Friday, April 4, 2008

In the temple of my heart...

Something happened two days back, something which I can call as one of the biggest days of my life. No, I didn’t achieve any thing neither did I lose. May be I just realized few things or may be I just lived myself for that day!

I went for an interview for one of the MBA colleges. No, that wasn’t big enough to make that day great. It was usual, I was anxious as everybody else was, I was nervous for somehow I did not “fit” in there. But I guess nobody “fitted” there, everybody just tried to fix in. so all the while I waited for my interview call, a girl sat beside me for she was slated to go right after me in the same panel. And we had a conversation, something like this…

Girl: Hi, you look nervous!
I: Do I? But I don’t feel so J (A fake smile)
Girl: so are you prepared?
I: well (pause), No
Girl: (looking absurdly) okay, but then I guess you must be confident J
I: well (pause), No
Girl: (could hardly fake a smile) I hope you make it!
I: You do? Really? (God knows why the hell I asked that question)
Girl: (just a smile this time)
I: I don’t thing anybody out here wants anybody else to “make in”
Girl: (as if watching a deaf man talking), All the best!
I: Thank you (I forgot to wish her back, didn’t know whether I really wanted to!!)


I was called in, was thrown up with few uncomfortable questions or rather few questions which I couldn’t answer. I messed up, for all the time I wasn’t given the time for answering. I wished if I could somehow tell that person that I have come here to show you what I’m made off, my parents back thousand miles pray for me, my close friends are worried about me and here I am losing my chance just to talk! My interview was over and I walked out. For the first time I was walking out of something demoralized, weird and coy.

As I picked up my bag, my cell buzzed…
An old friend of mine (with whom I had practically no contact since past four years after school) messaged me

“Hey miss sunshine, how’s you. I came to know that this is your the big day
So just go and do it babe… show them what you are made up off.
Yours
Tichchy”

I kept my cell back, started walking off the corridor and I realized that since this morning, there was no single time that I was pretentious. I didn’t fake; I didn’t try and act smart. I realized that when I didn’t wish that girl sitting by my side good luck it was because I didn’t want to. I realized that my interview was not good, because may be I’m not that good.
And may be its time I realize that all those people who prayed for me, wished me from far lands just so that I make it big. I might actually not deserve it. I was feeling low and was being intolerant. I called back at that number from which tichchy messaged me.
After a long time someone picked up
She was over enthusiastic when she heard me; she hoped that I did perform real good…
Since we were talking almost after 4 years, it was something great for both of us. I didn’t have the courage to tell her that I messed it up. I didn’t have the courage to tell her that I may not be that good. So I kept the phone down and messaged her…

“yar I tried telling you…that I didn’t perform well inside. Thanks that you took the initiative to know about me, what I’m doing, where I am…after such a long time. But I guess I’ll have to let u guys down. I just didn’t do well. I wasn’t that smart to fake out answers which I could easily do at some place else. I just didn’t try to be somebody else and may be that’s why it didn’t go well”

She didn’t call back, may be coz she knew me better than I did myself…she just wrote

“Babe, you know what’s best. That you had the courage to face something which you did know is going wrong…and I’m sure just like our old days… you come down to your real self when things go harder. Don’t worry babes. You were great, may be not for those guys but for yourself, for us. Because you, were just you. And don’t you worry about us. We were. We are and we will be proud of you. Not because some certain interview you messed up, but because you were strong to learn that you were not good”

I was walking with my friend back to the outside gates and I was watching all those people, who were trying to be somebody else, trying to be their best, trying to outsmart the person sitting right besides them. They all were ‘trying’ to dig deep inside and find their own sunshine. And when they realize that they don’t have it, they tried faking it. Every single person around me was masking something or the other, my friend did, that girl out there did and may be I did till the moment I stepped inside that corridor and now I was walking out of it. But for the first time I dared to be myself, no matter how much weird, rude, illogical or dumb I was. I was just myself.
I might have lost the chance to be somebody and win the bet. I didn’t and I don’t know why.
Something struck me, that of everything I’m made off; I won’t be a farce like the rest hundred. I won’t be jealous of someone for she can fake better than me. I won’t be a pseudo namesake. I’ll be what I am and may be someday I’ll win the game just being who I am. May be someday I wont have to “think” of an answer when I would be asked what I want to be. May be someday I wont have to be a floated balloon which will burst into its miniscule with just a pin prick. May be someday I’ll be my own god.

I don’t know whether I’ll pass or fail that interview test. But I certainly know that I can be myself even when I’ll be dead because of it. I certainly know that deep down south of my heart I have that burning sunshine.

Somewhere I read

“To be visible, just burn your self”

Now I certainly know that I’m proud of myself for what I am, beyond success…beyond failures!

15 comments:

samaranand's take said...

straight from the heart, a frank confession..i like it..keep up the spirit..jethu

priya said...

hey!
senti..its good:)

Anonymous said...

whats more important is to learn a lesson for life than just sail through an interview.
if you have done that, feel blessed not all of us can stand head held high being one self.
candid confession!

Anonymous said...

The joy of life, which is the only true happiness, cannot come to you through any form, possession, achievement, person, or event - through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you - ever. It emanates from the formless dimension within you, from consciousness itself and thus are ones with whom you are and what you are.Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success.

And u have written one big thing buddy

'u'll win the game one day for just being who u are'.....

Anonymous said...

The joy of life, which is the only true happiness, cannot come to you through any form, possession, achievement, person, or event - through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you - ever. It emanates from the formless dimension within you, from consciousness itself and thus are ones with whom you are and what you are.Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success.

And u have written one big thing buddy

'u'll win the game one day for just being who u are'.....

Anonymous said...

The joy of life, which is the only true happiness, cannot come to you through any form, possession, achievement, person, or event - through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you - ever. It emanates from the formless dimension within you, from consciousness itself and thus are ones with whom you are and what you are.Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success.

And u have written one big thing buddy

'u'll win the game one day for just being who u are'.....

Anonymous said...

talking about your write up, its crisp at the same time little incomprehensible.try and gel up two paragraphs in continuation. talking about finer details. when you write something on real instances make sure that you sound less philosophical and more realistic, although you might have written your heart out. but when you do so, make sure that the reader is able to relate with your conscience and your feelings.
but overall it is a well written article.just a word of wisdom

being your self is far more important and needworthy than trying to be a second hand version of someone else.

so keep trying.

bala

Imran Khan said...

i dont knw wat to say in big words....but one thing my heart says~~~this all was true....thanx 2 spread a lesson....keep it up.....

gaganjain said...

I don't know how I come to this blog.. Was searching online something on Google and was thrown here.. I really love it.. too good.. mainly I am facing the similar kind of situation, last 3 months not faking myself and trying to get the best of the Software companies in US. but still not succeeded.. But I want to be like this. for whatever reason..I want to be original with whatever research and someday some thing good will happen..

Anyway, enough said, best of luck for all your future endeavors.
Thanks
Gagan

Enough said.. Best of luck for future

Anonymous said...

thankyou Imraan and Gagan for ur reads..
keep blogging :)

The Retardo Man said...

Wow! You've got some really great friends out there. That's one more reason for you to be yourself I presume...Made a nice read...And as I said before, you do emote well.

P.S.: No need to thank me for readin' your blog. I figured this was the only way I could make people read mine. Boy! The things I do to save English! :D

उल्लू पाण्डेय (Ulloo Pandey) said...

Here I am writing for a prestigious thing which happened exactly before one and half year in my life, thing which is now as important as my life ,my desire and this feeling I have seen in my seniors . I have seen a kind of craziness, that a person, unfortunetlly whose IIM dream got shattered due to sickness(who deserves to be an IIM student and definitely IIM has lost a prominent student) haven’t told anytime that he is preparing for anything else and only one thing have seen in his mind that one was magazine, very passionate, very concerned about deadline, everything he has done for completion of ways 2008 …and now two girls, whom I respect a lot they are not my seniors they are my tutor really I have learned a lot from her they have key role in the completion of ways 2008.what feeling I have for her and what feeling I have seen in her and what feeling have read in this blog have framed through some stanza of Hindi poem-

मैंने देखा दो लड़कियों में किसी चीज के लीये होड़ पड़ी है
मैंने देखा कैसे वो पागलपन की हर दीवार को तोड़ खड़ी है
चलने के लीये हमरे साथ ,बढ़ाने WAYS 2008 का प्रकाश
मैंने देखा कैसा साम्न्जश्य था उनमे ..
मैंने देखा हर प्रयाश के लीये कितनी उत्सुकता थी उनमे
वो चाहती थी पूरा करना हर प्रयाश ,नही था यहाँ तक की समय का भी उनको आभाष
चाहे सुबह के आठ बजे हो या रात के आठ बजे
हर पल एक ही उमंग थी उनकी आंखों में ऑउर वह आज सचाई बनकर उभर आई है .....


हमने सिखा उनसे की किस कदर करना है अपना काम ..
कैसे गुलाब होकर भी जंगल के कटीलें वृक्षों से निकल जाना है ..
पाकर अपनी संजीवनी को ....
we have got something which is not possible in any class through any conference or anywhere
and this is always right that
every ending has new beginning.
every memory has good ahead.
thanks mam for giving us this feeling really a very nice blog and thanks for responsibilities which you have given to us

Jitin Batra said...

No wonder the people who are in ur life are proud of u.... even i feel proud to read the blogs of a person who is such a gem.. :-)
no no.. notflattering u at all.. i have no benefit in it...

Kinshu said...

The best thing about preparing for an MBA is that it teaches you some great lessons about life, about yourself and about the whole world in general… and often by the end of it you realize that the journey was much more rewarding than the outcome…

One of the many things that you learn as you go is that you must always have a healthy respect for yourself… that nothing is right or wrong, nothing is good or bad, and it’s just how you are. There is something so special about each individual that an entire book can be written about them… each one has unbound potential… each one is God manifested in human form – made to perfection…

It’s just that some people realize it early, some late and some unlucky ones never do…

You are one of those people who know what they are made of… and by god is that wonderful!!!

I read your entire blog, and it goes without saying that it’s amazing. I am leaving a comment only on this one as I have myself gone through this phase…

Just remember what you have written here and then sky is the limit…
MBA, for that matter, is not… it’s just the beginning

Great going!
Kinshu

ganesh said...

Human feelingz are true when expressed and i feel it when i read yor writings :) keep up the good work :)
U have dared to pen down these and well done on being urself :) good learnin for me too .. keep bloggging ORACLE .