in the middle of the night from a bad dream? Remember now. The sweat, the fear, and the sudden cry with which you awoke. And then the thought-the reassuring thought that there is someone who cares. There is someone who will stand by you .Tell you it’s alright. That it’s all good. There isn’t a reason to fear. I am here by your side.

The last time these lines are sung the song reaches its climax with the guitar and the drums crashing in and adding a whole new dimension to the lyrics-anger. The last line is prolonged and completely softened though.

You still have all of me. When you died, when you went away, you took a part of me with you. And me, my shattered and fragmented self will always love you. No matter what.


Friday, March 14, 2008

Compartmentalization

We are jugglers,all of us.We are juggling people,we are juggling roles,we are juggling lives.And in this mad juggling game of life if we let even one piece dop...just one mistake...well... u know what happens...
I live in several worlds.Everyday of my life i traverse atleast five different worlds.Im not an alien.Nor am i an intergalactic travller.My life is hectic.Very hectic.A normal day in my life would involve me keeping a minimum of five different appointments with five completely different sets of people at five different places, each wanting something outta me.For the purpose of understanding think of each of these different sets of people as Worlds.My logic is -if u live one more than one,expect concessions from none.Make sense?Each of those worlds is a separate entity friend.Each of them expects your optimum attention(Note:I do not say full attention).U cannot go up to em and say"Cut me some slack here chum,i live on worlds B,C and D""If u cannot give each of those worlds ur Optimum attention,for God's sake dont enter them.Stay well away.Another thing-never ,never Never let the worlds mingle.Divide em strictly,precisely and syeadfastly.Never spend all ur time on World A thinking of ur responsibilities on World B.Im tellin u brother-the only thing ull end up doin is tearing ur sanity apart,piece by bloody piece.If u have learnt this-u have learnt balance.And believe me-Balance is the key.Remember"East is east and west is west.And never the twain shall meet."

Friday, January 4, 2008

Melodrama

Ive bin reading a few blogs recently,and some how im left with the feeling that my blog is kinda-hmmmm-juvenile.I mean ive bin reading blogs by people who sound like that they die a thousand deaths a day,cry hysterically over every death and lament life in terms that wuda sent Shakespeare scurrying for the dictionary.I mean -what is it with teenage(ers) girls and melodrama?Everyone is a bludy drama queen.They see pain here.Loss there.Suffering there.Blah blah blah.Life is meaningless etc etc.And the terms they use to describe their lives.Sheesh.I mean-come on-I have a sufficiently large vocab and ive seen my fair share of shit(Heck im blind in one eye and have a power of Seven-bludy-teen)-but even i dont go around using words like "grandiose"and "verbose" and phrases like"The illusion that is the world is going to come crashing down on you in the next nanosecond".Which century dyu people live in?Hmmm here's a totally baseless and largely unsuccessful attempt to understand these Doom and gloom addicts.These women(genrally) ad men(occasionally)(Wink:-)Sure me for bein sexist -i dont care) are verbose drama queens.Theyre drama addicts.They try to make out that their lives are poignant tales narrated by a dictionary with the page open on Melodrama-in an attempt to make the proverbial mountain outta the molehill.Why do u see so much pain round you?laugh a bit.Why is love an illusion?jus cos u have a failed relationship doesnt mean the world is about to end is it?Why is God an illusion?Jus cos He didnt come runnin whenever you had your petty lil moments doesnt mean He doesnt exist does it?
And in answer to this what do i get"(Sigh)u will never understand us Tragic,Misunderstood, Romantic souls"(Rolls Eyes).Argh.Wake up and smell the coffee.Smile a bit. Cant hurt more than what ure doin now.