Monday, October 8, 2012

Everything is not what it is meant to resemble.

If only, all donuts were sugary explosions of goodness.
How easy life would be.

If only, all dark chocolate was dark.
How easy it would be to run the rule.

Being of a certain descent and having grown up in a place that draws raised eye-brows, suspicious re-takes and the very rare but still infinitely pleasing exclaim of interest. I think I've come to appreciate the need to re-look inside before gauging which list to put any particular object that draws my 15-minute attention span.

I've learnt that the 'light' doesn't always mean the absence of tragedy and I've learnt that the 'dark' has it's own infinitely vast array of hope to be had. But I am thankful. Thankful that I am what I am. Thankful for the varying degrees of stereo-typing, alleged discrimination and judgement calls by those with a far smaller attention span than I. Very thankful.

If I wasn't, I'd probably not have put escargots in my mouth. Nor would I have probably jumped off a plane. I most definitely would never have met some of the coolest people ever, not to mention have a significant portion of the 'non-mentionables' as my gypsies, friends, loves, adventurers, story-tellers and general mud-slingers.

One such weekend, I traveled to meet the family of someone special. The stacks were stacked against or they were not any better than in similar-ish situations earlier which had better odds and more positive out-looks. Needless to say, just like every good tale, the outcome surprised beyond compare.

I was accepted for who I was and not for what I may or may not have represented (?!)

'What kind of sorcery is this.?!'  screamed, my confused mind. Maybe it was the bubbly which clouded my perception.? Maybe, it was just all lost in translation.? But the smiles, laughter, twinkles and all else seemed genuine enough and I have been a good judge of those in the past.

I came out of that brief encounter positively refreshed and needless to say, the rest of the trip was just as exciting and full on magic.

In time, the realization dawned, on how I wish this level of acceptance was available more closer to home. I wish the people I learned some of my most basic and important values would be able to acknowledge their pre-conceived fears and let them go. Like that fabled plastic bag on a windy day.

If only, all bad people would acknowledge the evil within them.
How easy it would be to feel safe.

If only, that everyone could be read from a first impression.
How boring, our lives would be..

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PS: I've been invited for an encore and this time it is a whole weekend. *phew* Wish me luck, some would say but then again, what's luck got to do with it. =)