Thursday, November 27, 2014

Doppleganger

How I Met Your Mother. Quite a legend has it become in popular culture. I have been watching it for a while, but finally had to write this in because I was surprisingly very deeply touched at some profound observations the show's protagonist Ted Mosby, who is on a perennial quest to find his soulmate, enumerates to his children.

I realized amongst all the inane crazy events on the show are important lessons in friendships that don't break come what may and that let you remain your crazy self. There is also that vital lesson in living life. In taking everything with that dash of spice, in not taking troubles and setbacks too seriously, in naively believing in love, in being positive cheerful and upbeat, but not worrying too much if you are none of these.

I guess am being a little too earnest because your only reason to watch the show might as well be the witty suave sometimes unbearably pompous always suited, the legendary,.. wait for it.. Barney.

Robin: Looks like I'm getting dumber.
Ted: No, just more courageous. Look, we've all been searching for The Five Doppelgangers, right?
Robin: Mm.(muttering)
Ted: But eventually, over time, we all become our own doppelgangers. You know, these these completely different people who just happen to look like us. "Five Years Ago Robin"? That girl, she was pretty great. But Doppelganger Robin? She's amazing.

                                                         - A lovely scene from HIMYM

So this is what got me thinking. Even a year back would I be stalking twitter waiting for updates on a hero (yes am doing this for #BarunSobti, the hero from my show #IPK.. err who knew talking in hashtags could get this addicting?) ?

We start off as someone else and evolve over life. Our priorities, our aims, the way we perceive, can all change. Does that make us our own doppleganger? Perhaps it does, and that is okay. In fact going by what ted has to say, it is amazing!

It's the opportunity life gives us to try out everything we want to, to live in any which way we want to, be who we want to. The question is do we have the courage to embrace the opportunity?

I have always been taught to be ambitious and nice. There was a time when I wanted to do just that and also be this heroine straight out of a  Sooraj Barjatiya movie. A mixture.
And now I don't want a crowd or excitement around me, I want to sit quietly with just me and this one other person who is becoming his own doppleganger too. I am not too scared to say 'No' when I don't want to. When did I start my journey of becoming this person whom I really like? 

To that also Ted has an answer. I have always believed in signs from the universe and when he said this I was almost struck by lightening at how true it is.

"people can look for signs all they want, but usually only see what they want to see, when they're ready to see it"
                                                                    - A wise old, Ted Mosby



In Budhism a key facet of the religion is being open to change. The young Sidhartha sat under the bodhi tree and witnessed the world transform, the wind blow, seeds germinate, birds fly, rain drops fall on parched land, trees wither away. He sat and watched time pass by. It brought him enlightenment. He became the Budha.

Our lives are the same. We can never remain stagnant, be exactly who we were maybe even a single moment ago. So the poignant question to ask is did you notice yourself today? Did you listen to what your heart desired and where your mind wanted to reach? 

Don't be scared to remain the same or try out something new. The only worry is if you are not giving your own instinct a chance. Don't fear who you will turn out to be, because a goofy TV character has wisely said we all become our dopplegangers one day and we are absolutely amazing that way.

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