What Inspires me

Every time I read a book I am inspired. What inspires me? It could be the author of the book, or the hero of the book, or the heroine, or a significant character in the book, or even an insignificant character in the book, it could be the story itself or a particular plot, or one paragraph or maybe just a sentence; it could be just about anything.

Every time I am inspired, I pause from reading the book; close my eyes and wonder about the inspiration. Sometimes I write it down, sometimes I just file it away in my memory to use later; but most often I mull and think about it and somewhere let it become a part of my life.

Off-late I have been reading a lot of inspirational, life changing, true and inner self awakening kind of books. These are not by choice, but it just happens by chance! Taking cue from this, I have decided to make an online page with quotes, thoughts or happenings around me that inspire me. Each quote will have a story and each post will talk about how I am inspired by the quote or how that particular quote has changed me.

You could read it and be as inspired as me; or simply discard it as random ramblings... you have the choice... because as Devdutt Pattanaik states in his latest book My Gita, “ This book contains my understanding of The Gita, my subjective truth, my Gita. You can approach this book as Arjuna, with curiosity, or as Dhritarashtra, with suspicion and judgement. What you take away will be your subjective truth: your Gita”.

Doors & Windows of Opportunities!

As a young kid of about 9 or 10 years, I recall reading a book where the lead protagonist is upset about life and how he is unable to make a success of himself. I don’t remember the name of the book, but I remember one inspiring paragraph from it. His grandfather talks to him and explains that life is always about chance and endless possibilities. Every opportunity is a chance to prove yourself and every chance lost is the possibility of another better opportunity making its way to you.

He says, “when a door of opportunity shuts itself on you, you knock again. If the door does not open, look for the back door. If you do not find that open, try the basement. If that door too is locked, then try the windows. If the windows are also bolted shut, try climbing onto the roof and try the attic window. If that too fails, then always remember that there is a chimney you would climb down from and enter this room of opportunities.”

Whenever I used this quote, people would mock me and say that I was giving out free advice to robbers! However that has never deterred me. This makes sense to me. Opportunity never comes knocking with a banner saying “OPPORTUNITY”. It just comes knocking! You open the door sometimes, other times you are busy doing something else and are not in time to open the door. So what do you do? Do you cry and fret over a lost opportunity? Or do you try and get it somehow! 

That's where this gyan by the grandfather applies. You do your best, try your bestest and get in and that's what inspires me.

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