किस की आवाज़ सुनाई देती है?

वो जो दूर है या वो जो पास है?

जिस की कौड़ी या मधुर आवाज़ है?

जो आवाज़ सुनाई ना दे, क्या वो भी आवाज़ है?

हर वक़्त इक शोर है, लोगों की बातें धीमी या चिल्लाते

गाड़ी स्कूटर ट्र्क का एंजिन, कुत्ते का भौंकना

और जो कन्स्ट्रक्षन का नीरस साज़ है

क्या जो सुनने में ना आए, वो भी आवाज़ है?

पड़ोसी के घर में मार पीट, अपने दिल का धड़कना

क्या सुनाई देता है इस पेन्सिल का काग़ज़ से लिपटना

चीक, छींक, पाँच बार मस्जिद में जो नामाज़ है

पर सिर्फ़ जो सुनाई दे, क्या वो ही आवाज़ है?

और अगर मन में सुनो तो?

काम पर टाइप करते हुए दिल में गुनगुनाना

फिल्मों में बिना कहें कुछ कह जाना, जो आँखों से बात है

क्या चुप्पी भी आवाज़ है?

जो वो तुम कहते रहे कानों में

वो जो मैने अनसुना कर दिया, मौज में मनमानी से

या जो कभी कहा था पहाड़ो से, एक हवा में बहता राज़ है

जो अनसुनी रह जाए, क्या वो भी आवाज़ है?

बोलो किस की आवाज़ सुनाई देती है?

वो जो दूर है या वो जो पास है?

जिसकी कौड़ी या मधुर आवाज़ है?

जो आवाज़ सुनाई ना दे, क्या वो भी आवाज़ है?

On Unambitiousness

Firstly, this post has a lot to do with meanings typically assigned to the words mentioned here. As an example, 'love' has many meanings but often when we talk of it (unfortunately) we seem to be only speaking of romantic love.

Aise hee, ambition for me has had many meanings over a period of time. In school it meant getting good marks (or at least trying to) and to get into a good college. During graduation the purpose was to learn lots of things but this got turned into 'ambition', I guess, when there was a desire to get awards of certificates for things. I don't know when, but 'ambition' in terms of work was this desire to be extremely passionate about work ("find what you love and let it kill you"), to work day and night, and to be recognized for the efforts I'll be making.

In these terms and according to these definitions, I am not an ambitious person. I do not see myself as a leader or as someone who is at the forefront of things. That is a pressure not for me. In some ways, I guess, I am a good follower - not a close-eyed one, but there are so many amazing people doing so many amazing things and I'd rather be behind and support them. And it took me so much effort to come to terms with this - because for some all of us are supposed to be the forefront waale leaders, no? Ye kaun sikhaya tha, I wonder.

I want my peace. I want to go home on time and not think about accomplishing so and so in life. My joys, and things that matter to me now are to be able to go home and sit with Pablo, to be able to spend an entire morning basking in the sun while reading a book and singing songs, to be interested in my work but not be forever occupied by it, and to have empty moments. I no longer wish to change the world in a loud fashion, and I no longer want recognition.