Ashini

Have you ever met yourself?

“Have you ever met yourself?

Hearing this question, perhaps it crossed your mind—’What a strange question! I am with myself all the time.’

But is that really true?

Just pause and think for a moment.

I feel that this question must have stirred something within you, if only for a brief moment. Perhaps a small question even arose—’Is it really true?’

I believe the biggest mistake we make throughout our lives is that we never try to meet ourselves. Or perhaps the truth is that we are afraid to dive deep within.

We meet thousands of people in our lives. We want to know them, try to understand their nature and personality. We build relationships, want to know their likes and dislikes, and try to carve a place for ourselves in their lives.

But have we ever shown the same curiosity about ourselves?

Have we ever asked ourselves what truly makes us happy? What do I actually fear? Why am I the way I am?

The strange thing is that we ask these questions to others very easily, but hardly ever to ourselves. Yet, I feel that this is where the journey of meeting oneself begins.

We often hear people say, ‘I want to spend some time alone.’ But when asked what they want to do while being alone, most of the answers involve not solitude, but some kind of distraction—phones, social media, movies, work, or keeping ourselves occupied with something else.

In other words, we want to be alone, but we don’t want to be with ourselves.

I don’t know why being with oneself feels so difficult.

In my life, I have also felt another thing. Many people do not trust themselves as much as they trust being with someone else. They feel that if someone is with them, they are more secure. Perhaps this is because they do not have full faith in their own decisions and the voice within.

I once had a conversation about this with someone close to me. I told them that now I want to live my life with myself, I want to meet myself. I am not looking for anyone else’s support in my life right now.

They disagreed with me. They believed that a human being always needs someone else’s company. They said we can never be with ourselves because our lives are just built that way.

The interesting part was that the person who said this was a doctor. This made me realize that feeling uncomfortable with one’s own silence is not limited to any one group. This experience, perhaps, exists somewhere within all of us.

They told me that whenever they are alone, thoughts start coming into their mind that they are afraid of. That is why they felt that no person would want to stay with themselves for long.

Hearing them, a question became even deeper in my mind.

Is it really that hard to listen to the silence within?

After all, why are we afraid of our own thoughts? Or…

Are we afraid of questions?

Because perhaps meeting oneself is not the beginning of finding answers, but the beginning of asking the right questions.

So, tell me…

When was the last time you met yourself?

If you had to be with only yourself for a while today, would you be at ease?

Because I believe that the beginning of every change is not in an answer, but in an honest question.

क्या आप कभी अपने आप से मिले हैं?

यह प्रश्न सुनते ही शायद आपके मन में आया होगा—”कैसा अजीब सवाल है! मैं तो हर समय अपने साथ ही रहता हूँ।”

लेकिन क्या सच में ऐसा है?

ज़रा रुककर सोचिए।

मुझे लगता है कि इस प्रश्न ने कुछ क्षणों के लिए ही सही, आपके भीतर एक हलचल तो ज़रूर पैदा की होगी। शायद एक छोटा-सा सवाल भी उठा होगा—”क्या सच में?”

मुझे लगता है कि हम अपने पूरे जीवन में सबसे बड़ी गलती यही करते हैं कि हम कभी अपने आप से मिलने की कोशिश ही नहीं करते। या शायद सच यह है कि हम अपने भीतर उतरने से डरते हैं।

हम अपने जीवन में हज़ारों लोगों से मिलते हैं। उन्हें जानना चाहते हैं, उनके स्वभाव और व्यक्तित्व को समझने की कोशिश करते हैं। हम रिश्ते बनाते हैं, उनकी पसंद-नापसंद जानना चाहते हैं और उनके जीवन में अपनी जगह बनाने की कोशिश करते हैं।

लेकिन क्या कभी हमने उतनी ही जिज्ञासा अपने बारे में दिखाई?

क्या कभी खुद से पूछा कि मुझे वास्तव में किस बात से खुशी मिलती है? मैं सच में किस बात से डरता हूँ? मैं जैसा हूँ, वैसा क्यों हूँ?

अजीब बात यह है कि ये प्रश्न हम दूसरों से तो बड़ी आसानी से पूछ लेते हैं, लेकिन अपने आप से शायद ही कभी पूछते हैं। जबकि मुझे लगता है कि यहीं से अपने आप से मिलने की शुरुआत होती है।

अक्सर हम लोगों को कहते सुनते हैं कि “कुछ समय अकेले रहना चाहता हूँ।” लेकिन जब उनसे पूछा जाए कि अकेले रहकर क्या करना चाहते हो, तो ज़्यादातर जवाबों में अकेलापन नहीं, बल्कि कोई न कोई व्यस्तता होती है—फ़ोन, सोशल मीडिया, फ़िल्में, काम या फिर किसी और चीज़ में खुद को उलझा लेना।

यानी हम अकेले तो रहना चाहते हैं, लेकिन अपने साथ नहीं रहना चाहते।

पता नहीं अपने साथ रहना इतना मुश्किल क्यों लगता है।

अपने जीवन में मैंने एक और बात महसूस की है। बहुत से लोग अपने आप पर उतना भरोसा नहीं कर पाते, जितना किसी और के साथ होने पर करते हैं। उन्हें लगता है कि अगर कोई उनके साथ है, तो वे अधिक सुरक्षित हैं। शायद इसलिए कि उन्हें अपने निर्णयों और अपने भीतर की आवाज़ पर पूरा विश्वास नहीं होता।

इसी विषय पर एक बार मेरी बातचीत मेरे एक करीबी और परिचित व्यक्ति से हुई। मैंने उनसे कहा कि अब मैं अपने जीवन को अपने साथ जीना चाहती हूँ, अपने आप से मिलना चाहती हूँ। अभी मुझे अपने जीवन में किसी और के सहारे की तलाश नहीं है।

उन्होंने मेरी बात से असहमति जताई। उनका कहना था कि इंसान को हमेशा किसी न किसी के साथ की ज़रूरत होती है। हम अपने साथ कभी नहीं रह सकते, क्योंकि हमारा जीवन ही ऐसा बना है।

दिलचस्प बात यह थी कि यह बात कहने वाले व्यक्ति एक डॉक्टर थे। इससे मुझे यह महसूस हुआ कि अपने भीतर की खामोशी से असहज होना केवल किसी एक वर्ग की बात नहीं है। यह अनुभव शायद हम सबके भीतर कहीं न कहीं मौजूद है।

उन्होंने मुझसे कहा कि जब भी वे अकेले होते हैं, तो उनके मन में ऐसे विचार आने लगते हैं जिनसे उन्हें डर लगता है। इसलिए उन्हें लगता है कि कोई भी व्यक्ति लंबे समय तक अपने साथ नहीं रहना चाहेगा।

उनकी बात सुनकर मेरे मन में एक प्रश्न और गहरा हो गया।

क्या सच में अपने भीतर की खामोशी को सुनना इतना कठिन है?

आख़िर हमें अपने ही विचारों से डर क्यों लगता है?या फिर…

क्या हम सवालों से डरते हैं?

क्योंकि अपने आप से मिलना शायद उत्तर खोजने की शुरुआत नहीं, बल्कि सही प्रश्न पूछने की शुरुआत है।

तो बताइए…

आख़िरी बार आपने अपने आप से कब मुलाक़ात की थी?

अगर आज कुछ देर के लिए आपको केवल अपने साथ रहना पड़े, तो क्या आप सहज रह पाएँगे?

क्योंकि मुझे लगता है कि हर बदलाव की शुरुआत उत्तर से नहीं, बल्कि एक ईमानदार प्रश्न से होती है।

The Stranger in My Mirror

I don’t know why, but today I suddenly felt as if I were walking on two paths simultaneously. Sometimes I want to speak up, other times I want to remain silent; I cannot even understand what I truly want. But what is the point of knowing what I want? I will only do what society expects of me, or what my own people want me to do. Caught in these thoughts, I didn’t even realize how the day slipped away.

Later, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that I am not alone. I saw two people in the reflection: the one I truly am, and the one created by the pressures of society and family. That’s when I understood that I am living a dual life. I realized that my true self is lost, and the person everyone else sees isn’t really me. I don’t know why I feel like I am living, yet I am not truly there. This double journey is becoming suffocating, and I don’t know how long I can sustain it. But one thing is clear: those who try to ride two boats always sink. I know that if I don’t choose one path, my boat will soon drown.

The question now is—which path should I choose? The one I am, or the one I have been molded into? Why is it so difficult to stand up for oneself? Why do we always choose shackles, whether out of free will or under pressure? We end up building a cage for ourselves.

Lack of Self-Confidence

I asked myself, “Look at yourself—who are you? Is this really you, or something else?” The reflection replied, “I am who I am, but the one asking the question is someone else.” And if I were to ask that voice, “Who are you?” it would say, “I am broken dreams, a scattered character, and lost self-confidence.”

Why do I lack this confidence? Why do we always need a crutch? A crutch is only needed by those who lack faith in themselves—those who always need a finger to hold onto to navigate their journey. But such people don’t really live for long; they have already died from within; only their physical bodies remain. This isn’t just my story; it is the story of every girl who is forced into this dual journey by circumstance.

Why are we not given the basic right to decide which path we want to take? Is this what life is? Is this why we came into this world? A world so vast and beautiful that we might leave without ever seeing it. We don’t even realize that beyond where we stand, there is a beautiful world worth seeing and learning from. Yet, our life’s boundaries are predetermined. We aren’t even aware that something else exists. If we ever found that path, we might not belong to anyone anymore; we could walk on our own. We wouldn’t need anyone’s support. But we are kept away from these valuable, precious things. We are so shackled by trivialities that we cannot even look up to see what lies beyond.

Attachment to Trivialities

Why do we love these trivial things so much? Why do they become so valuable to us? Why do we sacrifice our lives and our freedom for them? I found the answer: we are told that these things are so valuable that we must trade our freedom to attain them. And the ones telling us this are our own people, so we believe them. We sacrifice our freedom for these trifles because we are never told that there are things in this world far more precious. If we found them, our entire perspective would change—we wouldn’t be under pressure, we wouldn’t fear anyone, and we wouldn’t bow down to anyone. That is why these trivial things are made to seem so precious, so that we never think of seeking what is truly valuable.

We must understand and realize what is necessary for us and what is holding us back. This was not the person society created speaking, but the one who is truly me. She must understand that she needs to choose one path—a path that is her own, one of self-reflection, self-awareness, and her true identity, not an identity born from external pressure. Fight for yourself. If you don’t fight, if you don’t stand up, you will always be trapped in a fake identity and a limited journey. You will never reach your true destination.

Seek yourself and meet the person who is your own best friend. Find your true identity.

A Journey Beyond the Ordinary

Have you ever paused to wonder why we feel the need to travel? If you haven’t considered it, I invite you to ask yourself: Why do we suddenly yearn to go somewhere? Why do we travel at all? Perhaps some of you might wonder why I have chosen to start this article with such a question.

A Journey Like No Other – Let us talk about travel. Why do we feel this pull? It is because our entire life is a journey—a journey that began the very moment we took our first breath. Yet, when we hear the word “travel,” our minds immediately drift to the idea of going on a vacation. But that is only an option for those who have the freedom to move as they please; most people are deprived of this luxury. However, what people often fail to realize—or perhaps refuse to acknowledge—is that everyone is already on a journey. Whether it is a journey through personal struggles or an ongoing battle, every individual is navigating a unique path.

As for me, my current journey is caught in the midst of the kind of struggle where people often give up—a struggle against one’s own. I, too, am caught in this web. I am yet to see whether I will complete this journey or be forced to stop. Like me, so many others are trapped in this same space.

Where does this journey truly begin, and why do we all get trapped in it? The answer lies in the regressive mindset of society. This isn’t limited to any one class; people from every walk of life are entangled in it.

True travel is not just about moving from one place to another or visiting a few popular tourist spots. That is hardly travel at all. Real travel is that which gives us a new perspective on life. It can be external, but it is equally, if not more, about the internal journey. I mention this inner journey because if we cannot explore the depths of our own selves, we will never truly become who we are meant to be. We would simply live our lives as puppets. Is that acceptable? Are we content to spend our lives dancing to the tunes of others?

Our internal journey is the most difficult one, yet if we complete it, we reach the very purpose for which we were born into this world. But we often shy away from it. We settle for the surface-level definition of travel, visiting limited places without ever really searching for the kind of transformation that could change our lives—and through that change, improve the lives of others.

In this society, there are so many who dream of traveling but lack the freedom to do so. This is especially true for women. Whenever they consider setting out, the wall of societal orthodoxy stands in their way. Why has this society created such narrow boundaries for them?

As for the internal journey, one needs knowledge to undertake it. Even there, boundaries have been set: how much to study, how long to study, and what to study. Without the knowledge to distinguish between right and wrong, we cannot embark on our inner quest. It is just like a diver who, unaware of the ocean’s depth, cannot hope to dive as deep as they truly could.

We need knowledge for our internal journey, regardless of which section of society we belong to. Whether a journey is internal or external, if we commit to it, change will begin—a change that this society desperately needs. So, start your journey. Whatever form it takes, just begin. By doing so, you can help liberate those who are still shackled by the regressive mindset of this society.

Will you join me on this journey? If you are willing, start your own today—whether internal or external.

Let us embark on a new journey together.

Who Am I, Really?

“Has anyone ever wondered what would remain of you if your name, profession, relationships, and achievements were all stripped away?

I know some might immediately answer, ‘I would.’

But is this the same ‘I’ that represents your true essence, or is it merely the external shell? We are so entangled in our superficial and material identities that we rarely want to confront our true selves. Perhaps we fear that if we truly discover our ‘inner I,’ we might drift away from these material comforts that we currently value above all else.

However, throughout history, this very question has been the catalyst for transformation. Many have even renounced their worldly possessions in search of this answer. The greatest example is Siddhartha, who abandoned his name, his royal bonds, and his status to find his true self. He traveled from the opulence of the palace to the solitude of the forest, eventually transcending from Siddhartha to become Gautama Buddha.

This same curiosity has been the foundation of contemplation for thinkers and philosophers across ages. In India, visionaries like Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi, and Kabir showed humanity the path to look inward. Globally, philosophers like Socrates, René Descartes, and many others raised profound questions about human existence and true identity. Eras have passed, and civilizations have evolved, but this question remains as vibrant as ever: ‘Who, really, am I?’

Yet, we are so busy that we hardly find the time to ask the most important question of our lives. We are caught in the web of our names, professions, society, social media, and the complexities surrounding us. Gradually, we begin to believe that this is who we are. But all of these things—our jobs, relationships, status, and even our bodies—are subject to change. This brings us back to the same fundamental question: if everything can change, what is truly real?

Perhaps this is why philosophers in every age have urged us to dive within before trying to conquer the world outside. For the one who knows themselves, it becomes possible to change themselves before the world forces a change upon them.

‘Who am I?’ is not merely a spiritual question; it is a fundamental question of how to live. Until we recognize our true identity, we will continue to live by the identities crafted for us by others.

Perhaps the most difficult journey is not traveling the world, but reaching the depths of one’s own soul. So, the question still stands before you: ‘Who, really, am I?’

Seek the answer.

आखिर मैं कौन हूँ?

क्या कभी किसी ने इस बात पर विचार किया है,कि अगर आपका नाम,पेशा, रिश्ते,उपलब्धियां सब बदल दी जाएं तो आपके पास क्या होगा ?

मुझे पता है कुछ लोगों के मन में तुरंत जवाब आया होगा,कि ‘मैं ‘।

क्या ये वही ‘मैं ‘है जो वास्तविक आपकी पहचान है,या वो जो बाहरी?

हम अपने दिखावटी या भौतिक चीज़ों में इतना जकड़े हुए हैं कि अपनी वास्तविक पहचान को जानना ही नहीं चाहते।या उस पर विचार करना नहीं चाहते,क्यों कि हमें लगता है कि अगर हमने अपनी” मैं “को पा लिया तो हम इन दिखावटी चीजों से दूर हो जाएंगे ,जो हमारे लिए अभी सबसे अमूल्य है।

लेकिन इतिहास से ही इस विचार पर प्रश्न उठते आए हैं, और जवाब के खोज में लोगों ने अपने भौतिक चीज़ों का त्याग तक किया है।

इसका सबसे महान उदाहरण, सिद्धार्थ का है,जिन्होंने अपनी वास्तविक पहचान के लिए अपना नाम , अपने बंधन,अपनी पहचान का भी त्याग कर दिया।जिन्होंने राजमहल से जंगल तक का कि यात्रा तय की “अपनी वास्तविक मैं “के लिए। और अंत में उन्होंने सिद्धार्थ से महात्मा बुद्ध कहलाये।

ऐसी ही जिज्ञासा समय-समय पर अनेक विचारकों और दार्शनिकों के चिंतन का आधार बनी। भारत में स्वामी विवेकानंद, रमण महर्षि और कबीर जैसे महापुरुषों ने मनुष्य को अपने भीतर झाँकने का मार्ग दिखाया। वहीं विश्व के विचारकों में सुकरात, रेने देकार्त और अनेक दार्शनिकों ने भी मनुष्य के अस्तित्व और उसकी वास्तविक पहचान पर गहन प्रश्न उठाए। युग बदलते रहे, सभ्यताएँ बदलती रहीं, लेकिन यह प्रश्न आज भी उतना ही जीवंत है—”आख़िर मैं कौन हूँ?”

लेकिन हम इतना व्यस्त हैं कि ,शायद अपने जीवन के सबसे महत्वपूर्ण प्रश्न पूछने के लिए समय ही नहीं निकाल पाते हैं।हम अपने नाम , पेशा,समाज ,सोशल मीडिया, और अपने इर्द – गिर्द की उलझनों में जकड़े हुए हैं। और धीरे – धीरे हम यही मानने लगते हैं,कि यही “मैं” हूँ।लेकिन ये सब बदल सकते हैं,नौकरी,रिश्ते,पहचान यहां तक कि शरीर भी,फिर आखिर में वही सवाल खड़ा हो जाता है,कि अगर सब बदल सकता है,तो वास्तविक क्या है?

शायद इसी कारण हर युग में दार्शनिकों ने बाहर की दुनिया जितने से पहले, स्वयं के भीतर उतरने की बात की है। क्यों की जिसने स्वयं को जान लिया उसके लिए संसार बदलने से पहले स्वयं को बदलना संभव होता है।

“मैं कौन हूँ” ? ये केवल आध्यात्मिक प्रश्न नहीं है।ये जीवन जीने का प्रश्न है।जब तक हम ये नहीं जानेंगे कि हमारी वास्तविक पहचान हैं? तब तक हम दूसरों के द्वारा बनाई गई पहचान के साथ ही जिएंगे।

हो सकता है कि सबसे कठिन यात्रा दुनिया घूमने की नहीं, बल्कि स्वयं तक पहुँचने की हो। तो प्रश्न अभी भी आपके सामने है—”आख़िर मैं कौन हूँ?”

इसका जबाव खोजिए।

From Compulsion to Strength

A little bud, with dreams in her eyes, who longed to fly, who wanted to blossom and spread her fragrance across the entire garden. But, before she could even bloom, she was plucked. This is the fate of thousands of buds, yet it seems to make no difference to the world.

There are so many buds that yearn to bloom, but they wither away before they ever get the chance—all because of ‘compulsions’ (majboori). Why is it that these compulsions always fall into the share of these buds? Will anyone ever stop to think about this? I know many here will claim that this doesn’t happen, but the truth is, this is the reality for most.

Because of these compulsions, these buds lose so much—their books, their dreams, and even their own identity. Yet, no one ever tries to understand the depth of this loss. People simply do not care; they are too busy clinging to their own narrow-mindedness and their own opinions.

A girl, trapped in these compulsions, is forced to abandon her education, her dreams, and her very identity. And yet, she keeps smiling. Because this society doesn’t even grant her the right to cry. They fear that if she cries, the false facade they have constructed might break and shatter—even if it means the lives of one or thousands of girls are being destroyed in the process.

There are thousands of such examples in society that have shattered the lives of countless buds. Perhaps, in this day and age, you could find a ‘broken bud’ in almost every household.

I am not speaking of someone else; I am speaking from my own experience. I have been living this for the last ten years. But now, when I finally understood and raised my voice against it, my own people—those for whom I sacrificed my childhood and my dreams—started pointing fingers at my character. They, who always told me to “understand the situation,” now refuse to even speak to me.

This is not just my story; it is the reality of many buds who endure this. And when, after all this, they finally stand up for their own dreams with a flicker of hope, their character is used as a weapon to attack them.

But no one realizes that if a girl can endure everything in the face of compulsion, imagine the immense strength she must have gathered to fight both that compulsion and the fear hidden behind it.

Watching her dreams crumble and her life shatter every single day, she has forged herself into something unbreakable. Now, she will neither bow down to any compulsion nor be stopped by the character assassinations aimed at silencing her.

This is where the bud finds the strength to fight. One day, she will leave all these compulsions behind, bloom with strength, and fragrance the air. Then, no one will be able to pluck her or force her to wither. Because now, she is strong—strong enough that she will not bloom alone; she will bloom by taking others like her along.

After all, this same society says that while it may be easy to make one person bow, making a collective group bow is not just difficult, it is impossible. And eventually, the society bows before them.

If you like this piece, and if you feel that you, too, want to bloom with me, please do share your thoughts in the comments. I truly want to see how many buds are with me, and how many families are out there who truly want their buds to bloom and spread a fragrance so potent that it changes society itself.

Tradition: Shackles or Progress?

“Today, I want to bring up a topic to see how many of you resonate with these thoughts, and how many might hold a different perspective.

Tradition’—we have been hearing this word since childhood, whether from our grandparents or different members of our families.

Tradition connects us to our roots, whether through festivals or other forms. It introduces us to our culture and makes us feel proud of being born into it. These are invisible threads that may not be seen, but they keep us bound to one another. Every community or country has its own traditions, which offer a unique experience of connection when we meet others. And yes, they are also the culmination of our ancestors’ experiences, giving us a sense of belonging even in our fast-paced modern lives.

But some traditions demand change as our lives evolve. If we do not adapt, these very traditions can become obstacles to our progress.

Especially in our middle-class society, the majority of traditions are tied to women or girls, often becoming chains for them. They stand like walls, obstructing their dreams, their flight, and their independence. Such traditions must change with time so that they do not hold back the two most vital segments of our society—women, and the youth of today, regardless of their gender. These traditions restrict both groups and strip away their freedom.

Similarly, when a young person—be it a boy or a girl—shares something with their family that doesn’t align with these traditions, that moment of dialogue is no longer just an opinion. It becomes a test of the social standards we have upheld for years under the guise of ‘beauty’ or ‘decency.’

Ultimately, tradition does not mean blindly carrying old lines; it means preserving the values that teach us humanity. Just as the foundation of an old house remains the same, but we renovate its interior to suit our modern needs, we need a similar balance in our lives. When we present our views to our families, it should not be seen as a rebellion, but as the beginning of a ‘new bridge.’ A bridge that connects the respect for tradition with the freedom of modernity. We need to understand that tradition and progress are not antagonists, but rather two wheels of the same carriage.

Do you agree that we need to bring changes to our traditions according to the current era, so they do not hinder our progress or become a burden on those carrying them?

Please share your thoughts with me, so I know if our perspectives align or if there is more to explore.

Are We Truly Living, or Just Performing?”

Have you ever stopped for a moment, even just for a day, and asked yourself:”Am I truly living, or am I just performing?”

At first glance, this question might seem simple, but as you dive deeper into its meaning, it strikes a chord that resonates right to your core.

We often lose track of when we stopped truly living and started merely existing—following the same routine, waking up to the same responsibilities, holding the same expectations, and facing the same familiar faces. The day ends, the night passes, and the same morning returns.

So much time slips away in this cycle.

Is this what life is? Are we really living, or are we just playing the roles that society and our families have scripted for us?

Did we ever stop to ask if we studied what we actually wanted? Did we do the work we truly loved? Did we really want to get married? Did we want to become parents? Yet, we did all these things because we were told that this is how life is supposed to be.

Since childhood, we are taught how to “perform” our lives, not how to truly live them.

If we look at the middle-class society, we find countless examples where lives are being “performed” rather than lived. People live behind a facade of unfulfilled dreams, fake smiles, and endless masks—where every day is a new character and every moment is a performance.

Perhaps they prefer the fake smile because it convinces the world that they aren’t broken. But the truth is, those who appear to laugh the loudest are often the most shattered within. And when they finally need to weep, they don’t look for a crowd; they seek solitude.

It is much like a bird kept in a cage; if it stays there long enough, there comes a time when, even if the door is left open, the bird refuses to fly. Not because its wings are weak, but because it has forgotten how to believe in the freedom of flight.

Our lives often become just like that. The cage built by society eventually starts to feel comfortable. Freedom begins to terrify us, and we find solace in our chains.

In this process of “performing” life, we may achieve many things—fame, identity, wealth, and success—but we lose the most important thing of all: Ourselves.

The question is no longer about how the world sees you. The question is: when you are all alone, are you comfortable in your own presence?

If the answer is “no,” then you are not living; you are merely performing.

We begin to live only when we start taking our own decisions. When “what will people say?” matters less than “what does my heart want?”. When faith becomes greater than fear, and our smile stops being a part of a performance and becomes a true expression of our being.

The purpose of our life should not just be to “succeed,” but to find ourselves. It is only when we find ourselves that our true identity is born.

So, the next time you stand before the mirror, don’t just look at your face. Look deeper—see if the person standing there is really you, or if it is the person society has molded within you. Because the hardest role one can ever play is to spend an entire lifetime acting as someone else, only to eventually forget who they truly are.

क्या हम सच में जी रहे हैं,या निभा रहे हैं।

क्या कभी एक दिन, या एक छड़ रुक कर आपने स्वयं से ये प्रश्न किया ?-

क्या मैं सच में जी रही हूँ या, सिर्फ निभा रही हूँ?

पहेली नजर में ये सवाल सुनने में बहुत साधारण लगता है,लेकिन जैसे – जैसे हम इसकी गहराई में उतरते हैं,ये उतना ही भीतर पहुँचता चला जाता है।

क्यों कि हमें पता ही नहीं चलता है कि,कब हम एक ही तरह का जीवन जीने लगते हैं।वही दिनचर्या,वही सुबह उठना ,वही जिम्मेदारी, वही उम्मीद और वही चेहरे। दिन बीत जाता,रात आ जाती ,और फिर वही सुबह।

ऐसा करते – करते न जाने कितना समय बीत जाता है।

क्या यही जीवन है?

क्या हम वास्तव में जी रहे हैं,या सिर्फ निभा रहे हैं, जो समाज और परिवार ने हमारे लिए तय कर दिया है?

क्या हमने कभी सोचा कि ,हमने वही पढ़ा जो हम पढ़ना चाहते थे।क्या हमने वही काम किया जो ,हम करना चाहते थे। क्या हम सच में शादी करना चाहते थे।क्या हम माता – पिता बनना चाहते थे। लेकिन हमने ये सब किया ,क्यों कि हमें यही बताया गया ,कि जीवन जीने का यही क्रम है।

हमें बचपन से जीना नहीं ,बस निभाना सिखाया जाता है।

यदि हम मध्यम वर्गीय समाज को देखें,तो वहां ऐसे कई उदाहरण मिल जाएंगे , जहां कई ज़िंदगियाँ निभाई जा रही है,जी नहीं जा रही है ।

लोग अपने अधूरे सपनों, झूठी मुस्कानों और अनगिनत मुखौटों के साथ जीते है। जहां हर दिन नया किरदार,हर पल नया अभिनय।

शायद उन्हें झूठी मुस्कान ज्यादा अच्छी लगती है,जो दुनिया को ये विश्वास दिला देती है,कि वे टूटे नहीं हैं।

लेकिन सच तो ये है,जो लोग ज्यादा हंसते दिखाई देते हैं,वही भीतर से ज्यादा टूटे हुए होते हैं।लेकिन जब उन्हें रोना होता है,तो वो भीड़ नहीं , एकांत तलाशते हैं।

ठीक वैसे ही –

जब एक पक्षी को पिंजरे में कैद कर दिया जाए, और उसको न खोला जाए,तो एक वक्त ऐसा भी आता है। जब पिंजरा खोल दिया भी जाए ,लेकिन पक्षी उड़ता नहीं है।इसलिए नहीं कि उसके पंख कमजोर है,बल्कि इसलिए उसने उड़ने पर विश्वास करना छोड़ दिया है।

हमारा जीवन भी कई बार ऐसा हो जाता है।

समाज का बनाया हुआ पिंजरा धीरे – धीरे हमें सहज लगने लगता है। और आजादी डराने लगती है, और बंधन अच्छे लगने लगते हैं।

इसी तरह जीवन निभाते – निभाते हम बहुत कुछ पा लेते है – नाम ,पहचान ,धन ,सफलता। लेकिन हम वह खो देते हैं,जो सबसे महत्वपूर्ण है।

हम स्वयं ।

अब प्रश्न यह नहीं कि दुनिया आपको कैसे देखती है?

प्रश्न ये है कि जब आप अकेले होते हैं,तो आप अपने साथ सहज होते हैं?

यदि ‘उत्तर ‘नहीं है,तो आप जी नहीं रहे है, बल्कि निभा रहे हैं।

जीना तो हम तब शुरू करते हैं,जब हम अपने निर्णय स्वयं लेने लगते हैं। जब ‘लोग क्या कहेंगे ?’ से अधिक महत्वपूर्ण हो ‘ मेरा मन क्या चाहता है ‘ हो जाता है।तब डर से बड़ा विश्वास हो जाता है,जब हमारी मुस्कान किसी अभिनय का हिस्सा नहीं, बल्कि हमारे अस्तित्व की सच्ची अभिव्यक्ति बन जाती है।

हमारे जीवन का उद्देश्य केवल ‘सफल होना ‘ही नहीं होना चाहिए,बल्कि स्वयं को पा लेना भी होना चाहिए।

जब हम स्वयं को पा लेते हैं, तभी से हमारी असली पहचान जन्म लेती है।

इसलिए जब हम अगली बार आईने के सामने खड़े हो,तब खुद का चेहरा न देखे ।

बल्कि ये देखे कि सामने जो व्यक्ति खड़ा है वह आप हैं या वह,जिसे समाज ने आप के भीतर गढ़ा है। क्योंकि जीवन का सबसे कठिन अभिनय वही है,जिसमें इंसान पूरी जिंदगी किसी और का किरदार निभाता रहता है, और भूल जाता है,कि वास्तव में वह कौन है