It was fairly early in the morning and I drew aside the drapes from the windows which span the entire side of the living and dining rooms...it was a gorgeous day and the sun rays filtered instantly through the clear windows.
I sipped my cuppa and opened the news paper, idly browsing through the head lines. After a few minutes of reading, I looked up, for no particular reason. What I saw is basically what I describe in the rest of this blog. I saw the Buddha. And I was spell bound for an instant.
Let me explain, before you start wondering. I sat on the couch with my back to the aforementioned windows. When I looked up, my sight fell on a statue of the Buddha that sits on the mantle above the fireplace. This is a beautifully sculpted statue, made of solid bronze and admired by many. Among all of my nick-nacks (and I have many), this is one of my favourite. What is really striking about this Buddha is the detail of the carving - the Buddha's seated posture, His robe in folds, His facial expression. So the aforementioned sunlight streamed in from behind me, and when I looked up, my eye caught the sight of a single ray of golden sunlight illuminating the Buddha. And the breath caught in my chest.
There was the Buddha, His face so serene and calm. He had the slightest smile on his face, as if to say - fret not, it shall be okay. I instantly remembered my 10th Std History text books, that talked of famous Buddha statues here and there, in this temple and that, and the qualities of the different Buddha statues. One detail seemed almost ubiquitious in all Buddha statues - the serene facial expression.
Yes! This was exactly how my Buddha looked to me on this seemingly ordinary morning. I have had this statue with me for years, but this was the first time I was paying so much attention to it. Looking at Him bathed in the sunlight, for an instant something powerful jumped out at me. I thought- if Buddha the statue was conveying these emotions and feelings to a normally non-religious entity caught in the everyday hustle and bustle, what must have Buddha the Man inspired all those thousands of years ago in the faithful following...In an instant, my mind's eye caught sight of what might have easily made Buddha the Man transcend that chasm between being merely mortal to being something much much more powerful...
In less than an hour, I was to down a hasty breakfast and head toward my work day which had several things waiting to be tackled. Soon enough, the minor and major stresses, the issues to be resolved, the things to be done would consume me. But - just for that tiny moment on this wonderful morning, when I looked at the calm and serene Buddha and his re-assuring smile, I felt a litle bit of peace. And it was a most wonderful feeling.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Murphy's Law
He looks at the digital clock on the dash board and cursed, well, in his own mild way - it was still a curse. He looks disgustedly at the multitude of automobiles all around him, literally parked on the freeway, moving at about an inch per half hour. The simple truth of the matter is that he is not going to make it.
After what seems like ages, and progress at cosmically slow proportions, he pulls into the gas station, for the mandatory fill up of the rental car. He swipes his credit card, dunks the fuel pump into the gas tank and takes a breath, still pissed at the traffic. 15 seconds later, he hears the 'thunk' of the pump coming out of the gas tank. What the --? Message flashes on the display of the gas pump - "Pump not working". Of all the dastardly luck!! He quickly jumps into the car and backs the car to the other gas pump. Pulling his wallet out for the second time, he swipes his card. The pump asks him to enter his zip code. He enters it. Message - "Invalid zip code". He cannot believe it. By this time, it feels like it has been 20 minutes since he entered the gas station although it is more like 5. However, every second is precious now if he is to make it. He makes a decision. To Hell with the gas. He needs to get going.
Off he goes, trying his best to zoom his way through more traffic. What is ordinarily a 45 minute drive to the airport is now exceeding an hour and half. Not good. He swerves into the Avis Rental Car Return, dashes into the office where the clerk charges him an additional 10 dollars for returning the car empty. In addition he gets a somewhat rolly-eyed "Pah these consultants, what do they care that their company foots the bill" look. As he is weathering that look, from the corner of his eye, he notices the Avis shuttle rolling away to the terminal. He has literally missed the bus! Holy Damnation....he waits for 10 minutes, grinding his teeth and convinced he will miss the flight as well.
The next Avis shuttle arrives, and he jumps on it and it takes him to the terminal, and he is finally dashing towards Security Check. There are two lines going through the baggage and people scanners. He joins the shorter line (of course now). This line is inching its way towards the scanners. Suddenly the line stops moving altogether, and peering into the scanning area, he sees the scanning official waiting for instructions from her boss on making random checks into people's luggage, in spite of the scanners. This check is really supposed to be a random event every now and then, but this is probably the official's first day on the job and she is all gung-ho about making that check on every person's bag. Every person in her line that is. Because the other line is now moving along with amazing speed, and people who were ahead of him are now through the check point and sauntering along to their gates. And so, every laptop bag, water bottle, tennis shoe and sock is checked for explosives, drugs and weapons of mass destruction.
After what seems like an eternity, he is finally through the security check (and he could not even make a ruckus, because then he would look "suspicious" what with being of Asian/East-Indian/Pakistani descent and all, and that would seal the deal on him missing the flight.) By now, there are barely 10 minutes for the flight to take off. Take-off mind you, not boarding. He could picture the stewardess serving coke and pretzels, and the lucky passenger sitting next to him reclining happily into the empty seat.
And so it comes to pass - our man is rushing like a crazed individual through what feels like miles and miles of the terminal to the gate, laptop bag, suitcase and jacket flying every which way as he blazes his way through the throngs. Some tiny part of his brain that is not absorbed in the madness thinks that life was really probably not meant to be this stressful, that this is all very wrong. Wrong, damn you, wrong!
Picture this - the airport official is closing the door leading to the plane entrance after the last boarding call, and he rushes at her looking completely befrazzled, sweaty, waving his boarding pass like a mad man. She opens the door and lets him through almost because of sheer fright.
He enters the plane. Last one of course, and of course everyone is staring at him. He finally finds his seat and sinks down, his legs giving away completely, not believing that he has actually made it. He wipes off the sweat and starts to breathe once more, and then there is the announcement - Bad weather in DC. Flight is delayed by a full hour.
Based on a true incident...
After what seems like ages, and progress at cosmically slow proportions, he pulls into the gas station, for the mandatory fill up of the rental car. He swipes his credit card, dunks the fuel pump into the gas tank and takes a breath, still pissed at the traffic. 15 seconds later, he hears the 'thunk' of the pump coming out of the gas tank. What the --? Message flashes on the display of the gas pump - "Pump not working". Of all the dastardly luck!! He quickly jumps into the car and backs the car to the other gas pump. Pulling his wallet out for the second time, he swipes his card. The pump asks him to enter his zip code. He enters it. Message - "Invalid zip code". He cannot believe it. By this time, it feels like it has been 20 minutes since he entered the gas station although it is more like 5. However, every second is precious now if he is to make it. He makes a decision. To Hell with the gas. He needs to get going.
Off he goes, trying his best to zoom his way through more traffic. What is ordinarily a 45 minute drive to the airport is now exceeding an hour and half. Not good. He swerves into the Avis Rental Car Return, dashes into the office where the clerk charges him an additional 10 dollars for returning the car empty. In addition he gets a somewhat rolly-eyed "Pah these consultants, what do they care that their company foots the bill" look. As he is weathering that look, from the corner of his eye, he notices the Avis shuttle rolling away to the terminal. He has literally missed the bus! Holy Damnation....he waits for 10 minutes, grinding his teeth and convinced he will miss the flight as well.
The next Avis shuttle arrives, and he jumps on it and it takes him to the terminal, and he is finally dashing towards Security Check. There are two lines going through the baggage and people scanners. He joins the shorter line (of course now). This line is inching its way towards the scanners. Suddenly the line stops moving altogether, and peering into the scanning area, he sees the scanning official waiting for instructions from her boss on making random checks into people's luggage, in spite of the scanners. This check is really supposed to be a random event every now and then, but this is probably the official's first day on the job and she is all gung-ho about making that check on every person's bag. Every person in her line that is. Because the other line is now moving along with amazing speed, and people who were ahead of him are now through the check point and sauntering along to their gates. And so, every laptop bag, water bottle, tennis shoe and sock is checked for explosives, drugs and weapons of mass destruction.
After what seems like an eternity, he is finally through the security check (and he could not even make a ruckus, because then he would look "suspicious" what with being of Asian/East-Indian/Pakistani descent and all, and that would seal the deal on him missing the flight.) By now, there are barely 10 minutes for the flight to take off. Take-off mind you, not boarding. He could picture the stewardess serving coke and pretzels, and the lucky passenger sitting next to him reclining happily into the empty seat.
And so it comes to pass - our man is rushing like a crazed individual through what feels like miles and miles of the terminal to the gate, laptop bag, suitcase and jacket flying every which way as he blazes his way through the throngs. Some tiny part of his brain that is not absorbed in the madness thinks that life was really probably not meant to be this stressful, that this is all very wrong. Wrong, damn you, wrong!
Picture this - the airport official is closing the door leading to the plane entrance after the last boarding call, and he rushes at her looking completely befrazzled, sweaty, waving his boarding pass like a mad man. She opens the door and lets him through almost because of sheer fright.
He enters the plane. Last one of course, and of course everyone is staring at him. He finally finds his seat and sinks down, his legs giving away completely, not believing that he has actually made it. He wipes off the sweat and starts to breathe once more, and then there is the announcement - Bad weather in DC. Flight is delayed by a full hour.
Based on a true incident...
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