Epiphany
This evening, I went to a social event - the wedding reception of a friend.
Apart from the couple, I knew about 2 people among a gathering of maybe a hundred. And these too were only acquaintances. And I was going alone. So I thought I would greet the couple, hand over the gift I spent 3 hours choosing, stay for a polite half an hour and make my exit.
Like they say, the best laid plans of mice and men...
I had initally fallen in with the acquaintances whose conversation was going nowhere. After a couple of generous coats of the social lubricant we call alcohol, the Non-Sensei decided he would 'mingle', which is contrary to the Non-Sensei's usual social tendencies. As it turned out, this was an excellent idea. I joined a group more or less randomly.
In the middle of a very stimulating discussion with a businessman, a physicist, and a social worker, I realised that from almost any perspective, the one word that carries the most meaning and importance for mankind is "Free".
Not 'love', not 'survival', not 'peace'.
"Free".
^
Apart from the couple, I knew about 2 people among a gathering of maybe a hundred. And these too were only acquaintances. And I was going alone. So I thought I would greet the couple, hand over the gift I spent 3 hours choosing, stay for a polite half an hour and make my exit.
Like they say, the best laid plans of mice and men...
I had initally fallen in with the acquaintances whose conversation was going nowhere. After a couple of generous coats of the social lubricant we call alcohol, the Non-Sensei decided he would 'mingle', which is contrary to the Non-Sensei's usual social tendencies. As it turned out, this was an excellent idea. I joined a group more or less randomly.
In the middle of a very stimulating discussion with a businessman, a physicist, and a social worker, I realised that from almost any perspective, the one word that carries the most meaning and importance for mankind is "Free".
Not 'love', not 'survival', not 'peace'.
"Free".
^
spouted by Non-Sensei at 1/06/2007 11:17:00 AM
12 Comments:
You will say more?
Perhaps I'll try, even. :)
I like the idea.
And linked, yet! :D So much joy are there.
(I'll even forgive the ppzdvxqw :D )
Couldn't have agreed more. Didn't realize I had company wrt "free".
That must have been quite an epiphany eh? :)
free allows other words to exist and thrive...
but imagine a world without the knowledge or experience or even the slightest of inkling about the word or its meaning...
the world without free...
yeah. free rocks.
a few things that come for free:
blogging
friends
mushy-list-induced-vomit
farts
etc.
farts are free?
But I've always thought that free has no meaning without 'not free'.
Yes, no? Pardon :)
Free!! The light in a salaried person's life ;-)
heya!!
nice blog!!
Well ..
no one noticed..
Advice comes freee!!
@tangled : i think i just might say some more. :-) and your second comment (wrt free and not free) is exactly what i think.
@AC : :-D
@pricky : those who do not know the meaning of "free" are not bothered by this concept. think of tribes untouched by 'civilisation', or a child born into a refugee camp - i think they are 'free' until introduced to the concept of 'not free'.
my thoughts on this would be a whole new post.. :-)
@H : welll...ok. heh heh.
@Adi : you speak the truth, my friend.
@altering Abhishek : hi. thank you. :-)
Hi there
Hi Zap, long time...
The more we want it the more it goes away....and the more it moves away the more we want it.
There are very few free things anymore....for everything else there's mastercard!
You've reminded me of a great Heinlein quote: "You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."
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