Somewhere Always

We meet so many people in the long walk of our life. Some people come, some people go. We welcome new arrivals and bid farewell to the old faces. This is the simple yet so complicated cycle we go through. However, very few people can create impact and leave a long lasting impression within us. Those who can are the people whom we remember forever. They are the people who have become the reason why we flip through the reminiscent book that we compile through our memory bank over the years. The cover of that book is blue which radiates inconspicuous sadness. Still, we do open the book and subconsciously seek momentary happiness disguised in bland sadness. This convoluted blow of mind continues until the memories laid down by those impactful people begin to fade away and extinguish forever. Irony is, the more we open the memory bank by going through the book in blue cover page, the more those people and their impact embed in our heart and mentally enfeeble us to become emotionally stronger. 

Some people happily like to carry the burden of blue memories even if knowing the unpleasant consequences they incur. Because those people know, sometimes life and events put them in a situation when memories, bleak or beautiful, become the only bridge to connect with those who have gone past or no longer in touch in the perennial timeline of long life. Memory is not just about memory— it becomes shadow of the people with whom we create distance intentionally or unintentionally, by choice or by chance, hatefully or forgetfully. Yet again, impact is the reason why some people dominate in our memory bank and others don’t. Similarly, impact is the very reason why we remember some people for long time although we have spent very few moments with them, and forget those even after sharing so many life events for several years.      

Tribute to Eternal Love & Selfless Generosity 

Time changes the stories of life. New stories eclipse the old ones. Characters in the stories also change. However, some characters have the innate power to last long. The people who play those characters keep recurring in our minds without generating any reciprocity in return. Mutuality of remembering someone"I will recall you and you will recall me in response" doesn’t occur by deliberate effort. It’s a spontaneous matter far beyond any willful control. Here, single-screen emotional reflection edges over duality and makes any sort of psychic telepathy totally impertinent. That is why in life ocean fraught with memories we indulge all alone, we swim all alone, we afloat all alone. Is it a sad part of life? No, intrinsically, this is what we call life. Our choice, decision and purpose define our respective life, so do our emotion, affection and love define whose memory we will carry, whose memory we will discard and obviously, whose induced pain and bestowed pleasure we will agreeably bear for endless period of time.    

Apart from happy feeling rendered by kaleidoscope of beautiful memories, sometimes some memories engender only pain and self-indicted agony. A sentimental breaking point full of emotional misery tears the heart apart and triggers a remorseful realization: why did I meet this person? I wish I had not met him/her. Not everyone comes as blessings in life. Some people come to tantalize the heart and desert it by leaving behind an elusive affection. Desiccated heart trapped by illusion somewhere in an alien territory always inanely wishes some miracle to happen. But miracle barely happens in life, does it? 

By
George Atlantic

A Late Night Tale

Silent city. After passing a busy day along with its dwellers the city is also snoozing. The roads are preparing themselves for tomorrow. The glaring light of lamp posts decorates the roads with a new look. Till now some vehicles are rushing to their respective destinations. It’s like non-stop festinate, like human life. Autumn breeze is dancing the trees. Sporadic gentle wind simultaneously creates a chilly atmosphere at times, conveying the advent of Late Autumn in few weeks time. The blue sky turns into grey. But its colossal facet remains same. Night birds sprout their wings; they are free. These are the unique beauties of late night. Among all these beauties the “Blue Mind” becomes so restless like Jeff Bridges’ Crazy Heart. It’s a different sort of agitation. The twitchy mind itself doesn’t know what it really wants. The dawn is going to commence. Insomniac mind is still awake. It forgets to sleep tonight. May be to know the unknown, to see the unseen the curious mind becomes so impatience. What are those untold wants? Apparently, it seems that in order to divulge any mystery the restless mind is eagerly aroused till late night. What are those mysterious fables? When are they supposed to be revealed? Who is responsible for giving rise these twisted perplexities? Tonight these unknown queries are frequently roaming around the Blue Mind. To seek out the answers to these questions, it spent a lot many nights wide-awake. A similar thing is happening tonight, nothing different. How many nights does it have to awake? Nobody knows. To discover these unknowns how long Blue Mind has to wait. This is also beyond anybody's imagination. Time, may be time will decide. The time, which will disclose all miracles one day 

By

George Atlantic

Blue Mind: The Incomplete Story

Translated from diary (06-06-06)

Originally written: Just before FIFA World Cup-2006

Change Is Possible

We all dream of a beautiful Bangladesh. But sadly, we often act foul as we seldomly exercise conscience in our regular walk of life. What an ambivalent farce! A culture of moral digression that leads to any form of corruption, deliberate discrimination against minority or weaker class of the society, and preferential treatment will soon turn our beautiful dream into a terrible nightmare. We are simply plaguing our unbound possibilities, and creating a juggernaut state where our honesty and integrity are being strangled in every way possible. We are nipping our bright future in the bud. Avoiding responsibility and nagging the system is quite easy. Let's not forget, we, the people, are also responsible for accepting the system and involving in corruption to a greater or smaller extent in pursuit to meet our urgent need every now and then. It’s an obvious selfish act that subconsciously hatches misdoings which in turn germinate as an unpleasant culture of corruption over time.

Bangladesh: The land of beauty

If widespread corruption is a system, then obviously a corruption-free society is also a system that will touch everyone’s life—from street scavenger to head of the state. For that reason, any loophole, bigger or smaller, is good enough to taint the entire system. Therefore, once society ubiquitously embraces the system, then there is no rubicon. It’s everyone’s moral responsibility to give any promising system a cultural look and realize the outstanding consequences it may bring forth in the long run. That means, we ourselves have to follow each and every aspect of that healthy system by setting examples and encourage or if needed force others to do the same. In that case, the importance of accountability of the policymakers, law enforcers and other authoritative bodies comes to the forefront. If people are the source of power, then it’s the people’s power which is sufficient enough to hold the accountability of those who work for the Republic. It requires some important initiatives—the deep-rooted culture of power distance must be eradicated; a mindset to work as people’s servant has to be well-nurtured and be remindful that failing to do so may cost the job; a massive social campaign needs to be undertaken to create large scale awareness; and of course, an all-inclusive action plan has to be set up to build a gargantuan pool of educated, self-educated and conscious citizens who will really care the state affairs and ready to take opening step whenever needed.  

Change is difficult but not impossible. No nation was impeccably civilized since its inception, and there is where the hope underlies for us. Cynical people will show their cynicism; it’s their natural instinct but change will never come if we retreat or wait for it to happen automatically. Change requires hell-bent initiative, the very drive that starts from micro-level, the family. Any tiny endeavour can bring forth mammoth change. Why not lay down the first founding stone of corruption-free Bangladesh from our own family, from our own community where we usually have a handy command to make any necessary change, and enjoy palpable outcomes immediately. Legacy and culture require time to create spree in the blood of a nation. Solid patience along with persistent effort and firm belief has to be there for the generation to follow. Beseeching remembrance and utmost veneration is only possible if we accomplish our responsibilities by setting examples. Let’s exploit the opportunity in a lifetime to be the exemplary pioneer of change and show the world and say—look, we can! Change is possible, we have to believe it. Belief has a miraculous spirit to accumulate inner energy that inflames our body and mind to do great things. Let’s build our castle of possibility where a better tomorrow will felicitously welcome us. God bless Bangladesh!  

By
Md Azzajur Rahman 

Psychic Confinement

Breaking Psychic Confinement (Photo Courtesy: New York Times)

Inmates are confined in geol. Birds are confined in aviary. Feeble nations’ freedom is curbed through the hegemonic acts of robust nations. Mighty lords are exploiting the blood and sweat of minnow subjects. All these things are happening in the world we have created. However, there is something stormy that occurs sneakily deep inside without creating any blatant exposure. This cerebral bug is known as Psychic Confinement — barring to act according to will — which often restrains the opportunities to flourish and realize our potential fully. It is a gap between what we ought to do and what we actually do. Inadequate inner urge to accomplish ought-to-do job is the pivotal source of Psychic Confinement. Wise man said it well — Psychic Confinement happens when we fail to act on life rather let the life to act on us. At that very moment we are subjugated by our cognitive force to grant its obligation. Needless to say, in this sort of complex situation strength of our character is well tested. Sloppy character flops, whereas tough character hits high and conquer all hectic challenges. Now question is, how many tough characters are there to stand against psychic odds which may spring up to wreak havoc in life?  Answer is, very few! If the number were staggeringly high, the domain of success would not be restrained within handful few. Success is difficult. It requires mental toughness to confront Psychic Confinement as bravely as possible.

We are willing to accomplish many great things in life. We want to change ourselves. We want to change our surroundings. But how often can we do that? If there is any dormant reason behind any undesirable fiasco, it is obviously because of the active role of Psychic Confinement. Miracle hardly happens in life. No matter what, doer of the action requires to take all responsibilities and initiations at first place. Most deadly feature of Psychic Confinement is that the more we let it to flourish, the more it obstructs us to take action. It destroys our inner urge and turns us its slave. Emancipation from this kind of slavery is never easy. Only absolute resolution and cognitive readiness to face insurmountable obstacles can play a commanding role, and open up the way of long cherished psychic freedom which is badly needed to establish sovereignty of our Kingdom of Thought and Action. Excessive zeal to crumble the inconspicuous wall of Psychic Confinement can work as impetus to thrive great feats in life. In order to bolster that ardent passion, a genuine gut, free from all apprehensions, can play a decisive role in life changing endeavor.

Life is nothing but a chameleon object. A life well-led, should be the ultimate motto of our existence where Psychic Confinement will be challenged quite often. It is probably the single best way to escape from mediocrity and outshine vividly. A stark determination and top-ace mental faculty is required to deal with Psychic Confinement and sever its bondage with us everlastingly. So, prompt action is the crying need of time. Otherwise, dream will remain as a subconscious psychic activity if it’s not chased ardently and desperately. Extraordinary people differ from ordinary ones on the magnitude of rendering excessive fervor to pursue greater actions, which often result in tremendous difference in the long walk of life we go through. Again, if we hatch Psychic Confinement, foster it within us, one day it will be the major reason of our lifetime regret. The weight of that regret will be excessively heavy to bear. One lost opportunity can barely be supplanted by another. Inner calling to undertake right action at the right time can make all the differences end of the day. And this is the right track to sprint assiduously. Be an actor not a reactor. Be an exceptional not an exception. Demolish the crafty cage of Psychic Confinement whenever it appears and creates hindrance to take righteous action. Let the fortune define the destiny. Of course, don’t forget the old maxim: fortune favors the best. So, live your dream at any cost and take whatever action it requires to make that dream come true. 


By
George Atlantic