Morning Glory

To the dawn that comes after the night,

And the mist that envelopes a delight;

The mystic hues that spring a surprise,

There is a wonder waiting to be discovered by sight.

After the Moon has departed with the night,

There comes a halo riding high on top of the blue delight;

Never a moment that fades away in the shining light,

Create an eternal magic with the sun kissed sky.

The sweet golden shine

Spreads a cosy warmth from the sun divine,

Interspersed with the misty rays

This is what you await at the beginning of the day.

O! Let the glory unfold,

Held aloft in this wonderful world;

Touch your soul and make it gold

Morning Glory is yours to behold.

Ushuaiah: The Journey Begins!

"The best kind of relationships begin unexpectedly, when you get the astonished feeling and everything happens so suddenly. That's why you don't look for Love. It comes to you just at the right time; the time you never thought would have".

Lao-tzu was so true when he philosophised eons ago that 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'. The much awaited and fabled journey has truly begun in right earnest and it would be interesting to see where all it takes me.

'Alea Jacta Est', the die has been cast and the Rubicon has been crossed.

Life, here I come!

Semper Fi!

Semper Fi!

Ushuaiah! Let the Journey Begin!

Life has come around a full circle. The Zephyr no longer pines for company in the eternally vast skies. The only celestial object that was close to him has changed its orbit and never will they ever cross each others path again.

Five long years after the heavenly dance began, the Zephyr once again floats at peace through the Stratosphere. The trials and tribulations that came with the waxing and waning of the Moon are a thing of the past. The ebb and tide of the waves now make for a fascinating scene from up there where the Zephyr floats in the sky.

The memory still lingers and the experience still fresh but nothing that a spot of sunlight can't heal. In the depth of winter, the Zephyr finally learned that within him lay an invincible summer.

Adios to the 'One' who strayed. You will now miss the Zephyr while you look for yourself out there.

Champagne Supernova

At first, going by the title of the post you might think that this post is about the eternally beautiful song called Champagne Supernova by Oasis. If you thought so then you are mistaken. This is not about Champagne Supernova about something equally beautiful, rather more beautiful than anything else in the whole wide galaxy encompassing us.

The universe in its quintessentially diverse manifestation has multiple dimensions in which one can choose to exist. A close friend of mine once told me that having Loved, Lost, Rediscovered and Lost Again the essence that made her life blissful, she has been at a loss ever since as to what to make out of life. I guess that holds true for many people who find it incredibly difficult to find peace and tranquility after having being sidelined on some alley in the road of life. The feeling is akin to having been thrown into the harsh climate of a desolate desert from the comforts of a tree lined boulevard where you were happily strolling with the One who made your life worthwhile.

Let there be no divergent views here; whatever has been spoken and understood till so far has become a part of the vast repository of our memory - most of them wonderful and merry, some bad and ugly. Having said this, it is also equally important to know that roadblocks only impede your movement for a brief period of time, once the chocks are cleared and throttle set on maximum power, the wheels of fortune start rolling all over again. Ideally speaking, the journey should always be free of roadblocks so that we get a good view of the surrounding vista. However, sometime roadblocks do come up and that is when the real test of fortitude comes into picture.

It is easy to let go off things and say that nothing will ever work. It is all very easy to not understand why the other person is doing things the way he is doing. It is also equally easy to find everything "Boring, Monotonous and Inconsequential". But, the question is, have you ever considered being pragmatic during those times when you lose sight of reason and refuse to be rational.

It doesn't pinch to hear whatever you say but what hurts is that time and again you have failed to see reality point blank. Cocooned in your own shelter, it is relatively simple for you to burst out about the vicissitudes of being together, about how insane it makes you when someone doesn't understand you. You don't express yourself fully and yet expect him to know you completely. Why is it so difficult for you to leave your set notions behind and open up to an altogether new worl with him...

He just wished that you understood him. Honestly.

Goodbye!

Be Mine!

Someday, very soon in time
We will become wisps of air that entwine,
Willows of sorrows and tomes of sunshine,
Things that should've never been stopped,
Left out cold to exhaust the passionate flames of time.

I dread the day I stop my rhymes, these passionate soulful lines
Brewed up just right for you, my sweet soulful Moon divine.
My world ticks for nobody else other than you my love benign,
By accident or sheer design,
All I want for is you to be mine.

When the push comes to shove
And the lines recede and don't rhyme,
Far beyond the universe there would always be a time
When I would look out for you and you would finally come out from the cold
And together we will say,
Be mine!

I Should've Stayed

Would you remember me Moon when it’s all gone?
Think of the days spent together when you smiled like the dawn.
Remember the times when you felt divine,
And all I asked for was your hand in mine.

Of all the walks we took on the sands of time
What is left today is not mine.
Would you remember how much I loved you Moon,
Halfway down your life when things are beyond your control?
Would you, would you then not agree and say
Zephyr was the best and I should've stayed.

Moon

It all started right up there, high in the sky where the Zephyr looks forward to the Moon spreading her Silver wings and shining with all her graceful hues.

*

The warm golden sunshine, the soft evening drizzle,

The walk through the woods and conversations crossing the farthest hills.

The mist hogging the coastline, the trails covered in fog,

The forlorn Lighthouse making sure things are just right.

The intensity of the sun rays trying to reach the moss covered bay

Gave a new allure to the existing pathways.

Beach side fireplace, Barbecue with steaks and fries,

The wind gushing in from afar, made it a nice earthy surprise.

Beyond the coastline, above the horizon,

Higher than the Zephyr is the Lifeline.

A milieu of vistas, starry and bright,

Richer than serendipity, better than delight.

Flames astride while travelling on wings of fire,

Beauty of the moment gets the wings to fly.

She is quintessential and she is wise,

The amalgamation of everything prescient...

She is Life!

Continuum

It has been exactly a year to the day when things went astray on the way. A date which got lost in the immense and boundless propensity of time and space. A time which got absorbed into the bottomless and fathomless skiver of life. Life radiated all its true energy without any hesitation. Space got irradiated with everything that it encompassed.

How many times we looked at the sky and wished we had not spoken what we spoke earlier. How many times we got lost in the vastness of this wonderful world and wished we had spoken what we could not speak. How many times have we genuflected and said, "Oh, all right, this too shall pass away". But then again, how many times have things come back in the same shape and form which we had disguised as harmless and unnecessary and written off?

It is for all these things and many more that this post shall make an attempt to bring some cogent answers. This brings forth the Continuum, the Continuum for life.

Things couldn't have been any better. The world intact, feelings in the right place, happiness bounding over the morning sunshine and life sailing on golden sun rays. The walk through the down-town in the drizzle, the cab rides late at night, feasting on tangy food at the beach with a fireplace in front or just the sheer numbness of being together brings forth a host of memories. Memories which are both wonderful and everlasting.

Do you remember the way the wind blew over the coast and the waves crashed across the high seas into magical pools that washed away the sand from our feet? Remember the misty fog hugging the shoreline, hiding the forlorn Lighthouse from clear vision? Do you remember the words written on the soft sand of the beach which even the waters of the mighty ocean couldn't erase or the smile of satisfaction that came from within knowing fully well that there is someone to take care of things? Do you remember the time when everything was lost and everything was gained in a single fleeting moment of mystery? Do you remember the time when someone promised you his life till eternity.

It has been a year, yes! A year full of varied dimensions that shone with colourful arrays. Streaks of light flashing across the bay. A majestic transformation into what we became for what we are and would be till the end of time.

Questions will come, answers will pass by, junctions will always divide the path but that doesn't mean that the 'twain shall never meet. Rather, every bounce will give rise to a new step into the right direction. Every fall will reinforce the importance of being together. Each single dimension of your existence will take you onward to the avowed path.

Trudge along, Fear not

Might men, give up not!

Walk straight, turn right

Salute smart, live your life!

How many roads must we travel for you to get convinced about the significance of it? How many paths shall we explore side by side, for you to realise that this isn't a dream? How many alleys do we need to criss-cross, for you to be convinced? How many mile stones do we need to cross before you are sure that one day the journey will finish? How many breaks do we need to take before you agree that it is possible to accomplish?

The answer is not blowing in the wind. The answer is in you, deep within!

The Adventurer

In roughly another 2 weeks, it would be a year to the day I transitioned from the blue Zephyr to the AGL, nearing my 1st milestone in crossing over from the battlefield to the corporate boardroom. It has been an interesting journey so far and I look forward to the days ahead to unfold themselves and show me the path on which I would tread.

Contrary to what I had earlier thought, life on the ground isn't that bad after all. Rather, it is just an extension of the sheer cacophony and the sublimated bliss which exists in the cockpit miles above in the sky. Sounds too cocky, doesn't it? Well, this is actually how I feel! LOL!

Feels a trifle too unbelievable that I am going to complete a year in this world, a year sans starched uniform, iron nailed boots, the de rigeur of conforming to regulations and the impassiveness of getting swathed in the stifling heat or getting numbed in the dreary cold. Be it the Thar or Siachen, the icy wastes of Siberia or the bleak atmosphere of Darfur in Sudan, I loved it all. There always was a new thing to try out, a nouveu riche experience that etched itself forever in my memory. Whether it was the smooth skin of a Fighting Falcon as compared to the rough hide of a Fishbed-J or the ease with which the M-16 could be armed vis-a-vis the stoic nature of the 7.62 mm SLR, nothing ever ceased to take my interest.

I still travel the world but in somewhat different manner. I no longer need to plan out for the logistics of carrying my gear or plan out the safety of my team so that we do our job and come back in one piece. I travel the world now like an Adventurer, someone who is paid to do and love his job. I do what I like doing the best and the only thing I am keen on is improving myself and become better in doing what I do. The IAF motto says "Nabh Sparsh Deeptam". Translated from Sanskrit, it means "Touch the Sky with Glory". Nothing could be more apt.

I have always fancied what Ian Wright does in Globe Trekker. In my opinion, that is one of the best careers a person can have - get paid to travel and discover exotic new places and make a documentary about them. However, life is more than wishing for what you think is right and doing what makes you happy. Life is also about missed opportunities and golden handshakes, its about camaraderie of old pals and the josh of living to the fullest.

For the men and women in uniform, the name of Dunkirk evoke images of gallant bravery under overwhelming odds and as the following lines summarise, it is not about how you live your life but about how you touch others around you that makes life complete.

... We were alone, and hope had fled;

We loved our country and our dead,

And could not shame them; so we stayed

The course, and were not much afraid.

Dear God, that nightmare road! And then

That sea! We got there - we were men.

My eyes were blind, my feet were torn,

My soul sang like a bird at dawn!

I knew that death is but a door.

I knew what we were fighting for:

Peace for the kids, our brothers freed,

A kinder world, a cleaner breed ...

Signing off with a thought that I truely believe in...

Make the most of now!