Revenge or Gandhigiri?

Yesterday evening, I was the victim of road rage of sorts. And, while my heart and soul sought revenge, I desisted from exacting it.

Let me tell you what happened. I was driving home from work. It was early evening and I was in the lane on the right, and right on track behind a bus. At a point slightly ahead, the road became single lane because of some road works. Suddenly from the left came this beaten up white Alto, driven by a young surd. The lad tried to nose his car between me and the bus. I just ignored him and continued in my lane. He tried to get in three or four times, getting more rash each time. Each time, I continued sticking to my lane, and my place behind the bus - unconcerned at his antics.

Immediately after the road works was this circle, where I was to turn left. The bus took a left turn and so did I. As the bus turned, this lad revved his engine and tried to get between us yet again. And once more I stuck to my guns. He had to slam on his brakes to avoid brushing my car.

About 200 meters ahead, the bus took a right turn and went away, while I continued straight down the road. By that time, this lad’s car was tailgating my car. His ego must have been smarting so hard at not being allowed to butt in by a mere woman. I knew I should expect fireworks soon.

As expected, this guy revved his engine, swung hard to the left lane, brought his car parallel to mine, stuck his head out of his car mouthed some things (not complimentary, i bet - but alas, the words lost their effect on me as my windows were rolled shut, and the AC and music system were on). He overtook my car from the left, and swerved hard into a position bang in front of my car. Then he deliberately slowed, forcing me to slow down. That’s what I had expected… and that’s exactly what he did.

I am generally cool up to a point, but when I see red, I see RED. I am a much better than average driver, and do not take incursions of this kind lightly. My first (gut) instinct was to teach this lad a lesson that he would not forget easily. I was capable of doing the same thing to him, and leading him slowly and straight into the police station - as I have done once in the past. [:P]

This time, strangely, although I was mad at his gumption, my next thoughts were ‘Hey, look at that car’! It was so badly beaten up, and bore so many stamps of past encounters with immovable objects - dents, scratches, damaged paintwork, and rust showing through.

I consciously slowed my car to a crawl behind his. The fast track red blooded guy that he was, he could keep up to this slow pace for no more than 2 minutes, then he could bear it no more. Perhaps he felt I had given up, and feeling very happy (this is my wild guess) that he had taught the old biddy a lesson, he va va vroomed away.

Take home message: The Appy of today is wiser than the Appy of yore. I pretended to be slower (dumber on the road) than I will ever be, and let him feel he had got the better of him. This act (gandhigiri of sorts?) was wiser in the long run. His badges warned me to steer clear and avoid a conflict through which I might have come out a victor, but could have left me with a hefty bill - that would have mighty well pleased him.

Moral: While revenge is sweet, it’s better in the long run to be wise. 

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The follow up on Shiva”s tandav

The union of linga with yoni

The dance of love

The act of creation, not destruction!

One on one, each for the other

The pulsating masculine aggression

The responsive feminine receptacle

Both trying to scale the peak called orgasm!

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CIRCUS

Yesterday evening as I closed my art workshop
And headed for the Ring-a-ling circus” big top
Excitement built up in me as I waited for a bus to stop
And take me to see wild animals do a mean hip hop!

On the ride, I wondered if this thing is really fair
What if unfortunately humans too had lived in a lair
And were trapped and forced to hop in the air
Even beg for their food - just basic simple fare!

I realized just how awful we humans have become
In our hunger for power, we are so cruel to some
Who are like us animals too, often more wholesome
Oh to what a sad state of affairs has humanity come!

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Questions about life - Q.1

Yesterday, as I was heading for home, I was reflecting about life - something I do very often these days. Nothing very major, I hasten to add, just wondering about why we do the things that we do, and also why we often don’t do those things that we know we have to and in fact must do!

Is it just procrastination? Is it a fear of upsetting the applecart? Are we hesitant to change the ground realities, because we are so used to doing things in a set manner, handling routine tasks in the same oft repeated way, almost by rote - without thinking? Why would we prefer to keep our minds and brains out of these mundane tasks? Do we actively keep these systems on hold - or is it these systems that run us - the entire organism, directing our moves?

Does our brain try to conserve energy by preferring to use pre established connections rather than set a new road map - lay new tracks, recruit new neurons and establish new cross connections between these new players? Surely an energy guzzling exercise?

Or is it because, during those periods, our brain is active doing more interesting things that it actually likes doing? Like day dreaming, remembering and reliving pleasurable moments of the past, or giving free rein to imagination and fantasy, and creating situations that would give us pleasure.

Leading me to my take home question:

Do some brains actively avoid energy guzzling exercises all the time, preferring to ‘time pass’ - as I am doing now? 

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A SPIRIT STORY

M lay on her death bed, surrounded by all her near and dear ones. Her husband, daughter, son, mother, sisters, even her three aunts were huddled around her. M was a much loved figure in family circles. Ergo, each and every one of her close relatives had gathered in a vigil … perhaps hoping to keep death at bay. The youngest aunt P - barely 3 years older than M and her childhood playmate and confidante, had arrived just the previous day from the US of A. Knowing that M’s body was so full of metastases from her terminal cancer, and that all that was medically doable for her had already been done, they knew it was now merely a matter of time before she passed into the great beyond.

Suddenly they all heard a rattling emanating from M”s throat and everyone”s hearts stopped for a full beat - the obvious thought on all their minds. This is it… all eyes on her, the AC of the room seeming silent as the death rattle made itself heard. Her youngest sister watched, teeth clenched tight to stop herself from wailing, as the last semblance of life began to seep out of her sister. M took a few deep breaths and then grew absolutely still. That was it - no melodrama, just a sudden quiet. A wracking sob pushed itself out of her sister”s mouth as she realised what had happened. Everyone”s eyes were on M”s now lifeless body, each one trying to absorb the happening in their own way. Her husband and children sobbed silently, tears flowing unchecked out of their eyes. Her mother’s wettened eyes on her beloved first born, who had left so much before her time.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a doll”s laughter. Everyone turned around towards the sound - the cabinet near the door. M”s young aunt had brought a pretty, pink-dressed doll, so like the doll M had had as a child. Seeing how bad her condition was, the doll had been relegated to the top of the cabinet. Everyone was crowded around M”s bed. Not a soul was near the cabinet and the doll.. and yet, they had all clearly heard the sound of the doll”s laughter. Their eyes grew round with shock as they all looked at each other and at M”s now still body.

Was it.. could it be… no.. no .. NO! They were all atheists, non-believers in GOD, spirits and souls. Yet, how could any of them rationally explain what they had all collectively experienced? Had M appreciated that last gift brought for her by her favorite P, and played with the doll as her soul left her body? What do YOU think?

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Serendipity

Midnight
Starlight
Myriad stars twinkling bright

Evening star
A pulsating beacon
In the starry milky way

Oh such madness
Entwined bodies in deep slumber
Tired minds catching up on dreams

What is this
Life or serendipity
Or a universe of senseless matter?

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