April Fool

This morning as I sit sipping tea ..reading the newspaper…With the morning sun streaming from behind And watch the playful shadow of my Plants With my maids humdrum in the background 

Some snippets of conversation while she tells me about her Life as usual…

Three daughters and mother.. Husband who is conspicuous by his absence. .And oh! And By the way

Three school going sons of her sister who passed away 2 yrs. ago…again no husband.

Her oldest daughter, class 3 student is an amazing dancer..(can she join the shama dava class didi?) . Second one is down with Jaundice … Some property fight back in the village…And an occasional fight in her basti ...the regular drunk- husband- beating-wife drama, Which of course, she gets in the middle of... choosing not to be one of the crowd that is standing and watching ; and … gets a black eye. Punched rib.. as a take away.

I listen...because that is all I can do really... as Neelam, my Maid...rants off all this...punctuated by

Giggles. Or .. A matter of fact “what else could I do? … I couldn’t not help her  - na"

As I think about theses 10 minutes conversation with her ..I end up most days saying a quick prayer for her…and for me..I count my blessings..

This morning. She is early….

She has to take her jaundiced daughter to particular place for some medicine before the sun is up.

And suddenly my quiet morning is abruptly broken by her …”didi..didi.. jaldi Aao” - Come quick

I rush to the kitchen.. to see..

And find Neelam burst into uncontrollable laughter… as she is squealing ...”April Fool” “April Fool”

And I laugh as well..

She then goes on to tell me her master plan where she and her friend, Manisha have hatched about “Who should we fool this year..”

You see.. she does this every year - and with no less fervour than preparing for Diwali…

And amidst her past stories of April fool.. and also some plans that didn’t quite go down well with the ..victims… 

Neelam suddenly asks me

So..who will YOU fool this year didi ?..

A Very matter of fact question.. very serious .. like everyone does this… and ..I am sure you have thought about this - kind of a tone…

I am silent…

And not because I am quiet.

I am asking myself the same question

Who will I fool this year?? ..Who am I fooling every year.. Who are we fooling every day ???

and not just on April 1st….

When was the last time you took such efforts to plan ..an April fools day

What happened to all those fun times…

I know …some will say ..”Well we grew up. We are not children any more” -- too bad actually..

But then so has Neelam… How come she can still do it?? I go back to ..Count my blessings…

And I am wondering… for all the comforts that we have… all the great thoughts we read.. all the intelligent discussion about the world and its state…

Neelam- without all this seems to have all the fun.. Doesn’t quite add up, does it?

Wonder what could a “World conference” of strategies and Innovative methods ..of being silly an bring more joy to people around.. would look like??

Are we really privileged?? Or are we missing something??

Something that is called …. being in the moment...sharing...conversations.. being silly.. really planning for joy.. maybe

Or Just smiling and being the Fool…

Cracked Pot

“Oh You are a crack pot” ..

Eyes rolled ..hand on hip

And with a huff and a puff

She walks away.

My aunt.. that is.

The Crack pot – is me

I have heard variation of this as I grew up

You must be Mad

Out of your mind

Crazy

What’s wrong with you

And time to time

I sat down

And

Asked these things to myself

And Thought. Deeply!!

And then just got up dusted my pants..

Generally white...

“Oh!!! What’s wrong with you...” I hear one of these voices

White?? Really?? On a wet rainy day??

And my search ..For what’s wrong with me..

Always got me to a confused ..Puzzling. Bewildered

Nothing.

So..then

I asked; when all, do I get to hear this?

When I refused to copy in class 6

When I questioned the pastor..and said I would not say what I didn’t believe in

When I crossed over form one balcony to the other on 3^rd floor..

Because a neighbours’ small kid had somehow locked himself in.

Or

When I advised my best friend in school

To confide in her mother about her boyfriend

When I fought with the ‘management’ of the place I worked in

To stand by one Student ...who was asked to leave because he refused to go by unfair means

When I walked out on a Partnership because I refused to bribe.

Yes..

All those times when I followed my heart

When I was all alone because of what I stood for

When I defined growth as being a happy person and not necessarily more money in the bank.. or more employees

If following my inner voice is being crazy...mad...out of my mind...crack pot

Then I guess

I am guilty as charged

And to think of it..

A cracked pot,

Let’s the light in.

Nourishes the bottom..the roots

Things not visible on the top

Yes.

I am a cracked pot.

And proud to be one.

Rhea D’Souza

Completion - My Lessons from the Rubik Cube

The Center – That’s where you start
The core..
That's what decides
The colour of that surface.

Then you align the CROSS - around the center
Then …
You get the corner pieces in place
How??
Simple.
Just by turning and turning ....
Till you come round right

And..
It's not just about the colour on One side
It has to align with the ‘Neighboring’ pieces..
Otherwise it’s not “Right” …
Even when you do get the colour right
'Coz sooner or later you will be up against that fact.
....when the other pieces stop aligning

With one side “done”
You turn the whole thing upside down..
And what was initially the top..
now becomes the base.

And you start working on the ‘middle’
And .... again
A Set of algorithms….turns ..rules, if you will
And more turning and turning ..
till you come round right..

And just when you think you are getting it..
with all, but one side aligned
You have to make moves that will throw ..'Everything’..
out of place
Un-coordinated..
All mixed up..

And it will freak you out..
And all your instincts will tell you NOT to do it..
I mean ....come-on..5 sides out of 6 are good ..
Right ?
Why disturb all of them to get the one side right..

Leave it ..leave it..Leave IT!!!
Bask in the glory of all your effort thus far….
Life is not ALL about Completion.
Right?
.
.
.
But..
You will realize ..like I did
There is NO other way of completing it.

No matter what story you tell yourself..
You will yearn for completion…
Almost completed is not the same as Completed.
And of course you can't take an almost completed cube
and jump around Smiling..

With a Sigh..!!!
You start moving…
You will mess it up…
And create what looks like chaos

Destruction
Of a carefully put together puzzle ..
Piece by piece
Literally.
So much thought has gone into it..
And time…and focus…and energy
Phew!!

Trepidation
Fear
Uncertainty
Reluctance to let go
Inner dilemma of choosing..
between comfort and completion

But..
You will also realize .. as I did
That if you keep at it..
Slowly …ever so slowly
It will start falling into place .
Without you knowing how..
Almost magically !!!

Just as long
As you follow the algorithm..
And keep turning and turning ..
till you come round right..

And come round right you will.
to
Completion.

No ..I wasn’t talking about life.
These are my lessons
From the
Rubik Cube

Pretty Close don't you think?

PS: You know I solved the cube, right?? ..The next challenge ... do it quicker next time !!

Rhea

Brand 'YOU'

Brand "YOU"

“A Brand is not what you tell customers what it is..It’s what Customers tell each other.” - Procter and Gamble

In the consumerist society that we live in..the word “Brand” has become synonymous with a lot of this…

Worth..Special..Expensive..Taste..Fulfillment..Value..Self-Expression !!

There are a lot of people out there who have made a thriving career out of linking these ..’words’ back to whatever the product..

Because as we all know..”People make buying decision emotionally and justify them rationally”

I want to stop here for a minute and look at Brand YOU .

What does Brand YOU say…?

How is Brand YOU ‘Talked’ about by others to each other?

What Value does this brand bring to whatever ..Association you have.

and.....

WHO is doing the Brand building??

Have you given this a though at all??

Well if you haven’t then it may well be time to stop and look at this most valuable Brand..a Brand that you are ALWAYS endorsing…(and you may not be getting paid for it either :) ]

Here is a short exercise:

A BRAND has to have the following 3 Components

It has to be : A.B.C

Authentic

Believable

Communicative

1.> If you were a brand ..what would be your commercials punch line..Your USP, if you like (Hint: Make it in 7 words or less)

2> And WHY should somebody pay ..anything ..for

3> HOW would you like to leverage this Brand,,in ways that you are NOT currently doing??