Being Original

Why are you the way you are? What made you, what you are? What happenned ?

When you see people around,you might feel, I am not like that, or,this.I cannot do that or, this,etc.etc.

You may also feel, you know what,I am like this or that.He he.. he..

Either way, I think, as we grow in life, we try and form ourselves, from what we see,learn, are told, develop, and perhaps a bit of genes, as well.So, the environment of growth is very important.Like for example,I am a born left hander.I used to eat with my left hand, when I was young.For some reason, I used to feel very shy,whenever we went to an invitation,or something like that.As I sat through a biye bari,everyone used to look at me, eating with my left hand.Some used to say, "E ma,ba hathe khao bujhi?".Then my mum used to give a lot of explanations etc.I told my Mum,that I willl not go to any celebrations,ever.

We were all going round in circles, but not trying to solve the issue.Doctors told my mum,if you

push it very hard, he might land up with some other issue, like stammering etc.,so, nothing moved.

Till one day,we went to one of my Mama's house for lunch in Batanagar.He was a very senior person in Batas.We sat down for lunch, and my Mum promptly made an announcement,loud and clear.

"Bikram kintoo, ba hathe khae".She did not want to face the embarassment later, and came upfront with it.

My Mama,the host, turned around, and said"I knew Bikram,is a bright boy, but I did not know, he had this added qualification.Wow, thats great.He is really special."

That day, my life changed.I was no longer apologetic, about eating with my left hand any more.Also a year later, when my father got transferred to Delhi,I on my own, starting eating with fork and spoon, with my right hand, and the change over happenned, without any fuss,ever.

I continued, to bowl left arm spin, and write with my left hand, which were considered, stylish to say the least.

This is life.It all depends, what you make of it.How you look at yourself.What you want to do with it.Your envorinment might not have had the occassion to give you a few things in exposure, but be always willing to learn,pick up, and have huge faith in your own ability.You can make a difference.Never worry to test your own instincts and creativitiy all the time.

I learnt swiming very very late in life.So what? I did not have the opportunity to learn when I was young.My father was not a member of a swiming club, or, neither did we have a "pukur" in our "gramer bari".But when my son wanted to learn, and he had a heart disorder,I promised him, I will learn with him.So,I did.

This is what we make ourselves in our life.

Our life is what we make it to be.