For want of a little courage…

I saw the movie Barfi! Although I was expecting it to blow me away and seep into my heart like it did for multitudes of people, I am disappointed to admit that none of that happened to me. I walked into the theatre solemn and nonchalant and I walked out of it disappointed and reflective. There were 2 reasons for this: 1) Priyanka Chopra outdid Ranbir Kapoor from where I saw it and I am supremely let down by that 2) The movie highlighted the lack of courage in my life and in the life of all the ‘able’ and ‘righteous’ people in this world. I told someone inside me that this movie was not made for us—the well-off, goal-oriented, society-pandering, ‘abled’ people—it’s not for the people of this world. We just don’t have enough strength to live like Barfi and Jhilmil did. We’re bound by too many dictums and too many rules, and some far too much.

And then I had to reconsider.

By virtue of the Great Design I am at this juncture of my life where I am moving from one phase to another and honestly, it is painful. It’s taking me all my strength to keep going. It’s taking me a good deal of sunshine in the morning that I try to pluck and carry it around till night so that I can be as hopeful as the dawn of a new day. It’s taking me all the things I’ve taught myself about keeping the faith and going on no matter how tough it is. It’s taking a little too much from me and I am giving as much as I can. Every day, on my way to work, I pass by the sea. I look at it and far into the horizon where the water meets the sky. I see the sunlight on the water and the waves that shine like diamonds bouncing off light. Refraction of light and reflection of life. That’s what I see when I look at the sea each day and I think of nothing. After the sea is gone, I muster up the hidden spirit inside me and I get going with my day. And ever since I’ve seen Barfi! I think of all the people in this world and the battles they fight each day. I think of the people they are and the ones they’re trying to be. I think of all those moments when life is easy and times are happy for everyone. Then, I think of all those times when the going is tough and the road seems uphill. I ask myself what it takes for all of us to live the life we’re living and get through it and I answer—courage. Every little thing we do in our lives requires courage, sometimes it is too great and sometimes it is not. Some have too little of it and others have a lot.

You know what they say? That you don’t really know a person. Recent events have brought this to the fore and made me realise how one never really knows what anyone is all about. There could never be a general road map for people. All of us are here and we’re trying to do our best at living. That’s what I think is the most courageous thing in the world—to live. If we’re here at this moment; no matter what we’ve left behind, how we’re doing at present and where we’re about to go one thing is certain we’ve done a ruddy well job of being whoever we are. Yes, in hindsight we think that we could have done certain things better but I think that is only because we have gained the wisdom for that hindsight.

All in all I have learnt that living is no mean feat. To live is to be courageous. Whether you’re Barfi or Jhilmil, or you are someone else, you’re doing the best job you can. You’re a winner all the way.

I am going to watch Barfi! again and this time it’ll go straight into my heart.