To The Unique Bunch

Today I suddenly missed being in India. Sifting through the last night's dreamathon tracks, I guessed I might have been dreaming  -- of the early morning dash to the school, the flag hoisting, the sweets -- the typical small-town school day on the 26th of January. Today was that day, but I was far from being then and there. I decided to  stay up late and follow the ceremony and speeches online. But it was still an hour away, and I stumbled upon Mr. Obama's State Of The Union address which had just begun, and would go on for another hour. The theme was - Winning The Future. As I listened on, I involuntarily started comparing what Obama was implying for America with what I would like to hear from our leaders.

"No matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater – something more consequential than party or political preference." - Mr. Obama proudly declared. Nah, this does not apply to India, I mused. Our politicians' preferences hold greater ground than the country's.

"In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives. It's how we make a living." - The president beamed. Nah, this does not apply to India, I snorted. Our leaders have other better things to push on.

"Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same." - Mr. President paused for his audience to absorb. Nah, this does not apply to India, I was sure. Austerity is a taboo word for our government.

"We live and do business in the information age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. There are twelve different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different entities that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they're in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked. We cannot win the future with a government of the past." - Mr. Obama received a standing ovation. Nah, this does not apply to India, I groaned. Efficiency and corruption can't coexist, and I know whose side our leaders are on.

"And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I know there isn't a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth." - I ignored the thunderous claps and jumping ovation Mr. Obama received for this closing remark. I just revelled in the joy that this does apply to India and the Indians more than anybody else. There's something that holds our country together amidst all our disappointments. We are a unique bunch, after all.

I no longer needed to wait to listen to our politicians' speeches today to know what their plans were for India's future; I felt safe. So I decided to catch some sleep instead.

Train # 2011

The watch declared 12/31/11/23/59/59 DreamTime. I was so ready.

On the edge of my excitement and the platform, I eagerly awaited my train. It was to take me on a special year-long tour to the places I had only imagined. The platform buzzed with the scream of a whistle and train # 2011 materialized, ready for me to hop in.

Decembertown arrived in no time. The train halted and I stepped out for my month-long vacation. As I entered the town, I wondered if I was dreaming. Everything in this place was bright and colorful and romantic, like a fairy tale. Putting aside my she-shyness for a while, I played like a Disney script and befriended a lost princess. A month escaped swiftly and I left her with a promise of coming back  for more adventure.

The next stop was Novembernagar. Everybody here knew so much about everyone else that it made me wonder if they were infected by Facebook virus. But to my own advantage, I opened up among them and sharpened my painfully inept socializing skills. By the end of the month, I even managed to recognize most of my relatives who had been strangers to me due to my short social-span. I was excited to explore more as the train entered Octoberpur. People here spoke a different tongue and I scrambled to communicate. It was only after I learned few everyday words that I managed to fit in. Their hospitality tasted sweeter now. In a month, I became one of them.

Septemberabad was full of hungry people; hungry for books. Their favorite pastime was reading. Wherever I went they had designated reading areas in place of smoking areas. Intrigued, I tried following the suit. In few days the wonderful world of books got me addicted to reading. I used the month for staycation, devouring variety of books. The train entered Augustburg and I instantly knew this was the place to be. It was a creativity hub; people here were creators - writers, designers, artists, entertainers. They earned living by doing what they loved  and were good at. A dream life and job indeed. I spent a month checking out their creativity and taking in few lessons for myself.

Next up was industrious, diverse and high-tech Julyganj. People here breathed technology. They along with their  creative neighbors made the lives of others easier and interesting by creating and availing ever-smart solutions to life's problems. I never felt so technocrazed and inspired when I left at the end of the month. Owning a business ranked highest in Junewadi's ambitious youngsters. They preferred to be self-bosses. The idea of making a life and living on your own terms was powerful enough to nudge anybody to think outside the bell. I picked up few tricks of the trade along the way.

People in Mayfort were totally in balance; living for others as much for themselves. A month of philanthropic company taught me how to bring into life the simple joy of giving. Aprilville was a lesser known tourist heaven. Its unaltered nature offered the perfect escape to people looking for rejuvenation. I was going to cherish a month of getaway for years. Sound bodies lived in Marchester. People here ate right, slept well and worked in and out to shape themselves in good health. A month was enough for me to get inspired and commit to healthy habits.

In Februarygarh the enlightened souls had submitted to the will of the higher power. Everybody here knew the purpose of life, had a clear direction to life's mazes, and all their actions were driven by taqwa. A month spent here was the most strengthening experience of this journey. Next stop, Januarypet, was a place of peace. People here were at peace with the world outside and within. Being among them for a month prompted me to rethink my desires, expectations and attachments. It pushed me to make peace with myself, because, it reasoned, you can't fight the world when you are at war within.

When the dream ended, the train was gone. But the journey still echoed my things-to-do this year. Having peace and guided direction would certainly help make way for the rest of the goals. A tab on health and a balanced life would shadow the trivial travails. A self-employing, tech-savvy and creativity-driven career would be more than fun. Time invested into reading, learning new languages and building social relations would never go down with market crash. Sweeping a princess off her feet would be thrilling, provided she maintained a sweepable weight. I wished the train did a U-turn and came back for the forward journey. 

The watch declared 1/1/11/00/00/00 RealTime. Was I ready?