Compassion

Compassion, kindness and respect. These are the most fundamental values any human expects in the way people treat him. But when it comes to treating others, man becomes exceptionally stingy with these! And replaces these with cruelty, apathy and spite. All because he believes he can get away with it. Humans were once a race known for treating their fellow man the way they themselves would rather be treated. But today, they'd do just about anything to their fellow man. Which would also be fine if we rationalized with "Well, he might just be getting his desserts". But the true issue is when man exposes nature to his cruel devices.

I would like to call your attention to mankind's most recent and unfortunately not the worst low - a pregnant elephant that wandered into human settlements being fed explosives just for the fuck of it. Even after the fireworks went off, the elephant did not cause any trouble for any of the humans, but walked around and eventually rested in a pond till it died.

Oh, you unhappy people. Can one of you, any of you, provide a case, no matter how fictional or far fetched, in which this behavior makes sense? No. You bloody can't. Not even the creator himself would be able to explain this unprecedented amount of cruelty. If God were to visit humanity now, he would hang his head in shame of his children's acts against their siblings. Just because we are a few grey cells heavier than other species, what gives us the right to lord over them and act as if their lives are ours to control? The people who perpetrated this atrocity are true examples of the scum of humanity.

This crime against nature is much worse than anything ever done to a human; for the very simple reason that in spite of everything, the elephant did not even know to fight back. It was confused as to why it was rewarded with pain for its peaceful behavior. A few days ago, a dolphin was tortured in another part of our 'oh so morally rich' country. I am truly aghast at this blatant display of inhumanity.

Throughout history, man's quarrel has been with his fellow man for the damnedest of reasons. But now, why does it feel like man has it out for the most harmonious things in all of creation? -  Dolphins and Elephants, to list a few. Even in these troubling times where the entire world has slowed down, man's cruelty, apparently, has found new gears. 

'Impulses do not a man make'. This is a lesson I learned very recently. Which is true. We are defined by our values and our actions. But I find it hard to believe that humans, bestowed with rational thought, are actually capable of such calculated cruelty. Against their fellow man, sure. Man has axiomatically proven his ability for apathy, antipathy and disdain for his fellow man. I mean, woe befall to me for questioning that. But against animals that don't even fight back? What is wrong with us? Where have we gone wrong?

A friend of mine says mankind has overstayed its welcome in creation. For the first time, I'm thinking her thought process has some merit. For once, I will not posit a solution. For I myself am not sure if humanity is capable of recovering from this act of brutality.  In fact, I do not want mankind to recover from this wound. I want it to become an infected, scabbed itch that forever reminds us that we are not fit to claim free will and a healthy conscience if we do not prevent acts of violence against helpless creatures.

If we cannot stop from reigning our violent impulses against such gentle creatures, maybe we did not ever deserve to crawl out of that primordial soup, after all.

Clarion call

Fair warning, dear reader, for this will be a story of quite some length; but stick with it and you will learn something, for this is a story relevant to mankind for now and all time.

ఏ జాతి చూసినా ఏమున్నది గర్వకారణం,
నర జాతి సమస్తం పరపీడన పరాయణత్వం

What is history, but a tale of exploiting one's neighbor?

These words by a Telugu poet, the legendary Srirangam Srinisavasarao, capture human nature better than any other set of adjectives. All the stories we hear of valor, take root in one trying to unjustly claim someone else's right. Even works of fiction speak of one man's avarice  for another's right. So today I wish to address the assault of mankind on the world and his neighbors.

Right now, the world is battling the Covid-19 pandemic. And in doing so, we have confined ourselves to our homes, leaving the world to the grace of the elements and mother nature. And as a friend of mine quoted, thanks to this lock-down worldwide, the world has gotten its first breather since the industrial age. And we've seen what this 'recess' can do. Dolphins returning to marinas, animals gracing civilization, clear skies like never before and the pollution levels at an all-time low in almost half a century.

We can see how countries are working together and cooperating to beat this epidemic on both humanitarian and medical levels. Let us now ask ourselves - When has humanity last stood united against anything? In the past century alone we have waged wars that scarred the earth till the end of time and experienced ethnic purges at a biblical scale. A few nationalities suffered irreversible damage while others languished in the wealth borne of that depravity. Humanity has faced worse catastrophes before, but never on a global scale. Who knew all we needed to band together was to experience the pain of being wiped out ourselves and not some country in some corner of the world?

So, let me ask you - What does all this mean? I am not going to give you an expose on the spread of Covid or the extent of the fight against it. There are enough of those already. I will, however, posit what humanity could stand to gain from this 'crusade' against Covid.

A vast majority of the world has been confined to the indoors for quite some time now, yes? A month or more, in the least. This is a whole month of recess from the lives we've been striving to improve since the time of cavemen. All the scuttling about, all the unbridled agitation to reach some place, all that we have strived to 'perfect' - The outside, in one word, is now inaccessible due to an organism we can't even see. The very same organism that has grown up in the womb of mother earth like all of Homo Sapiens. All the money, all the power, all the superiority, all the nuclear weapons in the world and we are brought to our knees by a simple virus.

Do ask yourself, what does this mean? Interpret it however you will and must, but I interpret it thus:

Mankind has been blind and foolish all this while. The so called 'progress' has only served to blind us to what truly matters. And that is compassion, empathy and unity. Nothing more. That. Is. All. Let me elaborate:

Going back to the beginning of this post, if we look at history, all we can see is bloodshed. In the name of religion, caste, greed, power, lust, even. None of those wars have actually helped humanity in any manner except serve as an example of what we should not aspire to be. Of course, the effectiveness of that withholding, the 'lesson' is what they represent.

A friend of mine rightly said 'these few months is the first break we've given Mother Earth since the advent of the industrial age'. I dare you to come up with a more positive description of the current circumstances. Man's core is greed. It's not sleep, feed and procreate anymore. The man of today is defined by his avarice. Gone are the days where one is happy with what he has earned or been given. Gone are the days of simple joy in one's neighbor's success. Gone are the days of exemplars of human virtue. Today, we can list more examples of those who represent the scum of human society rather than those who represent a better tomorrow. And what is worse, many of such people are in positions of power, with the authority to decide the lives of millions. Ask yourself, what has all this come to?

Today, everyone is confined to their basest rights, those of food and shelter. No more going out to flaunt what you believe makes you God's only gift to mankind. The only thing we're left with, is each other and how we take care of each other in this crisis. We hear stories of doctors working for days at end; activists braving lynching to help the infected. Of public servants braving assaults to maintain order. But, as all things, we will most conveniently forget the calamity once it passes and go back to living as degenerates who exploit one another if they know they can get away with it.

 Tell me, how many accounts have you seen of 'holy men' taking to the media to claim this disease is an act of god for retribution against mankind's way of life? I mean, I thought they were 'messengers of God'. Do we not call God our father? No matter the religion, don't they all say we're descended of the creator himself? What sort of a father tortures his kids so? No! This is not an act of God. This is humanity's greed come to collect its due. This is an opportunity for us to learn that when the dust settles, all our hubris and ego are worth less than the trash humans so conveniently claim those who disagree with them to be.

Right now, out there, imagine there's a country that decides to flout all the rules of the lockdown and ends up accelerating the spread of the disease. Can you be sure that behavior won't cause a chain reaction, ending in a global catastrophe? The only reason society has not delved into chaos, is because we still have some faint, lingering light of compassion, empathy and unity for our fellow man that is telling us to not totally denounce morality and common sense.

 I will say it loud and clear: Once humanity survives Covid, we all have to change. Remember the spirit with which we fought the infection off. Remember the heroes whom you did not expect to rise. Remember the fools who serve as gleaming examples of 'what and how not to be', most of all. And use that to treat your fellow man better, instead of lusting over what is not rightfully yours. Use that to appreciate that which nature has to offer, instead of relentlessly assaulting her for more. Use this experience to right the injustices done. Use this experience to usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for mankind, in place of the one we've had so far, filled with hate, fear and violence.

 The earth is our home and all mankind are our family. Neither is above the rest so don't ever treate someone in a way you yourself wouldn't want to be treated.

Remember, oh you, who's made it to the end of what probably sounds like a lecture from someone on a moral high horse, that your life is only the sum of how you're remembered and what for. So leave a legacy of compassion, empathy and unity, not one of exploitation, violence and greed.

 "This too, shall pass"

Shoes and Feet

'The shoe's never going to be on the other foot. You take care' is all she said as she walked away, leaving him to mull over what she said. They'd known each other for 8 years now. She'd been the imaginative half while he was the analytical. They were the thickest of friends and the proverbial partners in crime.

The two of them had a definitive dynamic that defined them to one another. He'd bring problems, she'd solve them. He was wise and optimistic, she was experienced and realistic. They were against the world, together. That was how he saw it. But she knew the reality, that the world wasn't out to get him. He was in the trenches, always out for the next battle, while she was fighting her battles as they came, taking stock of the peace between one and the next. In another world, they would never have met, but in this, providence saw fit to make their paths cross. And so began their journey.

'You know, I've always had this theory about the two sexes. Want to hear it?' 'You have a theory. So groundbreaking. What's next, a rant about the bad weather?' She had a way of acknowledging and putting him in his place at the same time. It was one of the reasons the two of them functioned as friends. 'I just wanted your opinion, geez!' 'Both of us know you'll state it anyway and I'll analyze it anyway, so why the foreplay? Shoot.

'There is a core tenet for each of the sexes. For men, it's about power. They want to be the strongest, sharpest needle, be it in front of their friends or god forbid, their partner. And then the fairer sex, for them, it's about ego. Who satisfies their ego matters to them. They appreciate those who can cater to it and understand their soul. What's sad is, though these tenets by themselves are innocent, their influence or appeasement is what causes trouble.' 'I sense a continuation, don't give yourself a pause. You're not delivering a monologue.' He rolled his eyes 'You don't appreciate my natural showmanship, do you? Your loss.' He continued 'A man could use his drive to be the absolute pinnacle; to improve himself and help those around him, but instead, he uses that to feed his insecurities and act out against those around him for not recognizing him. And women, their hope of finding someone who'll understand the minutiae of their psyche is contorted by those would hold them as nothing but objects, and that results in the abominations that are gold diggers and cheats. Of course, these tenets cross genders, but for the most part, men are driven by a power trip and women by their egos.'

'You really did deliver a monologue. Just had to, huh?' 'It's just how I speak.' 'Right. Before I give you my two cents on this, I must ask. I can tell this isn't something you concocted overnight. Why now?' 'Because I wanted to understand if I'm doing things right.' 'So, your usual reason?' 'Like there'd be any other.' They were having this discussion in the midst of cooking their dinner. He'd almost burnt the pancakes. Almost. It was snowing outside and neither of them had the energy to start cooking afresh. Thanking his fortune, he gingerly picked the batter up and started on the next one, vowing under his breath to be more careful.

'I more or less know what experiences drove you to form this, 'hypothesis', let's call it. So, I won't question your belief of it. I will, however address the 'why' behind it. Why would you want to generalize men and women? Are you out to create some sort of a relationship guide? If you are, I don't want to know. What you said about men is more true than what you said about women. Men are more insecure than women are deceiving. I'm not saying that's how all the men and women are, no. For every gold digger/deceiver out there, there are more than willing insecure man-children trying to get into the pants of anything that moves.' 'Do I sense some hostility?' 'I thought you didn't interrupt people'. He knew to shut up when she was on a serious roll.

'Of course your point wasn't who's what and how much. It's about why they're so. It's simple, men have always been touted as the alphas throughout history. They were the gatherers, kings and explorers. Women, on the other hand, had things done for them. There have been exemplars who have risen above their definition to tell the world they're more than housewives, of course. But the vast majority are led by the mindset to have things done. Now look at that independently, and tell me what you think.' 'As in?' 'Just because she wants things done, do you define that to mean she can't do things herself?' 'Of course not! Those are two different things!' 'And therein lies the problem. Just because someone is asking for help, you don't label them incompetent of doing that themselves.' Now do tell, is that what you thought?'

The last sentence made him think, but before he could answer, the kettle went off, distracting him. He rushed to switch the burner off, still pondering his rationale behind attributing ego as a tenet to women. He looked at her, and he had his answer. 'My answer lies in my actions. Have I ever treated you as anything but an equal? I help you but only when I think you could use it. And I don't believe I'm in the wrong for that.' 'In our case, sure. But what of your grand unified theory of the sexes? Hmm? And then, it hit him. In his endeavor to understand the sexes better, he'd generalized them according to a poor stereotype his interpretation would inadvertently lead to.

The pancake was done, and it was perfect. 'How are you so patient with me and everything I ask?' 'Because of your actions.' was all she said, as she reached for the syrup. He sat across her, wondering what if. She read his mind. 'Don't'. 'Why not?' 'Because just because it works, doesn't mean you use it.' 'I'm not saying we should be a couple, no. We know our lives are already going different directions and we can't be together. We know it won't work.' 'Then why the puppy dog eyes?' 'I was just reexamining what I felt for this girl-'. 'Stop right there. I know this script. "Why won't she reciprocate?" Isn't that the gist of it?' 'How well you know me'.

'It isn't that anymore. If it isn't, it just isn't. I get that. But imagine this: There's a person at a table. Sitting across are two people from the opposite sex. One is handsome, dressed to the nines and has an air of wealth and arrogance. The other has clear eyes, a simple smile and a face that makes you want to trust. The person at the head of the table, if asked to choose a partner, will always choose the handsome one, but that's what instincts drive us to.' 'Isn't that obvious?' 'Let me finish. That isn't the problem. The problem is, the other person is not even given a chance to show his worth.' People are always looking at the haves, not the have nots. Why? What if the shoe was on the other foot? What if you were one of the options?'

The pancakes were good and she was a little distracted because of that. 'Because no one ever imagines themselves in a situation where they are an option. You yourself said it. Power trips and egos. Everyone thinks they're the most desirable in every way. And so, when they're passed over for someone else, they throw an emotional tantrum in their heads, trying to fault the decision maker. Of course, there's no defending those who do it for the wrong reasons, but the majority suffer because they don't think of what if the shoe was on the other foot. Everyone thinks they're perfect,. That they're beyond reproach and everything they do is justified.

And because of that, the shoe is never on the other foot. It's late, ciao. Don't overthink it, you're a good man. Those were some good pancakes, you take care.' She left and he sat there, mulling over what they'd discussed. 'Guess in the end it all comes down to be open to self criticism and improvement after all, eh?' He started on the pancakes before they got cold.

A fictitious story of Metaphors and Meta Emotions

Picture a couple of strangers in a gazebo, seeking shelter from mother nature's scorn and being unwittingly overheard by an unremarkable third. Take what follows as an excerpt from their conversation and nothing else, will you, dear reader?

If you ask me, the most justifiable metaphor for life would be a walk. We're all walking our own path. We wave to some of the passers by, while we smile at some. But there are a select few who make us want to stop and take in the scenery alongside them. Then we hear it. The voice at the back of our heads, screaming - 'Oi! Do you really want to do that? What if you forget your way?' And the response from most of us is to keep walking, for fear of losing our way. But there are instances when we stop and spend some time with the stranger. What that time means and what the point of such strangers is, is what this is going to be about.

There simply are too many kinds of different people out in the world. But the one thing common across us all is simple. It's what we all struggle for, claw our way towards. Something that should be the most prevalent thing but is the most elusive. You know what that is. You've bled in the trenches to win it. If you've won it is a question I won't posit since only one response is relevant in this context. So, tell me, dear comrades, how many times did you have to fight? We all know it doesn't matter how many times, because it's always a different battle, isn't it?

I will now return to the original metaphor of the walk. The first time I stopped wasn't of my own volition. Someone pulled my off course and showed me it was okay to stop and smell the flowers. That there was more to the world than running from one goal to the next. And scenery we enjoyed was absolutely beautiful! It was as if the earth mother herself dabbed into her palette and drew one to put all others to shame, for these children of hers were oh so true to themselves and pure! But it was nearly a decade ago, in a distant, now nearly non-existent world. It was the ultimate partnership, where one acknowledged and appreciated the other completely, so much so that it seemed they were linked by the threads of fate itself, ever knowing of the other from the moment they met. But then, as is the case with all interludes, it had to come to an end. As she stood up, she extended her hand and asked him to come with. She already knew his answer, but she wanted the pleasure of asking and hearing the most wonderful, fulfilling and empowering word ever - Yes.

No, he said, with such tenacity that it resounded in the world around them. She was taken aback, so much so that she turned away from him and refused to look. I am not capable of walking alongside you. I will only slow you down, or what's worse, leave us at the side, gasping for breath, as the world passes us by. I have to let you go. You really mean that, don't you? Yes. I have to, you see. For if I don't, I might lie to myself and walk with you, eventually souring the journey for the both of us. She walked away, while he just sat there, wondering why it was raining over him alone. Suddenly, the scenery didn't seem all that beautiful. He kept telling himself it was the right thing to do, but it didn't change anything about how he felt. He lost sight of the world, looking at a single scenery, and now it was not a world he recognized anymore. Which meant he had to start over again. 'You failed to be ready' he told himself, as a reminder to make himself ready for if there was a next time.

And then came the next time. Of course, this time, he was ready. But she left in the middle of their conversation with no explanation and took the compass. His fears came true. He took a brief interlude and had lost his way with no means of reclaiming it. He was stuck there for a while so he figured he'd try to crack the mystery- 'Why?' He spent a long time in the shade, hiding from the light of the world, trying to get an answer. In fact he was there till all his friends came searching and pulled him out. They showed him the route he was supposed to take and ever grateful to them, he continued walking. Stronger and wiser than ever before.

And then came what he hoped was the last time. He was fearful but took a chance, nonetheless. And once again, he was reminded of the beautiful scenery he could watch, should he take the time off to. This reminded him of how happy he wanted to be and he fearlessly embraced it. And then, it was time to get back on the journey again. So he stood up and asked her to join him. He hoped against all hope - for a Yes. She simply choose to take another direction. He got back to his journey, for it was clear now. Interludes end as abruptly as they began. Maybe, he was a fool to expect anything more from these chances he took. Maybe that's all they're slated to be - limited chance encounters with strangers.

As he walked, he started to think. The time he'd spent away from his journey, though every bit as essential as the journey itself, was beginning to now eat at him. It was a source of both great pain and happiness. He thought back to all of those times. What did they truly mean? Everyone ended the same - He was back to walking alone, more tired after the previous. But he kept walking, didn't he? Was that the point? But what about the time spent with those strangers? What did it all mean now? It didn't make sense to him anymore. All that he was left with was pain and the nagging feeling of failure. Why did the pain seem so natural now? Was it because he'd come to expect it? Or was it because he'd always known it?

He just wanted to understand why. Why, at the end of the day he always had to 'understand'. Why he always was miserable instead of happy, no matter what he did and what he chose. No matter how hard he tried, the result didn't seem to vary. And so, he started questioning the 'try'. He, who held honest effort in highest regard had now come to question the very core of his psyche. Why do I feel a chance is the most dangerous thing now, when I once fearlessly embraced it? Maybe it was because all those chances had brought naught but emptiness. Maybe because he was still searching. And walking. And walking and searching. For answers to such questions, though they should be easily available and simple, are hardly ever so. So he vowed to take one more step. Even if that was all he could take at a time. One more step. Towards a purpose he now did not recognize anymore and with a strength the quantity of which he didn't know. But he kept walking. Walking.

One and Two, and Two and Three

I sing to the rock

Hoping to hear your voice

I talk to the wind

Wishing it bears you my words

I pray to the storm

Willing it bear you hither

I wish I had wings

I would fly up and bring the sky down

To show you the how much of my being is you

I wish I could swim

I would dive to the depths of the world

To make you feel the how much of my yearning

What is this pain that’s emptying me?

It fills me like it’s all I’m ever worth but then empties out

Tearing through me between the flutters of my breath

Telling me, I’m right here, fear not

What is this ecstasy that’s threatening to free me?

It’s like the last ray of sun’s light gasping for breath

Before the moonless night sky walks in, reminding me

Of the distance, between One and Two, and Two and Three

Then the pain tells me, fear not for I’ll be here

The ecstasy tells me to ask for reparation if I dare

Both willing my being on, beyond all reason and mortal rationale

Beyond all the walls, all the rules they take me

Till all is memory and pain and adjudication of me and mine

But I fear being alone and bare, screaming as I fall into a mirthless relapse

Oh the distance is inexplicable and haplessly unconquerable

Between One and Two, Two and Three

Love, lost.

A thirst as great as the world

A hunger as vast as the sky

Is the lull in my being as we part

As the yellow sun turns crimson

As the naïve dew drop steps into the sun

I walk out expecting the rain, only to burn

Every time I lay my eyes on you, it’s like the sky itself parts

Every time I hear your voice, it’s like lava erupts

Expressions are not my forte, I’m not blessed like nature

The sun breeds jealousy for he kisses you every morn

The wind is fortunate that it ruffles your hair every eve

But the night speaks to me, as I’m melancholic as the moon

Fated to behold from afar but never touch

Fated to reflect but never show

The moon speaks to me and mine

The earth bears your every being in my place

The rain washes away the those tears I could always tear away

But the storm, it speaks to me; always appreciated, never reciprocated

I’m reminded of the thirsty wave, forever grasping at the feet of the shore

I’m reminded of the limping wind that dies out with want of a tree to dance with

Always longing, never belonging, forever in the red heat, searching

The Big Three

For as long as I could remember I always thought I'd have those 'moments of revelations' that would change my life. And for once, I was not wrong about how I imagined my life would play out. Revelations were ever present in my life and not in a negligible number, either. When I joined my MBA in 2017, I quickly realized something. I was one of the oldest people in our batch! Now, I'm not one of those people who's all 'Boo, I'm older than others' so I was fine with it. In fact, I liked being the older, mature guy. People could sort of tell that about me and it acted as a warning sign for those who perpetrated unwarranted drama. But there was one guy on campus who made me think about my age with what said. My roommate in the second year.

That guy said on one evening when we were just sitting around randomly chatting. Dude. the birthday after you finish your MBA will be the last time you can claim to be in your 20s. How does that make you feel? Doesn't that scare you? I gave him a snap reply. Nah, I've always wiser beyond my years and mature than my peers. I'll be fine. He dropped it there, but his query stuck with me. Does life really change once you hit 30? Truth is, I didn't know. And I couldn't and wouldn't know till a few months yet. So, I kept tabulating my thoughts about things to see if I'd have one more 'revelation' once I crossed the threshold into my 30s. And I did. Only, this was different. It didn't happen overnight. It happened over the fortnight encompassing the week before and after my birthday.

My birthdays have always been uneventful, save for the 2 surprise parties my friends threw me, one in my M.Sc. and the other in my MBA. And I hunkered down for one more uneventful birthday, as probability dictated. But I was hoping, secretly, that something would happen. It was going to be my 30th. And if Rachel Green was any indication, it was a big deal! Celebrations wise, it was mellow. No party, not even a piece of cake or a dinner outside. Usual work day. But, here's one of the revelations: I was okay with it. I was fine with not being outside and painting the town red. Of course, I'd have enjoyed doing that, but the truth is, it was a Tuesday. I couldn't really expect anything from anyone in the middle week, now, could I? So, there I was, working and taking calls, like any other day. Then it hit me. Instead of using my birthday as an excuse to take time off work, what if I worked a little extra diligent that day? I won't tell you what I did next, for I'd like this point to be some food for thought to you, reader.

Then, after I clocked out for the day, as I was singing along to my favorite ABBA tunes, I went back to my thoughts. So, did my outlook on things change? The answer was yes, but not between December 9th & 10th, but over the past week, they had, I realized. So, what did I think of love now? That's right, that was the first thing on my mind. I was just as clueless as always. Or so I believe, because I've never been in a relationship. I only what I've seen and heard and believed about love, never had it reciprocated so I don't have a 'validation', speaking in business parlance. I'm not someone who shies away from the delicate emotions, you see. Instead, I like tackling them so I can understand myself better. I always thought being in love meant having the ultimate partner. Someone whom you can always count on. Someone who has your back. Someone who knows your faults and shortcomings but is with you in spite of all that and what's more, helps you rise above all those you thought are your limits. Now, I don't know if my definition is true, but I sure as hell hope so, because I don't have any indication of it being otherwise. This was my second revelation. "If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it". If you're not sure, keep traveling on your path and life will give you what you need.

The last big revelation: My outlook on life. I've been a proponent of the legendary Ernest Hemingway: True nobility lies not in being superior to your fellow man, but your former self. I think I'm pretty solid there, I think. Above all, just because I spent my 30th all by myself, there was one more thing I got to do, beyond these three big revelations. Re-evaluate all that I have in my life. And you know what, I have a pretty awesome lot of things. My family, friends, teammates at work and the occasional stranger providence puts in my way to show me how I can better myself. Can't really demand more, can we? Of course, there's one more thing I want, but hey, who says a wish out loud and risks it not being fulfilled, right?

So, there you have it. A pretty bland, pensive birthday from your not-so-average guy. I'm Aniruddha Saldi, I'm 30 years old and I'm quite happy with my the how, what and where of my life. How about you?