SE13

I imagine a day where I, unshackled, walk up to the intercom and press the numbers to Alaska. I'm instantly transported to a memory that I know I cherish. Roller-coastering to Bank, walks to see the bow of a landlocked ship, seeing the majestic laser into the night sky and just existing. Even something as mundane as getting a tv cabinet or buying a carpet can be unforgettable. You know?

At the wharfy junction, you have a choice. You take the train going the direction you want. Maybe life doesn't have to be a single shade of your choosing. Sometime life chooses for you. And sometimes, it's a rainbow. Alas, we don't always have all the time we want.

©2025 Aman Gupta

The 80% people

Have you ever looked at something you built and wondered if it's good enough? 

I always thought that things you do have a diminishing rate of return after a certain point. And as the completion rate nears 100%, the effort needed to move the needle tends to infinity. At one point, you start wondering if it makes sense to spend more effort on it or just call it a day and be content with the current state. It's a paradoxical situation where for something to be completed perfectly, it requires a seemingly limitless amount of effort. It implies a scenario where the task, while finished, demands continuous and unbounded exertion, in order to maintain perfection.

That's where the 80% rule comes in - at some point you realize that no matter how much effort you physically put in something, it barely moves the needle. This is the point where the curve it at its peak and it requires extraordinary efforts to make a difference. So, you call it a day and be content with what you've got, which is mostly north of 80% of the thing you started out to achieve. Pretty good I'd say, but I know some will disagree.

It's choosing imperfect happiness over a toiling perfection. You need to remind yourself that you are the one in-charge of your situation - you need to call the shots. You know what it is like to put everything you have into something and feeling the frustration of not being able to make a difference. You can just take solace in the fact that you did everything in your power to move the needle but sometimes, expectations do not match and that's okay.

I'm choosing to believe in light at the end of the tunnel right now. Not because I need to but because I want to.

©2025 Aman Gupta

Serenity

Searching for a direction. Generally guided by forces of incomprehension and irrelevance, my thoughts wander in search for a retreat. A place without time, troubles, deadlines, diseases, wars and full of hope. A place so basic, every thing is tranquil.

Sadly, it has eluded for most part of my life. There were always moments when I felt within grasping range of its shores but they are scattered and always seem to show contempt at me for some reason. Coming so close and going away again. As always, there were many paths which led to my station and I've nearly trodden all of them.

“In the middle of this journey, we lose a bit of ourselves. We do not know where we are or where we’re headed. We look for directions, seek for guidance, and if we’re lucky, we find it without too much time lost. And if we’re truly lucky, we gain our whole selves back, with an ounce of wisdom on top.” 

It's easy to just raise your hands in the air, give up your liberty to those who value it less and are always up in arms with their ideals to force down everyone's throats. Then it is no longer your retreat. It is someone else's. And it will not represent the values your cherish, nor the ones which brings you peace.

I guess, there's always a way. A hidden path if you will.

It's up to you to find your way in.

"You can't take the sky from me."


©2015 Aman Gupta

The Road

I suppose it does get a bit contrived towards the end. I mean, as time goes by, the charm walks along with it. Or, maybe runs. Hell, I'd say it even has a strap on rocket launcher, but then that would be too particular of me.

It was like walking on a long road. It was not the smoothest of roads, but well, it was one with the charms. At least at the beginning of it. Well, it was like any other road in ways that it twisted and turned and even kind of forgot its own way in the middle but always did find it later. Not the smoothest of roads, but well, it really had the charm. It's really fun, walking down this road. Lots of new things to see and feel and observe.
Not the smoothest of the lot but well, it still has the charm going for it. Really long though, no doubt. I wonder what it'd be like if it were smooth. Probably not that good. I'm already at a very bright horizon, led to by the road. But it really isn't that smooth you know. Kind of difficult to walk, if you ask me. But hey, there's always the charm of it. Yep, it's there alright.
It's been some time, my feet hurt from walking on the road. You see, it isn't the smoothest of the lot. The charm's still here. No doubt. That should be enough. Slipped up on the road a couple of times, hurt my knees, but that's alright. If you walk a road, and roads are made to be walked on, you will trip once in a while. Okay, a couple of times. Alright, a dozen.  It's quite fine really. I'm too busy noticing the way and admiring the wonders to pay much thought to it.
It really has been long now. Travelling on the road. No it is definitely not smooth. Kind of rocky lately. My feet's all bleeding from the sole. The charm, yeah it's here somewhere beneath all the rocks but the rocks hurt for the most part.
Alright, I think it's enough. My feet are wobbling and giving up on me and while I think I can crawl on ahead, I don't think more injuries would do me any more good. It's a road alright, not smooth and too rocky. The charm was there but it's buried beneath all these rocks thrown by the road. Can't really see it anymore.
I think I'll stop now. Say bye to it for the last time, always afraid of it. But there's no more way ahead on the road. More rocks maybe.

The road's not smooth. But it's a road alright.


©2014 Aman Gupta

Stirrings

Time is at a standstill. An infinite ocean of dark starry skies. Moments in peace and tranquillity. A long vastness and emptiness settles over you and really, that's just how you want it.

There's a worked out pattern in the universe, everything, more or less, happens according to it. Twirling of stars, beating of hearts and just about everything you can think of. Life itself is a cycle of beginnings and fateful endings. The only real rule of universe is, everything that starts must end sooner or later. Sometimes you thank that things got over sooner than later but mostly, you wish if there was a later to speak of.

The silent night sky cares not for your troubles, it's merely there. At all times. Some people take comfort in embracing this and others just frown and kick air.
The silence is disturbed sometimes by an echo from the deep reaches of the star systems, it can numb your senses for a few seconds but it'll pass and the silence will be restored again.

The darkness isn't new to you, it has always been there. Not as a predator but as an accomplice. There's no running, only embracing.

I'm not alone because others can't embrace the truth. It's because others can't embrace the truth, I'm alone.


You won't be hearing soon. Till it's late.

©2013 Aman Gupta

Regaining Senses

This isn't about anything particular. To all you who are here to judge me on this, please do that in your head. I really could use some less of people climbing over me. Basically what I'm trying to say is, this is just me venting out. Nothing to see here for anyone else. I'll write for you guys some other time - this is me saying this to my non existent readership.


See, when I started this blog, it was about getting the writer in me to come out. So in the older posts, you can see the rough edges, the theme simplistic and the words rudimentary. It's still pretty much the same sloppy writer inside of me just coating the thoughts with difficult to read words.
For sometime now, this blog has been more of a venting place for me. You guys know this already. You guys have read what I write here. You see, for someone like me, this is really a god sent medium.

Anyways, what's this one about... uh, well.... Nothing straight up. Life has again thrown some shit at me and I'm again trying what I can to not let it bring me down. Kind of a routine thing these days.
Erm.. That't that. See you guys in a bit.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Subtle

Written it for someone. Kind of thought provoking.

Things turn up and take their places. The rights are often clouded in confusions and numerous subtexts, in such times it's good to have a guide which separates the moral dilemma of right from wrong. You can always put trust in it's judgement, nomatter the cost. Because, ultimately, things do turn up. You're the guide. Thank you, for being here.