Hundred fifty three

I love observing monkeys. They jump around and kind of pest in the urban area. In the forest, they have to forage from morning to evening to get enough calories. In the city getting the calories is very easy. The rest of the time is free for having sex and gang wars. Because of the high reproduction cycle, the group size expands rapidly. The alpha male fails to control a big group and soon young males try to form new groups. 
Do they have a purpose? Do we have a purpose? Or for things we do and create we call it purpose? As a social animal, we moved to a different level in the life. But do our brain got enough time to evolve and adapt to our newly created world which is so different from forests and grasslands. 

Hundred nine

Why I am philosophizing life? Is it kind of escapism? Maybe I am lazy and finding some answers in philosophy. But in very difficult phases of my life, I found answers in philosophies and pushed me to a positive side of life. So let me give the benefit of doubt to philosophy. I enjoy finding some meaning in the total chaos of life. I know all the surrounding things are random and happened by chance. We are so sure about life and the future, even though all of us know that life is uncertain. When we see an accident or when we attend a funeral, we realize for a few minutes that uncertainty and we are back to normal secure feel. That is how we have evolved to have a hope of better things.  

Hundred four

Listening to a podcast better than reading? What I observed is that when I am listening to audiobooks or podcasts, my mind wanders around and come back. However, when reading the book, if your focus shifts the reading halts. But podcasts are great to listen when you are doing mundane works like washing dishes or cleaning the bike, etc. Maybe success is all about concentrating your effort in one endeavour. I will do only one thing all my life and one day I regret that I haven’t read about or did something about. Let me not achieve anything great in one field but isn’t it fun to know many areas. Fine to die as unknown but during my time I saw and understood many things and doing so I enjoyed my life. 

Ninety one

I know poverty is out there. I know how important money is? still, I tend to forget in the comfort of my life. Yesterday I went for a photoshoot at Dadar Market in Mumbai. Life is tough there. Competition is fierce. The selection pressure is ruthless. Evolution is in progress, survival of the fittest. I even saw a person, who recently lost his hand, maybe in a train accident. He was smoking and talking animatedly with his friend. Life goes on. No time to cry or self-pity, you need to fill your stomach. Philosophy is for me, not for them. One day in a similar market a roadside keysmith told me, if you desire the wealth around, even a million will be less for you! and he refused to take extra money from me. I will make a photoblog later.

Eighty six

What is the purpose of my life? My purpose in life has been reset many times during the last 40 years. For the time being, I don't have any meaning. I am living in an auto mode. Do I need to think about purpose? I am living to live nothing more than that. I am not afraid of death. I am scared of " not leaving behind my footprint". I know that this word has marched ahead without keeping the account of the greatest accomplishments of the human race in the past. Still, I am carving for "being unique". Maybe this is my purpose of living. But the question is in what field do I excel and which skill would set me apart? This blog series is one such exercise to find the answer for this irritating question. 

Seventy seven

I keep reading many personality developments, productivity and positive thinking kind of books. It is a kind of addiction. Very often I failed to put them in practice. I was introduced to these kinds of books by my grandfather. I don't think he read these books. Because our home library doesn't contain this kind of books. He was worried about me and must have bought them exclusively for me. Now after more than 40 years, one strange realisation happened to me. Most of the things written in these books were practised by my grandfather in his day to day life. How did he know all these things? No idea, but a tough childhood, stressful life, in the beginning, must have taught him these pearls of wisdom. He accomplished great stuff in his life, and I think he wanted some of his kids or grand-kids would follow his footsteps. Unfortunately, none of us rose to his height. I would say we all got too much of comfort in life.