ReDmpTiON spEaKs ...

When is the last time you did something for the first time..

Some of you might have heard this for the first time .. some of you might have been hearing it all their life, but one thing is for sure, you would be reading this post for the first time... for sure!!

When is the last time you did something for the first time .. seriously, I am asking you. Think about it. Our schedule, as free or hectic it might be, has become more of a "rut"ine . We lazy bums go on and on doing the same things hoping for destiny to give us that push needed to make us do something new, embark on a new "rut" if you may. Why we do that is beyond me, but that's exactly what we will try and unravel as we go along. Too philosophical for your taste ... have you reached the end ..? no .. read the entire thing then decide!!

How often is it that we crib about things being boring, our life having come to a standstill or maybe about nothing "new" happening. How many times have we really gone out of the way to make something "new" happen. How many times have we really tried doing things differently just to get atleast a feel of some sort of a change? Lets take an example.

Its a saturday night. Supposing theres no clubbing or outing with friends planned, you decide to go out with your family. Where do you go ..? to the same restaurant you have been visiting since you were born. what do you order? the same dishes you have been ordering since you got the sense to differentiate between dishes. The same vegetables, the same indian breads you always order. Why so? even in mix vegetables there is an option of it being jaipuri or kadhai etc. Theres always the red, the brown and the white gravy to chose from. India is a land of diversity surely there are many other varieties of dishes to chose from. Ok ok you say you had chinese last to last week, the week before you had south Indian and this week North Indian. Now answer me. When you ordered, did you try anything new in the menu or did you order the same cheese pasta, hakka noodles and vegetable clear soup that you always order.

Now, now don't be angry at me, its the problem with all of us. We are simply too lazy or too scared to try anything that's out of the ordinary. Lets take another example. If there were to be a poster that there is going to be ballet classes in your neighborhood, I am willing to bet many of us would have gone to see what and how the classes were. Inquired, stayed there for maybe 15 mins to half and hour and then left never to return again. Why is that? we are unwilling to try out something new not for the fear of wasting our precious time .. no we already waste a huge quantity of it daily without remorse, we do it for the fear of what the society will think of us if they find us doing it. I am willing to bet that if all your friends were convinced on joining it, you would have no qualms for the same. But the fear of your friends taunting you, or your parents/relatives commenting on how you are wasting your time learning a girlish dance (for guys only) or for the girls.. how you should be either learning household chores or building your career or if you want a hobby, to go for an "indian" dance form or songs.

Why is that every step we take have to dictated by what the inconsequential "others" have to say. We all would agree that majority of the time the comments others make are based on wrong facts and/or are of no substance. Still we trust others to dictate what should be done by us.

This is what leads to the fear of venturing into the unknown, alone. the fear of being noticed. Its ironic that everyone of us does hold a secret desire to be separated from the crowd. Of being famous, of being noticed. Everyone craves for attention.. some revel in it, but most of us when thrown into the limelight, shirk away from it.

Ever since Ive heard this line, Ive tried doing something new. Not that I always succeed, I'm but a human. I falter time and again and am pulled back into the racetrack again. Back to running the same laps again and again. But time and again I muster up enough strength to fight against my mind, to convince it to do something new, small, but new. I might take a new route to office, or try a new restaurant, sometimes I go and try out the weirdest sounding dish in a totally new restaurant. I have tried my hand at going into chat rooms, talking to totally random people and then leaving, just like that. I have tried changing my hairstyle and just about every small thing you can think about. Those experiments have made me a laughing stock at times, given me sleepless stomach ache filled nights and has helped me end up paying almost double the fare and ending up with lighter pockets. But you know what, they were all worth it. I got an experience which I can share with someone, a new dish which I can tell you "not" to try. A route "not" to take and a hairstyle to suggest for your enemy. On a serious note, they helped me really live my life, if only for those few minutes, by my life I mean a life thats spontaneous as it was intended to be, a life not influenced by anyone and where I am totally in control. We cannot control destiny but the path to that final outcome is always our choice. The road less travelled is always the more beautiful one, tougher, but beautiful.

For all the perfect people out there, a suggestion, try to goof up sometimes and try laughing at yourself. You will feel more human firstly .. and secondly you will end up doing something which your every instinct wants to do but your mind, influenced by the "others", has been forbidding you to do. Trying doing the above or some of the things I had tried doing, maybe you will realise a greater truth, maybe learn a new lesson, maybe have a forgetful experience or maybe one to remember or maybe none of the above. But one thing you will surely take from it is a memory you will want to share.

Try it.. and if possible share your experiences or maybe your views on how this is the most stupidest thing you've heard .. or how this has really worked.