How genius respects genius

All the great minds have a society of their own. They don't mingle with the lesser mortals as intimately as they do with their own kind. And this has been going on since ages. It's not a modern fad. Of course, the means of communication has changed. They used to write letters to each other once upon a time. Letters that might have been written when the addressee was alive but reaches his doorsteps posthumously. Gandhi had correspondence with Tolstoy. In fact, one of the last letters the great Russian writer wrote was to the future national leader of India. Similarly, Tagore and Einstein exchanged letters to each other for years before finally meeting in Europe. Joyce and Ibsen used to exchange letters too and so did Asimov and Sagan and such was the case for Dickens and Eliot. The tradition has been alive for eons and will be alive till words exist. Nowadays, with the advent of higher technology, letters have taken a backseat and text messages have become a way of life. But still, it doesn't mean that the greater beings, if you may, continue to interact with their own kind on a regular basis. Kobe wore 10 on his jersey because of his fondness for Messi. Just like Beckham did 23 for Jordan. These people don't even have to speak the same language or have the same accent to understand each other anymore. Their exchange of thoughts rest in their identity. An identity that trespasses the frontiers of words.

Over and above

In case if you haven't noticed yet, monsoon is abandoning us. The seasonal love affair is gradually coming to an end. It can't help but move on to wetter pastures leaving us baking under the sun. For some reason, umbrella personifies this connection between the sky and lesser mortals. Of course, sunlight and celestial dust touch us too but rain ki baat hi kuch aur hai. You know exactly when it hits you except when you're busy under Rihanna's umbrella. Moreover, we don't come across a lot of people who use it to avoid sunshine or heavenly powder. The poor thing not only protects us but also teaches a few lessons in life—provided you're paying heed. The beauty about this humble non-living creature is it has learnt to forgive the weather. An umbrella acknowledges the universal truth that there ain't no point in arguing with the clouds. Or the mighty sun. When it's open and wide, it's either keeping you dry or drying itself from the warmth outside. Of course, when the wind is harsh, all its philosophies go for a toss, including itself. Every once in a while, it loses itself too and the blame falls on you. But then, it's not monsoon unless you lost an umbrella or two...before it bids us goodbye!