The 21st century - the Age of the Common, the Ordinary and the Insignificant

Despite everything - the pollution, the violence, the apathy, nature defying sexuality and "hopelessness", these are certainly the best times one can hope to live in . We have every gadget to make life easy, we know that every desire can be fulfilled, almost everything can be bought, every place can be conquered and most important, someone is willing to pay you for every little talent you possess. We finally have arrived at an age for "A place for everyone and everything in its place" - Dunno if the latter is true, but yes there certainly is a place for everyone today.

Think of the inventions that revolutionized this century - The Internet,the Mobile phone, the Social Web. Why are they important/ground breaking? Because, never before has so much power been bestowed on the hands of the individual. Never before have people enjoyed unlimited access, power and choice, without having to sacrifice anonymity - the anonymity of being the common man.

Today the mantra seems to be - You have something you are proud of - it doesnt matter what - someone, somewhere needs you - It could be anything... Sample these...A top corporate honcho having a portfolio like Chief Belief Officer and strategy, top 5 start hotels employing housewives to make 'ghar ka khana', shopping consultants who will help you pick clothes that will suit you and your wallet,  not to talk of cultural officers, diversity managers, why you can make a living even if you only know to eat - I really dunno what other quality a food critic has.  So the fact of the matter is if you are super good at something, anything - even if it is mundane and commonplace, if you are passionate about it, you can carve your own niche....

Is this good? Never better, of course! But where you are blessed really is in understanding what your calling is - to understand what you are 'cut out' for!Most people just vanish never being able to know.... or even attempting... So there's just one difference in people like Aamir, Sachin, Zakir Hussain and most of us - they have found their calling, while we have given up even before we tried! In fact, 'without purpose' you are a lost cause!

So what's this era about -it is an age where simple things can find expression and where ordinary is celebrated and in fact revered and exalted. How else do you explain "phenomenon" ( I dunno what else to call it) like "Kolaveri di" - if that is not the celebration of the ordinary and commonplace, then what is.... Please note that I never meant mediocre anywhere. So finally, its not cliche, every one really has something unique that the world is waiting to lap up. Power to the ordinary, but relentless. Maybe the key to being extraordinary is in really being utterly and super ordinary....And in getting comfortable being...

And I thought I went astray...

Now what's the most memorable time in anybody's life? At the cost of generalization, I would say that it damn well be your school/college days. And the most colourful memories happen not when you were goody-two shoes, or played it safe or had the perfect track record, if you know what I mean. The most touching memories occur when, in others' words, you did the unthinkable... You got into bad company or fell in love with the professor, or started flirting or took to the puff, or the booze or the crack... I mean based on the circumstances, you just were the first to break tradition in your "group".

And back then, what a shame it must have been to live or come out of it, when you finally were shaken off your euphoria, you must have thought that "I should have played it safe", "Should never have left my trusted gang, "Never should have deviated from the beaten path"...  I did too. And I thought I went astray and by doing the "unthinkable" I betrayed my friends, my family and myself.

When I think back now, I feel a sense of remorse. I feel maybe I didn't really go all out! Why did I hold back? Should have been more exploratory... Should have risked much more... Because that's the stuff movies are made about and books are written about, not about some perfect person who did stuff that neither shocked others nor themselves. What's the point in looking too far or too often before you leap, chances are you may never leap at all. But no matter how you landed or bumped or crashed, the way you get up and beat the dust off you and walk again is what you really are and eventually become!

One life, few escapades and fewer chances... Living life to the fullest - have actually never seen anyone regret it! One day, you might actually recount those 'cock and bull tales' to your children with a great tinge of pride and 'I did those things too' tone.... I know I will and my kid will know that I was not this sad person all the time... She will know I had my moments, my stories and my chances.... But I doubt if she'll ever think my mom had gone astray...