Just the other day, I saw a man fight a slew of vehicles in his quest to cross a busy road. He was desperate to board a waiting bus but found a giant puddle of water that kept him away from the bus. In a split second, he put together a leap; a leap so synchronised that it brought him right at the boarding point of the bus. How I wish life was like that. On the very same day, I used the word faith in some context. I used the word loosely but the conversation veered in a direction where I was reminded that the word carried a deeper connotation; a connotation that I didn’t mean to introduce into the conversation. But it gave me my seeds of introspection, something I hadn’t done in a while.

The first thing I did was to google faith. It gave me two meanings; first, it meant complete trust or confidence in something or someone and second, it resolved into strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than evidence. Now, my definition of faith has always been the former and not the latter. Not that I do not pray or bow to the laws of the universe but religion has never been my forte as I have never understood it like how others understand it. When I look at the numerous idols of gods adorned in my prayer room, all I can think about is human beings who may have accomplished some extraordinary feats but within the limitations of human realm, using their intelligence, wit, will, gumption and tenacity; and devoid of any flying wheels or rotating objects or mystic progressions. I came to this conclusion due to the limitations of my human mind and that mind fails to observe magic beyond what it can feel. Magic exists all around us but I do believe that we have conveniently turned religion into a gargantuan monster that has heads beyond human recognition. At this point in time, I’m not even sure I need that version of religion.

I have walked an unusual path in the last fifteen odd years and I did so because I believed in something. That path changed course several times and I changed along with it but people remained a constant; those who had faith in me stood by me despite the challenges I posed to them. They did not give up on me even when I put them through the harshest of tests; not deliberately but due to my challenged circumstances. So, over a period of time, they’ve become my faith and my religion; if you may call it that way. I bow to them every day in my prayer room just as I recall the humanely possible feats of the idols kept in that room.

As another festival season draws to a close, I have become certain of one thing. Our evolution is highly dependent on how we change and arrive at our constants. Even though life comes with uncertainties at every corner, pushing us towards a change, if we look carefully, these corners also show us some constants that will stay with us and give us strength, direction and courage to face the change; only if we are not too cynical or stubborn or impervious to our surroundings. These constants are for us to nurture and keep and not push around and test. Even though I’ve been careless with my constants in the past, I’m lucky that my constants demonstrated faith in me to be around me even when I pushed them away. But luck doesn’t give us that many chances and I’ve realised that now as I rebuild my life around my constants.

Leaps of faith can be blind, tumultuous and scary but if measured via consequences, can land one in a space that is equivalent to opening doors and windows. Not only do you see the outside but you also get to see what’s inside. That to me is a critical learning; something worth a risk every now and then. But then, an appetite for risk is not something everyone has. Then, we lead our life on perceptions; of the world we are surrounded with. There are no obvious downsides to it but there aren’t many upsides either. So, a choice is then made; either to create and thrive or maintain and co-exist. The man who timed his leap to perfection took a risk keeping the bus as his constant. He may have known the timing of the next bus. He could have waited but he didn’t. The waiting bus gave him his purpose, his energy to create that leap over his obstacle so he could get to his destination on time or ahead of time. Now that’s a story I would like to tell someone.

If I am to leap someday, I would like to time my leap like an aeroplane about to take off from a runway; for those very people who’ve time and again set their life aside to see me evolve, grow and attain stability. I don’t know if my leap would land me at my destination because not everyone is as lucky as that gentleman but I would hope to make an impact; a small one and a meaningful one; something my constants can feel proud of; something that can bring them joy and peace for the sacrifices they’ve made.