Hey there,

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This one is about your inner demons.

 

I was fortuitous enough to be moulded by the varied kind of individuals I’ve met in my life. My childhood was an intermittent trip across India. And what India has to offer every 500 kilometers, is unparalleled. The amount of knowledge the country has to offer blew my mind and more often than not, you’ve got to imbibe it from conversations with people.

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This story, however, is about the one constant that always was with me growing up, barring my parents of course. And it was all happenstance.

That’s Naman kaka. He’s a civil bearer in the armed forces and gets posted just like the defense personnel of the country does. He’s been witness to my journey since I was a 7-year-old boy. Everything’s changed except for oh-so-priceless smile. It still has the potential to light up anyone’s day. No matter how sad they may be.

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Not a single day has passed when I’ve seen him anxious, despondent, or even incensed for that matter (touchwood). That man has some secrets, for sure. As a child, I thought he’s probably crazy. I mean, who’s happy all the time???

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I often meet him for coffee in the mornings and we get gabbing sometimes. He’s always had the simplest yet most beautiful stories to share! About a month ago, I knew it was time to ask him the question. I was hesitant at first but chose to shoot my shot anyway.

“Kaka, how have you been so happy all the time that I’ve known you!?”

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“It’s simple,” he said in the most obvious tone. Before I could say anything, he said, “Beta, there’s two lions always fighting inside my head. One is filled with greed, angst and jealousy. The other one is filled with warmth, love and compassion. The fight gets ugly sometimes but there’s always one that comes out on top.”

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“Who?”

“The lion I choose to feed.”

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