Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Ignited minds

Just finished reading this wonderful book by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who, as a matter of fact, is going to deliver a speech tomorrow at IIT Bombay, as a part of the Teacher's day celebrations here, and also to kick off our Golden Jubilee event! It's an excellent book, and good that I read it after reading 'Against the tide'; as it supplemented the thoughts provided therein really well. I had received this book back in 2004 as a gift from my teacher, Arun Roy Sir, to whom I am really grateful to having introduced me to such a wonderful book.

I would like to present here the story that the honourable writer chose to end his book with, one that he says he got from the internet. It's a conversation between two babies - ego and spirit - and goes somewhat as follows: (The dialogue is while both are still in the womb)

Spirit: I know you are going to find this hard to accept, but I believe there is life after birth.

Ego: Don't be foolish. Look around you. This is all there is. Why must you always be thinking about something beyond this reality? Accept your lot in life.

Spirit: (quietens down for a while, but not for long) Ego, now don't get angry, but I also believe that there is a Mother.

Ego: (Laughing) A Mother! How can you say that? You've never seen a Mother, you don't know what Mother is. Why can't you accept that this is all there is? You are here alone with me. This is your reality.

Spirit: (Begs) Ego, please listen. What about those constant pressures we both feel, those movements that make us so uncomfortable sometimes, the feeling that we are being squeezed in as we grow? I think we shall soon have a new life, that we shall see light.

Ego: You have never seen light. How do you know what it is? These pressures and darkness is what life is all about.

Spirit: (one last try to put in some sense into Ego) Ego, I will not bother you again. But I do believe that after all this discomfort not only shall we see light but also experience the bliss of meeting Mother.

Ego: You are mad Spirit.