The Paradox

Ubiquitous creatures on the promised land

They are ALL around.

Some

Ubiquitous finders seemed alien here

With an agenda of their own

In no time, they became belonged here.

So comfortable they have grown-

Munching hurriedly,

Moving scurriedly,

Staring threateningly,

Perching decisively.

Irrelevant they seemed, but they were all around.

Almost like they were on homeground.

Most

Other ubiquitous seekers made their 'landmark' arrival.

Knowing for sure they were here to be ordained.

Some walked, some talked, some mingled, but, most meandered.

They tried so hard, they strove for so long.

They thought they had reached the promised land.

It slowly dawned, like the rising sun- like waking up in a reverie

They were still looking, they seemed lost more than ever.

Reality shone- They had burned many a calorie and their bank accounts.

They trudged on, to find a homeground.

The longstanding guardians of the promised land

Spelt out the irony on that ' not-so-landmark' way out-

"You came here a seeker and go out a seeker

You do not know what to seek

But you insist you do.

Your being watched, you ARE being directed and you may not know that too (like a myriad other truth). "

to be continued....

On the feet, and on the run

The glitz and glamour of the West, have it all be it all society is not quite what gets me. What did get me was the fresh clean air here, sans smoke & pollution, honks and shrieks. I love the leisurely walks on the all-pedestrian Locust Walk as much as the walks on any other street around the corner. Also, this longstanding (mis)perception cleared up since I came here a month ago.

When I see people running, running for a cause, running for fun, running for their health and mostly (it seems) running for their lives, I wonder about the commonplace (mis)perception of the 'Obese American'. I have been here for over a month now, and have seen only a handful of obese people on campus. At anytime of the day, I see people wearing shoes, shorts an i-pod and they're running.

Even at the gym, these girls and guys, keep running on and on and on, like they draw from a seemingly endless pit of stamina. They even read while spinning & cycling in the gym. The icing on the cake however, has to be the 60 year old lady who swam the other day for 45 minutes nonstop, spare a few breathers.

Its almost impossible not to be tugged by this air.