A teacher whom I consider my friend, philosopher and guide

It is often said that once in a life time you find someone whose ideals and values leave you confounded with their brilliance and depth. So true ! Yes, some approaches to life do have a spell binding effect due to their sheer genius. In my case, there are many who have left visible imprints on the way my mind functions now. Therefore, I would not like to pick out a single person as a friend, philosopher and guide to me. I would rather prefer to have an option by which I can have an access to the minds of various people.
From all the things I have come past across till now, books are the ones which have affected me the most. And I do not mean those self help books, which are publicised as one minute tool to success and happiness and what not. I mean the ones which are written so subtly and interestingly that a new neverland is created in every other book I read, leaving me yearning for more of it. I, personally, believe that books are the best teachers of all, especially for kids and teenagers. Actually, they are pretty helpful to everybody, irrespective of their age, but that depends on how open a mind you keep to grasp the diversity in ideas. For kids, it is comparatively quite easy to do so, as they still would not have formed their own outlook to life. Hence, till date, books have been everything I can ask for. My friend, philosopher, teacher, guide et al.
For me, the fiction stories work the best. They instill in me values and fundamentals, alongwith providing me with pleasure, suspense, excitement, poignance and many other real life emotions. They may be called work of fiction, but most of them have a ring of a certain level of reality about them. They lead you through a maze of emotions and drama in addition to loads of adventure and fun. The way our life progresses through its various stages. They are starkly different from the general non-fictional books, which always suggest one way or the other to live your life to the fullest according to what the author thinks is ' living to the fullest '. They rarely let their characters, if they do create them, to indulge in the experiences themselves. It's always a bird's eye view to the various happenings. Something that emerges out as stilted rather than emphasizing on the way ideas and opinions are formed and how important dreams can be to make you realise the value of life.
Here, I would like to mention a book, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, which deals with the insight in a young boy's mind, who tries to find the aim of his life following his dreams and believing in them. In just some sixty three pages, the author has given a description so vivid and to the point that it is really difficult to miss out what he wants to convey. Yes, people can definitely evaluate the short carefully woven story in their own ways, but the common output would be shockingly similar due to the manner it has been communicated, with suitable emphasis at the proper ideas and their representation. A mode which is usually missed out by people in verbal communication. Thus, the effect which can be created by such works cannot be compared to what a single guide can give you. The reason why I do not prefer to single down my philosophies and ideals to an individual.
My association with books go back a long way. If I remember correctly, I read my first novel when I was in the fourth grade. It was about a small kid, who loses his parents and has to put up with his uncle, who is bent on getting him killed to seize his property. That was my first journey to neverland. And I had loved it thoroughly. After that, it became a passion, with the matter of the books generally changing with the sort of mood I would be in at that particular time, but the fascination never dying off. They gave me company when I was alone, hope in moments of despair, and laughed with me in happy times. Memories I am going to preserve forever deep in my heart.
On an ending note, I'd just want to mention that nobody is perfect. You may idolise some one, but there would always be something or the other which would not be exactly correct about them. Therefore, it's always better to listen to all, and then form your opinions and act accordingly. That helps in making a strong mind, which can make quick tough decisions and infuse originality and independence in your life. Because, finally, that is the life we all want, isn't it ?

The long for a flicker...

An emptiness filled me, my soul felt hollowed,
I could not see my way ; oh, why had it become so dark ?

Here I am, alone and stranded,
not knowing where the light shines.
Yet I realise, one day I'll find my life,
the end of my search, the light I struggle for.

But there's one thing I wanna know,
did I not deserve the truth ?
What had I done to be betrayed so ?
Why was a joyful carefree child left all alone,
in this frightening darkness, to find the path by herself ?

Still, the child did not falter,
after the first scare, she steadied her steps.
There was no one she could turn to,
no one to understand her, feel her emotions,
as the only one to do so, the most precious in her life,
had left her, shocked and broken.
She was getting lost, tears rolled down often,
but No ! She was not weak !
She would show them her will,
the strength of her soul.

From that day hence,
she hid under a cloak of pretense,
true only to her own self.
She now knew what pain meant,
how terrible it was to get hurt ;
and that she would never be able to see anyone in anguish.
There was only one way,
to give those around her as much happiness as possible,
even if it meant sacrificing hers to zilch.

She wished that her facade be taken as genuine,
barring anybody from ever coming close to her again.
She once more became a cheerful girl, yeah, that's me !
And people around her were content with it.
Little did they know, or better, allowed to know,
how difficult it was for me ;
to put up a person I no longer felt was there in me,
to run away from all my heart wished for.

I could never let anyone understand me,
nor did I want it to happen ;
for all my efforts, the energy I had put in,
would then be reduced to naught.
No ! I was on my own now,
I'll fight everything in my way,
no one around me would ever shed a tear again.

As for me, well, there wasn't much to lose,
I always had myself, even in the darkest of times.
I will never be alone again,
because I have found a companion, no, a friend,
one who would always be with me,
come what may ;
in a place I had long overlooked -
inside myself ! Yes, I have found myself !
And I am happy having done so...
the emptiness isn't so obvious now.

Yeah, I am happy in my own world now,
A world which is real and pure
in a sense more than true.
And yeah, a feeling grows strong in my heart...
that that day is not far off now,
when I'll find my life,
the end of my search, the light I struggle for.


Here goes my second poem... I hope it is well liked. Though the last one reduced my parents to tears, even though I vehemently denied the existence of any connection between the poem and my feelings. Still... so this is it. They are NOT going to read this one, that for sure. Okay then, R & R !!! ^_^

Recollections & Desires

( Note : The first 6 lines have been taken from the ending song of the anime Bleach )

Nobody knows who I really am.
I never felt this empty before.
And if I ever need someone to come along,
who's gonna comfort me and keep me strong ?

And still, the journey goes on,
even on tranquil days so long.
Yet my feelings shrink and wither,
expressible no longer ;
in this deep darkness, I am getting lost.
No one to talk, nowhere to go,
This is where I live, apart from the world,
This is my world...

Still there's something out there
which calls out to me,
piercing my heart and clutching my hand,
to pull me back to the place which I have left ;
Memories rush through my mind,
some which were lost and others forgotten,
happy and joyful, brimming with emotions running high,
moments I wished to cherish for life.

Now as the stars rise in the midnight sky,
a longing fills me, to shine with them.
Away from this world, away from myself,
in the midst of the pale blue shimmering stars,
lost in the softness and warmth of their glow.
I reach out to the bright diamonds in the sky,
The place I want to be in, the place of my dreams.


Well, here ends my first attempt. Hope it's, at least, tolerable ! ^_^
Hmm... one more thing I have already almost completed another poem, which I hope I would be uploading soon. Till then, please R & R !!!