The Glory of the Friendship Day!!!

Looking out of the window,
I see all the trees swaying in joy,
With friends, kith and kin,
Dancing in the rhythm,
Impeccably played by the wind!
For, today is friendship day!

So have the clouds come out,
Joining hands with friends,
In groups big,
Silently gliding in the same rhythm!

Today Sun is not alone too.
For he is surrounded by the long traveled clouds,
Coming from far of skies.
All coming together in his brace,
Singing out in joy!

Ants are in holiday mood.
No one carrying grains to store!
But the gifts for the friends on other shore.
The peacock is up in grace,
Dancing with the morning dew,
Heralding to the world,
The beautiful spectacle of the special day!

No stone is falling alone, through the slope the hill,
For he too has by his sides,
His pal, moss, by all his rolling strides.
No matter it is the inevitable fall this time,
Or the past’s arbitrary rise!

The lotus on the swamp,
Today is in communion with his pals –
The fragrance divine, and thousands petals pink!

Even the shadows of the leaves on the farm ground,
Are with their pals, celebrating the unity,
Swaying in the music of the breeze!
All the vagabond meandering streams,
Find their home in the river.
And the serene river forgets its solitude,
Being one with the vast gushing sea!
All the drops of water, and of life,
Yearning to be united in harmony of fraternity!

What an invaluable blessing it is to be human!
Being blessed with the opportunity,
To synthesize all apparent antagonism,
All ostensive differences,
Into the harmony of friendship!

What a beautiful orchestra it is,
All the differences not homogenized,
But decorated as a rolling kaleidoscope!
To lose one’s mortality,
To the immortality of the Collective!

Friends are not yet another luxury.
But they stand for that indispensable link,
The link what reclaims our humanity.
Friendship is the first and the last chapter
Of the book to be human!

Friendship is the gateway of the Archetype.
It is the first attempt to know a person, a thing, an institution.
It is the heralding of a journey,
An arduous one,
To be alive,
To be knowing,
To be human!

Blessing all on this auspicious day!
Simoni celebrating friendship -
A gift nobler than divinity,
Proclaiming all of humanity,

To open up their embrace of friendship,
Their understanding, their compassion,
Beyond all the limits imposed by smallness of man,
Beyond one’s likeness,
Beyond one’s proclivities,
Beyond one’s provincialism,
Beyond one’s whims,
Beyond one’s weaknesses,
Beyond one’s strengths.

Let us all be bound to each other,
In the golden thread of fraternity,
In the hug of friendship,
In the attraction of loyalty,
No matter what!

Let us all reclaim our humanity,
Through the specter of friendship!

Happy Friendship day to All.
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Life is just a means; not an end.

Of late I have come to realize that my life is just a means, and not end to itself. So is everything in my life, including myself. Let me explain.
My life comprises of the following major components –

1.    My Persona –
The identity of mine, my personality, my personal ego, that aspect of my existence that I call as “I”, is just a means, and not an end to itself. It is a means to explore, learn, grow, make a positive difference to the community I belong, to make a meaningful contribution to the place I work, to create a safe, nurturing and warm ecosystem for my family, friends, and colleagues, to create a legacy that enables mankind to think, conceive and act better in some way or the other. I have earlier in some of my poems and essays, have termed this aspect of mine as being a “link”; a link between the problem and a possible inspiring and effective solution; a link between the higher self and lower baser emotions. Persona acts as a vehicle to implement the higher ideals, the divinity, in the world of form. It is a means, ofcourse!

Many a time I have a propensity to slip down to consider the persona as an end. This is exactly when I expect things for myself, or when the ego is at play, trying to establish its self importance.  It also raises its ugly head when I tend not to understand others, and their perspective, when I hate someone, or envy or feel jealous of someone. Also the same thing is visible when I expect someone to behave in a particular way, and feel sad to find them behave totally contrary to the expectation. All these are various forms of holding the self importance – viewing my persona as an end. Certainly this brings an avalanche of sorrow and causes an immense leak of time and energy.

Hence I keep reminding myself that who I am, is just a means, and not an end. This gives me a lot of freedom, and lightness. It appears to me as a big baggage is out of my shoulder. I feel more in harmony with life.

2.    My Family –
The same thing holds good in the context of my family. Family for me is a means to create a loving and nourishing ecosystem for growth, fulfillment and well being of all the people associated. It is an avenue to feel and provide that un-conditional care, affection, love and bond. It is the starting point for the bigger goal of universal love and compassion.

This perspective provides that space for things going against what I expect or would like to. There might be points of disconnect and discontents among family members. There might even be certain misunderstandings. But putting the context in place, things become easier to handle. The ego is kept at bay. Certainly this level of thinking is based and built over the point 1, explained above.

3.    My Friends –
Friends for me are those few people in my life whom I like, without any judgment, or conditions. These people understand me for who I am. They know my follies, and shortcomings, but still love me. We get together and create things beautiful and creative. We converse together and stimulate each other intellectually. We are always available to each other whenever we need each other’s support. There certainly is an intersection between this group of people and the Family. For example my wife is my best friend, who knows me and understands me more than anyone in the world. Friends are, in my view, angels from heavens. They are the shadows of God, who help us to live life more optimally, for each other.

Now, coming to the means and ends. The moment you consider friends as an end, life becomes a prison. You get attached and possessive about the person. You have strict set of expectations from the other person. But the problem is that humans evolve. They change. And more importantly we are all different and unique. It is just not possible for any other human being to mould in the typical slot of my expectation. That attempt would be trying to fix a square peg in a round hole.

In his most openly philosophical work, “Civilization and its Discontents,” Freud maintained that our psyches are layered. As he explained it, much as Rome is built upon the ruins of past Romes, our emotions are stratified: what is past and below lives on and informs what is above, even if we refuse to acknowledge it. This law of the inner life also applies in telling ways to how we relate to so-called cold-facts. Given the pasts and social conditionings of all humans are different and unique, they tend to understand things differently. It is a lost game to expect people to behave in a particular way.

Psychologically every person has a very personal and unique way in looking at things in life. I have tried to explain the same in my previous essay - http://criativ-mind.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-every-man-is-island-entire-to.html
Given so many things so very unique, private and exclusive in each of us, it certainly is a lost game considering humans and relationships as “ends”. They should rather be considered as a dynamic means to express out what is inspiring and beautiful for one and his life.

Extrapolating the same context, the philosophy works even in romantic relationships. Moment the people involved consider the other as an end, the demise of the warmth in the relationship is eminent. Most the cases of divorce, heart breaks, and stresses involving romantic relationship is an inability in the part of the people involved in considering the relationship as a means, to a different end – an end to evolve, grow, learn, provide for each other, creating expressions of beauty and inspirations, support each other, help each other to express themselves differently, the way each wants. See, it is crucial to move the focus of the “end” away from the needs of the self, and consider the relationship as a means of self awareness, growth, and nourishing of the self and also the other. It is about providing that space to each other. Being able to do this is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

4.    Institutions –
Institutions in my life include my work place, other institutions I attend to, either for pursuing a hobby, or for some other social activities. Each of these institutions is again a means for me to learn, grow, contribute and create a meaning for my life. It is about an effort to increase the relevance of my being alive.

Not considering these institutions as an end also involves not expecting anything from them, for my efforts give towards them. My actions in service of these institutions are whole and complete by themselves. They are not done in an expectation of any reward or recognition. This is because my actions are way to my wisdom. They help me grow, learn, and fulfill the meaning of my existence. These institutions provide a framework for my actions. The visions and missions these institutions stand for, give meaning to my life. These inspire me, so I am part of these institutions. They invoke certain actions from me, which makes me fulfilled.
The point is not just about fulfillment. It is also about providing an ecosystem to act. Action for me it the way to self realization. I have tried to explain this aspect of action in my essay - http://criativ-mind.blogspot.com/2011/10/musing-from-marcus-aurelius.html

5.    My Emotions -
Emotions are earthly. They have evolutionary connotations. They are hardwired in our brains and body, and have their own finalities. Those finalities might not be the most optimum or inspiring. Emotions are the calls of the ancient genes we carry. They at most times are gross, and inappropriate at a particular contemporary situation.

Emotions should also be taken as a means, and not as an end. Emotions can be a beautiful means to express one’s true self. It can be a means to create a work of art, or an astounding scientific work. Emotions help us to bond with others, create communities, and play bigger games. Emotions enable us to leave a unique legacy behind, which leaves imprints of beauty when we are no more.

But, the moment emotions are taken as an “end”, problems arise. A self indulgent pursuit of hedonism neither helps the subject involved, nor the bigger community. Being a slave to emotions enslaves the persona to be puppetted by the selfish genes. In the long run that causes distress for humanity as a whole.

Emotions have to be transmuted, beautified, sanctified, and shaped to create works of art and inspirations. They cannot be mutilated. But certainly can be transmuted and transformed.

6.    My Possessions –
I consider the worldly possessions I have, also as means, and not an end in themselves. For example owning a car, is not an end to itself. It is rather a means to safe, fast and comfortable travel from one place to other. A house is not an end to itself. Rather it is just a means to create a safe, secure and peaceful ecosystem for the family and friends.

This helps to create an un-attached perspective on one’s own possessions.


This idea of viewing life as a means and not as an end, to me, is a practical approach to an age old teachings of the scriptures of not being attached. Life and all its aspects are transient. They change. They are dynamic. Hindu philosophy names it as “Maya”. Buddhism calls it “Mara”. And other major schools of philosophies have their own labels to the same. Suffering is caused in the human world, when people get attached to illusion. All the aspects of life, including life itself is not permanent, and is destined to end in near future. It certainly is a lost game to be attached to the worldly matters, and considering them as an “end”. Having said that, I just want to clarify myself that I am not advocating austerity or solitude. It is just a reminder that all enchanting worldly matters are transient, and they need to be viewed as a “means” and not “ends”.
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F-R-I-E-N-D-S!

More than
Just a well wisher,
An understanding soul,
Being that much needed support,
That warm kinship!

More than
Those happy moments spent together,
About passing weekends together,
About going movies in group,
The treats and parties,
Those painful birthday bums,
The irritating pranks and PJs,

More than
That ability to know each other’s nerves,
Being able to confide,
About the pains, ecstasies and adventures,
My Friends,
You all have been much more to me!

You were a beacon,
In the night dark,
Helping me to discover myself,
Who was I, who was I not!

It was not that much, how similar we are,
But it was more about how different were always were!
That made me feel -
You are so special – So am I.

You all were those multiple open windows,
In the deep dark cavern of my mind,
Filling in light of thousand hues!
Enlightening my being,
With your thoughts, your perspectives, your takes!

Being bound with so many of you,
Near, far, across distant lands,
It was always a feeling of being beyond the confinement of body,
It was like being alive in an extended realm,
Beyond the constraints of
Time and Space!

Each of you going to places -
With your own unique stories of success!
Makes me realize the paths varied,
To the same destination of being fulfilled, happy and relevant!

Your achievements and feats,
Makes me aware of what is possible!
Always they are the guiding constellations,
When I get lost in the darkness of my follies!

Though we might not see each other,
Though we might not be in touch,
But that mere awareness that you are there,
In some part of the world,
Makes me feel connected and known!

Who I am, what I stand for,
Are concrete and real,
Just because you are present!
Or else I would have been unknown
Another human being, lost in anonymity!

You are among those very few in this world,
For whom I need not to prove,
Each time, creating my relevance!
It is just a relaxing being –
Being cozy in the feeling of being accepted!

In the indifferent universe,
You are the buffer of providence for me!
I know it does not matter to the universe,
I am alive or dead!
But it will at least leave a scar,
In one way or other,
In your heart, when I am no more!
That feeling makes me feel pampered!

We have been, and will be –
Bands of connected souls,
Working together doing something great!
Which my single hand, mind and heart,
Would have never been able to create!

This journey of life,
Have been like a celebration long,
For only you were there,
With all merry makings, noise and songs!

You were the only means for me to realize,
What love, faith and hope is,
When we talked and laughed together!
Also you were the only means for me to realize,
What sorrow, abandonment, melancholy is.
When we never talked and avoided each other!

You made me realize how wretched the ego is,
You made me realize how slimy the mind can be,
For only those episodes of rift and friction!

Thank you All!
For being my friend -
Sailing the journey of life,
Together with me,
In the ruthless and real – the stormy sea of existence!
Helping me discover myself and Life!

God Bless you All!
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Thank you for being my Friend!

I rejoice this day with the Gratitude
From depth of my heart!
What sacred the day is!
It is the day to thank
those beautiful souls
Who decorate my existence -
My dear friends!


Like the numerous twinkling stars
old and new,
Is your presence my friend,
a wonder in my life!


To all of you,
Old and new
Active and passive,
I thank for being who you are,
For each of you have a
special place in my heart!


I have been touched
in ways innumerable,
I have evolved and
etched out whom I am,
For you were there.


You have helped me
Out of the dark cavern of my head,
restricted to only my way,
And opened up many
New dimensions of bright horizons,
totally unknown to me!


You have filled in the
Moments of void,
with the music
of your presence,
Both online and in person!


You have allowed me to be stupid,
Without the fear of embarrassment.
Helping me to grow,
To know more about
life and myself!


The meaning of being unconditional,
Had I never known
if you have not been there!
A knowing that indeed gives the
direct taste of Heaven on Earth.


Through you have I known
World can be so beautiful!
You have helped me to
Co-create for myself,
A life better than the Gods!




I thank you!
Each one of you!
For being so special!
Your unique presence,
is like a sparkling solitaire,
adding finesse to my existence!

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Copy Right © All rights reserved - Samrat Kar