|| Perception of Authenticity ||

If you go through world books or traveling throughout the world one can feel that every place has its own authenticity. Talking or traveling or sharing information with people around the world, I have perceived certain quality of authenticity of places. Here I'm not talking about talks from books I'm narrating practically what I have perceived traveling to start with first in India rich spiritual culture, authentic temples with a depth of kindness, the beauty of Kashmir, chaat of Delhi, Kolkata golgappa, or Mumbai ka pav vada and south Indian dishes with flavors of the south. If you travel outside of India, then new york (USA) has a lifestyle and systems that they follow, disciplined, Europe with beauty and great in hospitality, adventures in new Zeland, and intellective production in Australia. South Africa with rich animal and birds culture. Every place has its unique beauty and every place has its authenticity, which people from all around the world perceive. We feel that authenticity and once we see it we admire it. The more we admire more we enjoy it. How about enjoying each and every person's individual authenticity????

If you see stories of Krishna, he always believed in authenticity, his love Radha, bansuri, peacock feather, cow, and butter (makkhan) were so authoritative that every individual understands its purity. They all symbolize the authenticity of kindness. Radha helps Krishna to sacrifice love for social commitments. They believed in each other with a purity of love. Basuri made with a hole in wood spreads a melodious message of love, the cow gives milk to all with her unconditional love, the peacock spreads its feather with freedom of feeling in love and spreads for enjoying the beauty of nature around us and butter (makkhan) which has pure whiteness and sweetness without any sugar coat. According to lessons learned through Bhagwat Geeta by Krishna says that be you are, pure and clear by heart, your own authenticity and your self-less commitments only will preserve place in other peoples hearts. Have a perception that makes you remain clear and transparent and other people can observe your own authenticity.

Authenticity is transparent. I remember from my childhood I have enjoyed having ice cream at k Rustam which is at Churchgate and run by a Parsi couple. It is more than 50 years now but their quality of work has never distorted or changed. They don't believe in marketing or doing shows off but they have had this commitment towards their customers for so many years. They believe in purity and quality. and their transparency in what they do. I always perceive that they are having such rich culture that however and whatever competition demands they don't change their quality or I can say authenticity. We always cherish their authenticity towards their customers. Is it not difficult for each and every individual of us to be like that???

We all perceive things differently like I feel according to our own thought process. When deaf kid parent comes to me they say we feel our child has hearing loss and we don't know what to do? I teach them to perceive in this way that my child has hearing difficulty but my child has to say 15 20 30 percent hearing and please help me what I can do??? this thought process changes the whole concept in dealing with deaf kids. Once you accept that you have a deaf child and have limited residual hearing which you need to explore and has a possibility to overcome the challenges and search for a positive direction. The same way we as an individual needs to perceive our life with what we have rather than cribbing about not having all the possibilities of life. The more you perceive things positively more authenticity you achieve as you are not having layers of fake commitments.

When you are transparent and sincere nobody can keep you down forever. One day you become unstoppable as you are one who has made yourself as well you have created such authenticity that people perceive you as a person having the best of the abilities. I think we have so many people in our country who have worked self-less for people of our society, many leaders during British ruling in our country have gone to jail, have seen toughest time of their life, many soldiers fought for our country and have not to look back to see how their families survive. I mean today when we look at their commitments, consistency, and devotion and if we all follow then how different our country will be or society will be??? We needed to change our perception of everything around us. Perception is like all the leaders who fought for us and all the soldiers who fought for us.

I remember when my elder daughter got selected for the LAMP(legislative assistant to a member of parliament) fellowship and she needed to go to Delhi and just sometime before that nirbhaya case happened. Generally, people start getting scared when they have sent their kids to Delhi for studies. There are many places in our country or abroad where it is not safe to travel and especially when it comes to girls. 

We were happy that she got selected among 50 people among 1500 students from India. Her confidence boost that she got selected, we wanted her to grow further and we agreed her go to Delhi and do her best. She sat down with me and ask mom no one agrees to send their girls to Delhi as it's not safe, why did you agree?? I replied it's our perception that one thing happened so everything is bad, but such organization will help you to grow and it will help you to serve our country better, and wherever you go it's your alertness and your confidence which is important and you need to learn to manage yourself. If soldier's mothers can send their kids confidently then why I cant??  Every individual is unique in their own way because there is always only one original.

Authenticity illuminates the path forward to live the life you want. It is simply being in tune with one’s own humanity and using it for good. To enjoy the real power in your life, accept that authenticity is your real power.