Passion…unbridled

The world makes you believe this lie

That knowing all the answers, not needing to question why

Should be the paradigm to achieve

Nothing is further from the truth, I believe

Instead of applauding the one who knows

All the answers, look towards the one who shows

Infinite curiosity, asks questions to explore

If there is something that can be done better than before

Knowing all the answers reflects a fixed mindset

While the one who asks questions is unwilling to accept

The status-quo, searching for new ways

To improve the world, advance humankind

Thinks of new questions, and answers tries to find

*

The world is not changed by those who know it all

Those who ask new questions change the world after all

Follow your dream; that is what I had always read

It irked my dreamless self, until one day instead

Of advice to follow dreams, I read another piece of advice

To follow your curiosity- and it would suffice

To take you on the path to progress

From where you could take a leap to success

*

This brilliant advice resonates with me

I don’t have a dream, but things pique my curiosity

So let me take a step forward to find

Where curiosity takes me, stimulates my mind

Not all journeys start with a destination defined

Let my journey be with my curiosity aligned

One of the greatest blessings in my life, I’ve realized

Is the ability to live a unique fusion life I’ve devised

When I immigrated years ago, I could not predict

What stressors cultural differences would inflict

And how I would adapt to them, what strategies I would use

Over time, I have come up with my own methods to fuse

Indian flamboyance with muted expression of the West

Western sensibilities are peppered with Indian exuberance to bring out the best

In attire, food, home decor and celebrations

Many immigrants do it, but each of our permutations

Is unique based on personal preference and degree of assimilation

I can take the best of both worlds, in this I am fortunate

A unique blend of cultures around me I create

That has helped me grow tremendously

In knowledge, creative thinking and cultural sensitivity..

*

I reiterate, I am blessed to have a life so mixed

Where ideas are so fluid, where nothing is fixed

As I have grown older, my tolerance for superfluous stuff

Has taken a nosedive, it seems to be enough

For me to spend two minutes, then patience I lose

If I smell nonsense, I reflexively choose

To disassociate myself from it, I believe

There are many worthy issues in life that should receive

My attention, which is already in short supply

Therefore I am intentional, I want to apply

My time and attention to the real deal

It frees up mental space and makes me feel

Calmer, slightly saner in a world that seems to be

Bent on driving me to the edge of insanity..

The need for external validation is not something new

But social media has raised it to new heights, it’s true

Instead of seeking validation from people you know

You end up seeking validation from strangers, hoping to grow

Your social media presence, get positive comments

Gradually you start posting with the sole intent

Of getting positive feedback, and gradually

Your content gets influenced by flattery

Your unique perspective that had garnered praise

Starts fading away, as you run harder in the rat race

With every new fad and every trend

You continuously try to experiment

Slowly content that is run of the mill

No longer attracts followers, the numbers go downhill

The external validation that had you on a hedonistic high

Is no longer there, your confidence drops from the sky

Then you decide to get out of the groove, take a break

Cure yourself of your addiction to comments real and fake

*

You know who you are, you know what you can do

No Instagram follower of yours can validate that for you

Nonconformists, mavericks, and folks with quirks

It takes all sorts to make the world work

Once we recognize geniuses, we praise

Their atypical and quirky ways

Yet when it comes to our children we find

To raise them as conformists we are inclined

Even though we want them to succeed

We ask them to toe the line indeed

If they struggle or lag behind in class

They are often taken to task

We admonish them, punish them, do everything to see

That they “behave” and like other children be

So many children with atypical abilities

Are underestimated and never cease

To doubt themselves because they’ve internalized

That they are not smart, their talents remain unrealized..

*

This is a shoutout to all children differently wired

You are valued in this world, your talents are required!

I mourn for you, my patient who did not

Make it out of the hospital, hard though you fought

You had placed your trust in my judgment

To give you the best outcome was my intent

The risk-benefit ratio was favorable, I had explained

The results of the treatment were good in my experience, I had claimed

Even though you were brought to our attention a bit late

When you were already in a decompensated state

I was cautiously optimistic that you would pull through

As you struggled, we attempted every measure to salvage you

The concerted efforts of an excellent team were not enough

To change your fate, to accept the inevitable outcome was tough

For me and my team, it was dispiriting to break

The news to your family, to witness the heartbreak…

*

I mourn for the life after treatment you never got to see

I obsess over whether I could have done things differently

Those who do not make it are the ones who leave behind

The most profound lessons-for my soul and my mind

Today was an important lesson for me

In recognizing my limitations, practicing humility

If you have an ingenious idea or a hack

To share it with the world you do not lack

An opportunity these days, as any skill however small

Can be shared on social media for the benefit of all

You can showcase any talent you possess

You can obtain instantaneous success

The kind of recognition that used to be

Reserved for movie stars, world leaders or royalty

Can fall into the lap of anyone who creates content

That resonates with the masses, has an appeal instant

A video that goes viral can catapult into fame

Any influencer, make them a household name

Artists gain visibility on instagram reels now

All I can say is that I totally love how

In a world with increasing economic disparity

Social media is a leveler in terms of popularity

(This poem was prompted by a Facebook post from a mother about how to talk to her preschooler about guns and shooting, and how her child had nightmares after she did so…. Unfortunately I have no answers)

To you, young children, we want to profusely apologize

For being unable to raise you in a society civilized

Without fear, even before you have learnt your R’s three

In hiding below desks you are gaining mastery

Participating in active shooter drills while we pray

That your innocence would not be prematurely snatched away

As you come out of the shadows of pandemic isolation

You are being forced to prepare for violent situations

The world is an unsafe and scary place

But violence is something you should not have to face

Least of all in school- how can we expect you to learn

When danger seems to lurk at every turn..

*

My dear children, we have failed you

In providing a sense of security, a safe milieu…

I spend a large part of my life mapping it out

Careful planning is something I cannot do without

There are responsibilities, and variables too many to consider before

I take decisions big and small, I rely more and more

On a calendar to ensure smooth passage of days

Even when life derails plans in unexpected ways

I have back-up plans in place to some extent

To cushion the harsh blow of a disastrous event

When things go as planned, I look at life with gratitude

Plan and hope for the best is my attitude

*

A life carefully planned does get predictable

There are few spontaneous moments that enable

Your breath to be taken away, in pleasant surprise

Such rare moments are the ones that leave me energized

They remind me that once in a while I should leave

Unplanned time in my schedule, just believe

Life would have something interesting for me

That if I’m prepared to be amazed, I would see

Going off the grid sounded like a romantic notion

But when I was off the grid, anxiety was my predominant emotion

The reality of being unreachable appeared

Unsettling at the least – I feared

What would happen if there was a catastrophe

And my family needed to reach me urgently

Or if I had an accident in the wilderness

How in the world would help I access?

I looked repeatedly at my phone in dismay

The signal bars absent seemed to stay

I did not realize how much I had come to rely

On the internet, on omnipresent wi-fi

*

I ended up doing what I should have done anyway

Devoid of technology, I focused my attention that day

On exploring unspoiled nature with my family

My photographs could not be posted on social media obviously

I realized how the day’s travel experience

Was different from usual in every sense

I found I had freed up more mental space

To take in the beauty of a picturesque place

Why am I hypercharged at the end of the day

Thoughts race through my mind, I cannot will them away

All the events of the day seem to run

Through my mind, it seems I have begun

Yet another round where I replay

The emotions I felt throughout the day

I am excited, anxious or angry again

I find myself more emotionally drained

Unable to sleep, I struggle to unwind

As a jumble of thoughts plays havoc with my mind..

Finally I sink into sleep somehow

That adequate rest does not allow

The cycle seems to repeat every day

Until my nerves have begun to fray

Then one night the Gods of sleep bestow

Their blessings on me and I’m able to throw

Everything into oblivion, I surrender myself completely

To cumulative exhaustion, let restorative sleep wash over me