Silence Kills, Speak Up
Who will see me off ??!!??
Bachha Party
What I am talking of is the group of ours that used to exists when we were children. Raza, the festival of three days celebrated in Oriya families used to be one of the most awaited events for us. Being celebrated in the month of June with the first downpour of monsoon kissing the soil, it always had a big celebration time for all of us. With a group of children exceeding a minimum of 20, it need not be mentioned what would be the environment then. May it be elders or children everyone took the advantage of enjoying these three days. A perfect time for family get together with vacations continuing for everyone of us, we were never bothered about what was going around us.
This all has faded away as we grew up and we went to far distant places from each other.Slowly but steadily everyone has come a long way from our childhood days. This year Raza was of course a special one since it saw a comparatively large group formation after around five years. There were many people we missed which includes Kuni Apa, Patu Apa and my own sis Apa. But this Raza found its true colour on the last day when every one of us got together for a party. It was feeling great to have got the chance to recreate our childhood days. The biggest thing of this party was dat it was sponsored by Bhaina and Jhumpi which gave the feeling that finally we are all grown up and got into our adulthood. Barista was superb with its ambiance and the most happening thing was to find elders experiencing our matured and responsible actions. Finally the night long masti was experienced amidst all. A memorable night for each one of us, we (Dulu Mamu, Lutu Mamu, Polly Apa, Tikili Apa, Tiki Bhai, Bhaina, jhumpi, Tinkle, Sonu, Molly, Lolly, Chikun, Sourav and I) spent it on the terrace of 3rd floor playing dumb charades. It was real fun with everyone participating with complete enthusiasm. It was after years that we all had met on this occasion and everyone was also quite aware that it would again be after years to find such an opportunity. Thus not leaving any scope of masti we all kept enjoying till it was 4am in morning. Then it was time to play cards and start another round of fun. With no signs of fatigue we continued to play TAKE 2 till morning 6.30.
16th June 2007, came as a day full of memories of the past and to create few more for the years to come. The mixed feeling of having lost our childhood and having grown up so much that we don’t own the right to do what we used to do before gave me some nausea. Having come of age does not mean that we have lost our freedom to have fun. Does it mean that we need to think more and be formal with our own people? Does it make sense in keeping our mouth shut and sit idle all day long?
But whatever it is, I had a great time and I am definitely going to miss it in years to come. This is probably the last Raza at home and with all my cousins around. Next time there would be many changes like Molly and Lolly won’t be at BBSR, Polly Apa would have got married and I would have got settled at Kolkata and probably won’t have leave to come home during this time. Lot more unexpected is to occur and change. Thus, this becomes all the more special. Days of childhood would be close to heart and our Bachha Party would always stay intact where ever we are.Let’s meet once again next year. Waiting eagerly for yet another such get together with all my dearest ones around.
To listen is so difficult. To listen means to be here, now
To listen is so difficult. To listen means to be here, now. To listen means to be without any thought. To listen means to be alert and aware. If these conditions are fulfilled, only then you listen. The mind goes on spinning a thousand and one thoughts, and the mind goes on moving — in the past, in the future. How can you listen? And whatever you listen to, it will not be right listening at all.You will listen to something else which has not been said at all, you will go on missing that which is said — because you will not be in tune. To listen well ordinarily means to listen in a deep receptivity. When you listen, if you are arguing, judging, saying, "Yes, this is right because it fits with my ideology and this is not right because it doesn't..." If you are continuously sorting out things inside, you are listening but you are not listening well. You are listening with your past mind interfering. It is not you judging, it is your past. You have read and heard a few things, you have been conditioned for a few things. The past wants to perpetuate itself. It does not allow anything new; it allows only the old that fits with it. To listen rightly means to listen obediently. This word obedience is beautiful. You will be surprised to know that the original root from which the word obedience comes is obedire — it means 'a thorough listening'. If you listen totally you will obey. You will not need any decision on your part. Truth is self-evident. Or as the Jewish tradition says, 'to bare your ear'. If you have really opened your ear and there is no interference and no disturbance inside, and no distraction, you have not only opened your ear, you have opened your heart. And if the seed falls into the heart, sooner or later it will become a tree. Ear locks have to be removed. Fear of truth is the basic lock. You are afraid of the truth because you have lived in lies... for so long that all those lies are afraid, if truth comes they will all have to leave you. The moment you come closer to truth, the mind will become disturbed. It will create much stir, raise much dust, create a cloud around you so that you cannot hear what truth is.
Buddha has said that unless you are fearless you will not attain to truth. When you bow in a church, mosque or temple, to a statue, scripture, or tradition, where is your bowing coming from? Just watch inside — and you will find fear, fear and fear. Faith appears only on death of fear. Faith means trust. How can a fearful man trust? He is always thinking, protecting, defending. How can he trust? To trust, you need courage. To trust, you need to take risk. To trust, you need to move into danger. The Chinese ideogram for crisis consists of two symbols: one means danger, another means opportunity. Yes, that moment is a critical moment when you are facing danger and opportunity, both. If you don't go into danger you will miss the opportunity. If you want opportunity you will have to go into danger. Those who know how to live dangerously, only they are religious.
Excerpted from The Diamond Sutra, courtesy Osho International Foundation/ www.osho.com.
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