BhaskART : One is not the enemy of Zero

Use the Difficulty : Adversities to Opportunities

“Use the difficulty”.That was the advice Hollywood veteran Michael Caine received from a director when an unexpected challenge derailed a scene. It is also the principle that has driven human survival for over three million years. In this post I write about the 3 pivotal phases of human history that shaped our success and our failures

Use the difficulty, Michael Caine

In an interview, the Hollywood veteran actor, spoke about how he was asked to Use the difficulty  by his director, when he faced an unexpected challenge in a scene. Use the difficulty means using adversity to find a solution. Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAB89fOdA-I

The ancient humans probably did just that. – Use the difficulty, every time they faced a situation where inaction or wrong step could have wiped the human species. How they responded is not just fascinating history. It is our own story, with lessons worth exploring.

The incredible human Journey 

Ever since their emergence, over 3 million years ago, the journey of early humans has been nothing short of fascinating. The volatile planet did not make this journey any easier for them with challenges like geological events and harsh weather conditions. They had to compete with predators for scarce food.  Shelter and safety were daily challenges. If these were not hard enough, as a young species, their cognitive abilities were not fully developed to cope with such harsh challenges. Furthermore, they were susceptible to diseases, making their existence even more precarious. The odds could not have been worse.  

Yet, they survived.

Along this arduous journey across thousands of years, they adapted and evolved. They learnt to use clothing, fire and stone tools.  Their hunting strategies and social collaboration skills improved. Their overall cognitive capabilities improved and humans were ready for the upcoming pivotal phases of our history, that would start with the Pleistocene Glaciation, marking the end of the last ice age, 12,000 years ago.

Human history is a testament to our species’ remarkable ability to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity. Our ancestors used the difficulties they faced and found innovative solutions to overcome them This remarkable journey of survival and evolution of early humans shaped the course of great civilizations. 

However, our history also serves as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of civilizations and the fickleness of our being, when we fail to adapt or fail to Use the difficulty

Three Pivotal Phases of human history 

In my personal view, three pivotal phases played a key role in shaping human history. These 3 phases provided opportunities equally loaded with adversities and vice versa. How the ancient humans responded holds facinating lessons worth remembering, 

1) The Icebreaker: 

The end of the last Ice Age led to rising sea levels and formation of rivers. The landscape changed and humans started settling near rivers and learned to live off them. This new environment and adaptation posed new challenges that the humans had never experienced before. In response, our ancestors not just developed innovative solutions to overcome these new difficulties, but actually Use the difficulty to their advantage.

When the rivers flooded from time to time they developed canals, levees, dikes to not just control the floods but to actually use them for agriculture. They also developed early warning systems to track water levels or a calendar system to predict the flood cycle. Such sophisticated systems of agriculture and irrigation systems revolutionized food production. This laid the foundation for the emergence of civilizations like the Indus Valley (IVC), Ancient Egypt and Sumer.

2) Leaving No Stone Unturned:  

The Neolithic period (Circa 10,000 to 4,000 (y.a) laid the foundation on which the remarkable history of our race would be built. The early human invention of polished stone during the stone age, was a game changer for a while but the limitations of stone posed  considerable challenges. 

Once again our future depended on how we responded. 

Yet again, they found solutions by actually using these difficulties. The limitations of stone were used to observe the properties of clay and develop lightweight potteries. The versatile pottery  eliminated the need for stone based containers to prepare, store food and store water. They also reduced the reliance on stone hearth & ovens for cooking.

If pottery transformed domestic life, the invention of the wheel (6,000 to 5,500 y.a) revolutionized transportation, enabled trade and enabled animal drawn plows for agriculture. Wheel was invented by observing the movement of round objects like rolling stones.

This period also saw symbolic expressions and rock carvings, which were the building blocks for  written communication that would be developed in a few 1000’s of years. 

These innovations accelerated human progress.

3) Putting ‘Metal to the Pedal’:

If the stone age created momentum to the human journey, then the discovery of metalworking, around 6,500 years ago propelled it forward at a rapid pace. The discovery of metalworking, such as copper, bronze and later iron led to advancements in agriculture, trade, and warfare. 

But metal working posed significant challenges. Metal ores were scarce, and extracting, processing, and shaping them required considerable skill and effort. Invention of new techniques like smelting & refining was used to overcome the challenges of extracting metal from ore. 

The early metals were brittle and this was overcome by creation of  alloys like bronze (copper+tin). 

The limitations of early tools and techniques drove the development of new tools, such as hammers, anvils, and tongs, which enabled more efficient and precise metalworking. 

Yet again, the early humans proved that the only way forward is to Use the difficulty

All three civilizations (IVC, Ancient Egypt, Sumer) developed unique urban designs, house architecture and various solutions to address the local challenges caused on account of unique  climatic conditions, nature of soil, available materials etc.

How The Mighty Have Fallen: 

Failing to Use the difficulty:

The world is an unforgiving place. The mighty empires of old, which once shone like beacons of adaptability, ingenuity and played a massive role in shaping the modern world, eventually succumbed to the ravages of time, leaving behind only remnants of their former glory.

The Indus Valley Civilization, with its sophisticated urban planning and advanced water management systems were impressive, but their inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions led to their downfall

The once-mighty Sumerians failed to manage their irrigation systems effectively, leading to soil salinization and decreased agricultural productivity. They gradually declined as their cities were ravaged by wars and environmental degradation. 

Ancient Egypt, with its towering pyramids and majestic temples, slowly crumbled under the weight of internal strife, external invasions, and the relentless march of the desert sands. Their over-reliance on Nile was also a major factor as they failed to keep up with the changes in flooding patterns of this mighty river. 

The Wheel Of Time: 

The Indus Valley, Sumerians, and Ancient Egypt attained glory with their ingenuity, keeping pace with the changes and more importantly, turning adversities to opportunities. But all of them eventually failed when they forgot the basics that made them successful. After thriving for thousands of years, they failed to adapt to environmental changes or internal conflicts or external threats leading to their decline.

There are many lessons that can be learned from the rise and fall of the 3 greatest civilizations of ancient times. Many great civilizations followed over the next thousands of years. Mycenean (3,600 to 3,100 y.a), Mayan (3,000 to 2,500 y.a), Mauryan Empire (2,346 to 2,209 y.a) Roman Empire (2,000 to 1,500 y.a), Gupta Empire (1,704 to 1,474 y.a), Inca (586 to 491 y.a), The Mughal Empire (498 to 167 y.a), Ottoman Empire (725 to 102 y.a).

However, a quick glance at their history will leave you disappointed because of how they met with the same fate as the 3 ancient civilizations . And all of them failed for similar reasons. Ancient Egypt and Sumer – environmental changes or internal conflicts or external threats.

The wheel of time has indeed made history repeat itself.

The Modern World

The world has come a long way from the last days of these ancient empires. Yet the reasons we grapple with today are the same that caused the downfall of these great empires.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how we think, work, and decide faster than any difficulty our ancestors ever faced. The ice age took thousands of years. The stone age took millennia. AI is taking weeks. We do not have the luxury of time this time.

And of course, we now have nuclear weapons and social media.

What can possibly go wrong?

PS: I painted this during a vacation to a hill station. On a road like this, you have no option but to use the difficulty

Acrylic painting of a potholed filled road. Only way to navigate it is to use the difficulties

By |2026-06-14T10:16:01+00:0003/12/2024|Accidental Philosophy|14 Comments
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Why Your Hard Work is Fulfilling a Purpose You Can’t See Yet

The celestial artwork

As though its purpose is done, the Sun slowly descended towards the horizon,  in a brilliantly blended yellow, orange and red sky. It was like an artwork masterpiece that no canvas had ever seen. The white star cut through this sea of colours, probably draping itself on its way down as it slowly morphed into a brilliant pinkish-red ball. Was it an act of defiance and reluctance to go below the horizon? In the moments that followed and as the dusk settled in, the beautiful pale tint of the orange sky changed into its lilac after-glow colors. Another earth day came to a graceful end, ready to embrace the darkness of night.

This beautifully choreographed dance and drama has been happening every day for billions of years, yet something about the Sun coming up or going down the horizon is awe-inspiring. Few sights on earth can compare to these magical moments. If you have doubts, ask those poets, artists and photographers who try to make a living by capturing these spectacular celestial shows.

The Orchestrator

Even as the Sun stole all the limelight, the earth toiled away silently, spinning about its axis with an air of indifference. The Sun may be the show’s star on the east and western horizon daily, but the earth knows that it is the orchestrator of this show. After all, it is the earth’s horizon that moved, causing this grand illusion of the rising and setting of the Sun, for the past 4.5 billion years.

But as the cloak of darkness engulfed the sky, the significance of the show I had just witnessed dawned on me. I was also amazed at the parallel this celestial drama shared with our lives. Was the Sun stealing the show or showcasing the earth’s hard work? The earth spins all day and all night. But only when its horizon goes past the Sun does its movement gets noticed. So, the Sun may not be stealing the thunder from the earth as I thought, but paying tribute to its selfless hard work, which otherwise goes unnoticed.

We toil away daily, hoping for that elusive success. But, while hard work is essential, more is needed to guarantee success.

We need a Purpose. We need our Sun.

We need a purpose that keeps us going without enslaving us to it. This delicate balance between hard work and Purpose makes life magical. One without the other is meaningless. Sun only uses the horizon twice daily to show off and showcase. Any more or any less exposure will mean no life on earth. At the same time, the show stops when the globe stops spinning. Both need each other to survive and thrive. 

Even if you don’t see your Purpose yet, keep doing your thing. But know that your hard work creates beautiful magic at the right moment somewhere on a distant horizon. Some important purpose comes full circle thanks to your tireless spinning. You will find that Sun soon even if you don’t see it now.

Vibrant horizon landscape painting by BhaskART, illustrating the connection between purposeful hard work and the series 'While the paint was drying'

A beautiful original canvas painting depicting a serene mountain river at sunset, highlighting BhaskART’s artistic reflections.

By |2026-04-12T04:42:52+00:0028/10/2022|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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Why Purpose Matters More Than How Hard You Work

Effort without Purpose is meaningless.  Purpose gives direction to our aspirations, drives us to do what we do with Passion and influence progress.

The P of Painting

I did not know the P of Painting until a chance introduction to this art a few years back. Something about Painting Piqued my curiosity and I was constantly searching for that mystery P through the Plenty of childish, amateurish and lesser than few ‘not too shabby’ paintings. 

Is it Passion, Practice or Patience that drove me to Pursue this hobby?

A simple Google search will show that these are the apparent Picks. But are these the ones that made me go back to my Paints and Brushes weekend after weekend for the past four or five years?

Passion is a strong emotional high but it Plateaued every time I did a lousy painting. In other words, every other attempt for me. Practice is never a guarantee unless it is Perfect. And I also realized that Patience was not my virtue.

Perseverance

Could it be Perseverance then? – Keeping at it when all else fails, hoping that success will eventually knock on your doors. If not for anything, atleast for your efforts. Romantic and delusional as the hope may be, It does work for some. Ask any successful person, and they will vouch for it. So I Persevered even if my canvas was not getting any Prettier.

Did I Succeed with my Perseverance? I don’t know because I didn’t know my definition of success. My quest for that elusive P got more desperate as I believed the answers might be in it.

Lake Reflections Oil on Canvas

In the meanwhile, I recently Purchased a video tutorial by one of my favourite artists, Michael James Smith and tried this landscape painting. I felt happy not because of the outcome but because I tried it. I tried this Painting because I wanted to use specific techniques that would help me paint this landscape as realistic as possible.

Did I achieve that effect? Probably, not. But did I do better than I have ever done? Certainly, yes.

Not only that, this Painting revealed that elusive P that was hiding in Plain Sight all along.

Purpose

Pursuit of Progress has always been my drive for this hobby. Every weekend, I pick my brushes and canvas not to express my creative self. I know that I am not the creative type. But, I Practice hard to reproduce the image in front of me on my canvas as close as I possibly can. Despite falling short of my Pursuit by a million miles, I Persevere because of one thing that binds all the essential P’s together – Purpose. It is not about what I Paint or how I do it. It is not just about grit or glory. It is not about quantifiable success either. 

It is about why I do it.

It is all about the hope that I will be able to look back, years down the line with  a smile and say – Well, I tried, and I made Progress. Even if the Progress was just marginal.

And that will make all the difference.

By |2026-03-21T06:21:23+00:0026/05/2022|While the paint was drying|8 Comments
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In The Gray Zone

Between Black & White lies that boring Gray

Where miracle & magic happens every Day

Between Yes and No lies that debilitating Doubt

But navigating this zone is what life is all ’bout

Between War & Peace lies that elusive Trust

A priceless tool to help us Accept & Adjust

Between This & That we are forced to pick

While an alternative does the trick

Between Black & White lies that boring Gray

Where miracle & magic happens every Day

By |2026-05-01T07:13:39+00:0020/03/2022|No Rhyme or Reason|0 Comments
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Lessons from an auto rickshaw ride

Lessons from an auto rickshaw ride are not what you expect. You climb in, hold on, and hope for the best. But if you pay attention to the driver — the navigation, the instincts, the trust — there is a lot to learn.

Have you ever felt that helpless frustration of being taken for a ride?

If not, then maybe you have not experienced an auto-rickshaw (Tuk Tuk) ride in India. For some, an ‘auto’ ride is like a death wish on three wheels. While, for some others, it is one of the essential conveniences to beat traffic and time. But irrespective of the side you belong to, it is customary and fashionable to complain about the rude auto-rickshaw drivers and rough rides that follow.

I have realised that there is more to this ride than just the rough side. If we manage to hang in there through the potholes, sharp turns, tampered fare meter, et-all, this ride can actually teach us some important life lessons.

Lesson 1: Every Problem has a solution

Now and then, in life, we feel overwhelmed by a challenge that seems impossible. An auto-rickshaw  faces this situation every day on jam-packed roads with hardly any space to maneuver. And yet, they find a way to move forward. How do they do this?

They don’t look at what’s in front but what’s ahead. They find the gaps while most of us only see a vehicle blocking our path.

“Focus on the solution and not the problem, even if the solution is not too glamorous or popular”

Lesson 2: Unknown angel is better than the known devil. 

 When faced with overwhelming problems (heavy traffic), the ‘auto’ almost always goes into roads less travelled. Sometimes even into streets with no road. It may seem reckless and risky. But think about it. A known devil (the main road with traffic) is a devil. There is not much you can do about it. Whereas, there is always chance that the new route could be an angel. A 50% chance of success is better than a certain failure, is it not? It is the hope for an angel rather than the fear of the devil that helps navigates the traffic.

“A gamble is always better than the status quo. Our problems result from our fear of failure and the resulting inaction.”

Lesson 3: Take that first step

 An important and fascinating lesson I have learned through an auto ride is how a solution emerges once we desire to solve the problem. The trick is to take that first step, however small it may seem. Have you noticed how an auto-rickshaw manages to pass through the narrowest of gaps that were not even wide enough for the front wheel to pass through, to start with? They never wait for the complete solution to emerge but work with what is available lets the answer evolve. Course corrections are part of the norm. True pioneers of the agile methodology, I suppose.

“If you want to move a mountain, you begin by carrying small stones – Confucius”

Lesson 4: Self Belief

It is easy to believe that for a vehicle on three wheels and a high centre of gravity to stay on the road without tipping over, it must be a miracle at play and not just engineering logic. But miracles don’t happen every day. Do they? The supreme self-belief of the driver in his driving skills, his confidence about his vehicle’s capability, and the knowledge of the road is what makes this miracle happen every day. Essential traits for success. Aren’t they?

Lesson 5: Success is not a popularity contest

These drivers are not the most popular ones on the road, and they don’t care about winning hearts either. If you have a time-crunched passenger on board and stand-still traffic to cut through, then being Mr Nice will not work.  So do not bother preaching them road rules, the auto-rickshaw would have zipped past long back.

Experience life through the ride

An auto-rickshaw ride is not just an experience of a lifetime, as some westerners think. You actually experience life through the ride. Complain if you must, about the nerve-wracking, back-breaking ride next time you get into one of these three-wheeled marvels. But, try to sit back and enjoy the adventure while it lasts. You may pick up few amazing lessons for life too.

“Life never takes us for a ride. It only takes us on a ride. Therefore, it is up to us to enjoy the distinction and, more importantly, enjoy the ride while it lasts.”

Auto rickshaw on a city street during sunset with traffic and city lights.

By |2026-05-24T05:53:55+00:0002/11/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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The Mask of Sorrow

I have a dream, declared an ambitious heart.

If you can dream it, then I can achieve it challenged the cunning brain.

Aim bigger and go for more, egged the greedy mind.  

We are born to rule roared the ego.

The earth belongs to us

Our superior intelligence has undoubtedly given us the edge over the other species. But, naturally, this advantage has also given us the belief that the earth belongs only to us. Our world domination might still be a work in progress but this juggernaut has been gaining momentum. But, the fun part is, we even managed to get rid of the unnecessary nuisance of guilt and remorse along the way. So, we don’t regret our actions. Life was never this beautiful and comfortable. Who cares if animals don’t share this sentiment? The Earth itself might feel abused. Do we care? Of course not? After all, We are born to rule this planet, and rule we shall.

Mask of Sorrow

Where is your mask?

We were all set for another high octane ride this year with an air of invincibility and conviction of our destiny to reach the imagined future. But, unfortunately, the pride of our past success and the race towards the imagined future made us lose sight of the present. Sadly, we failed to notice that nature was secretly scheming to put us in place. We even ignored the clues that nature was trying to give us. But, more importantly, we failed to listen to a chilling question that nature was asking us, ‘Where is your mask’?

Natures equal and opposite reaction

Why would we pay heed? After all, we are invincible, and we fear nothing. Do we? Since the beginning of this year, that ominous question of where your mask kept ringing in the air. But most countries were busy squabbling over who created this menace rather than acting swiftly.    We even challenged the social distancing measures and got too close for comfort with each other.

Life is all about the trade-off. And as Newton would say, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Progress and Development give us comfort but also the side effects in equal measure.  But the rapid increase in human avarice sadly matched the advancement in technology. The result was a powerful backlash that we couldn’t handle. We might be able to destroy nature but we can’t beat the laws of nature. Can we?

Screeching halt

Alas, the juggernaut has come to a screeching halt. It has brought the invincible humans to their knees. We could achieve anything that we could imagine, and we could destroy anything that we see. But nature played it smartly and unfairly by unfurling an invisible enemy. In just a matter of 2 months, we are shown our place in the pecking order. We are scared, locked down, and socially distanced. The inefficiencies of some of the most influential leaders are exposed. Nations are clueless. Ambitions have given way to mere survival. We finally listened to nature and picked up our masks.

Mask of Sorrow

The Mask of sorrow

We forced ourselves to put a mask around our ego, desire, arrogance, and cockiness. So much so, we are desperately trying to cover our fears and uncertainties behind the mask. Yet, behind this small piece of cover, we learn the power of humility and the truth of who we are. This pandemic has uncovered a simple, peaceful world that we long forgot. It reveals what a sad, insignificant, and fragile species we are. An invisible enemy mortifies the invincible humanity.

Under this three-layered piece of cloth, we silently utter some long-forgotten prayers to save us from this misery. The mask is not just a cover to protect us. It is a cover that reveals the truth – a sad, bitter one that we are not as indestructible as we thought we were.

Will we learn?

Has nature completed its humiliation? The mask might help many humans survive this threat. But will it save humanity? Will we learn from the truth we are discovering about ourselves behind these masks?

Or will nature force us to wear this mask of sorrow again?

By |2026-05-01T03:19:01+00:0022/09/2021|Accidental Philosophy|0 Comments
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Does light defy or define darkness?

Ever since God said, ‘Let there be light’, we worship it as a saviour. Light is a symbol of truth -a glimmer of hope. But, on the other hand, darkness is the evil that is feared. So, unless you are a Dracula, it is best removed or avoided.

Does light defy or define darkness?

“Every search for a hero must begin with something which every hero requires, a villain”.

Interesting words of Hollywood wisdom by Dr. Vladimir Nekhorvich. If you are wondering, he develops the deadly Chimera virus and its cure in Mission Impossible II. Think about it. What is the point of a hero when there is no villain to defeat? Or, what is the purpose of light if there is no darkness?

The misery and fear caused by COVID 19 qualify it as pure evil and darkness. The quintessential villain. But, thank God to movie wisdom, we know that where there is a villain, there will emerge a hero. Usually, a forgotten one. So this pandemic is as good a reason as any for a hero to appear.

So who is that hero?

Who is the real hero

Is it the lockdown? Or travel restrictions? Of course, these efforts helped for a while until we decided that they did not.

So, is Vaccination the chosen One? We will know the truth in the long run. But, who has the patience to wait? Anyway, with so many nay Sayers around, we cannot call it the Chosen One yet. For now, we can call it an excellent sidekick to the hero, at best.

Self-Discipline

The real hero is our self-discipline – Mask, social distancing, hygiene and many other small but essential aspects that keep us safe. Habits that make us humans. Good practices that we long forgot and proudly branded ‘New Normal’ when we remembered them.

We ignored self-discipline and let the pandemic determine how we lived. Unfortunately, it took a powerful villain to unearth a strength that we forgot. We allowed the adversity to define the our responsibility. 

We searched for the match stick after dark. But will we at least keep the flame on longer? Will we let discipline live with us, or are we already forgetting the hero again?

Let there be light

God said, Let there be light. He must have said that for a reason. Light is supposed to define and defy darkness. Whereas, we are letting darkness dictate what the light should do. The villain has become the need for a hero to appear. No wonder, the light is relegated fighting a lost battle of defying darkness.

Let us not lose it again. Let us not ignore our hero. Let us not lose those disciplines. Are these the new normal?  Shouldn’t they should simply be the norms.

By |2026-03-25T02:10:44+00:0020/09/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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Can you hear me now?

In these days of work from home and online meetings, Can you hear me now ? has become an integral part of our lives. Do you remember going through a 10-minute call without this coming up?

Somehow, this Can you hear me now, question silences unwanted noises? The inaudible and garbled voice from the other side suddenly becomes loud and clear. Be it a lousy home Wi-Fi network, a bad Bluetooth hands-free, or even a screaming kid in the background – These words seem to fix everything. Do you recall responding negatively to this question ever? Can you hear me now probably is the loudest and clearest sounding part of most online conversations?

Can you hear me now

Can you hear me now

Placebo Effect of Can you hear me now.

Can you hear me now is not just an apologetic enquiry but a much bigger mind game. It is not about fixing issues but about the placebo effect of these words that makes all the difference. It is your way of showing that you care to the person who cannot hear your voice. Can you hear me now shows that you listened to the complaint. And more often than not, that is all it takes to solve an issue.

Do not feel bad when your voice is not heard. Do not feel apologetic about it. Instead, feel proud because you have the elixir that can solve the problem. All you have to do is to ask confidently,

Can you hear me?

By |2026-04-30T06:14:08+00:0009/09/2021|Accidental Philosophy|0 Comments
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Melting Hope

Global warming is blamed for everything. But who should be blamed for this.

We evolved rapidly, riding on our distinction.
and pushed the rest to the edge of extinction

We made the blue planet spin toward a scary red future
Our price for playing God and messing with Mother Nature.

We boiled the oceans, without fire
refusing to curb our apathy and cold-hearted desire

We wonder why the tides rise higher and winds lash faster
even as we blame each other for every disaster

Will we slow down and pay heed?
Or has greed become our overbearing need?

Can green cool this hot crucible?
Or is it too late and the damage irreversible?

Will we do it differently if we start over again
Will we give this earth a better bargain?

“How dare you?” roars Mother Nature for taking her down this slope
She can’t bear another pain, a melting hope

Polar bears on rocky shore with large iceberg and floating ice in the background.

By |2026-05-01T07:36:50+00:0030/07/2021|No Rhyme or Reason|0 Comments
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Are you a Lion or Lamb? What are the versions of ourselves

Are we this, or are we that? Are we not many versions of ourselves at different times? Why can’t we be the best version of ourselves instead?

The fun is out of my comfort zone

Now and then, we come across a piece of creation and wonder if we had what it takes to do that. In my case, an interesting painting by Marcel Witte, a world-class artist who paints realistic animals, caught my eyes and kindled that deep desire to try. My initial apprehension was the patience required to bring out all those details. After all, you can learn techniques through YouTube videos but not patience.

But then, fun is all about playing out of your comfort zone. Is it not?

I had to resist the temptation of rushing through for nearly 40 hours. But thanks to the relentless push from a friend, I completed this work. Finally, I stepped back from the canvas to admire the finished painting—my own Lion and Lamb.

Lion or Lamb

Lion or Lamb

When you stay focused on a particular subject that long, subconsciously, you start forming doubts and theories. Is it a good painting or a sad painting? Should I make the Lion carry a cub instead of the poor Lamb? But then, I was not sure if the Lions moved their cubs. I know lionesses do. Should the LambLamb be scared? Do lambs have an expressive face to show fear or happiness? In cartoons, maybe.

Then came the clichéd doubt in my head. Am I the Lion or the Lamb? Who would I rather be?

A lion is Powerful and Majestic for sure. That is cool, especially if you play a leadership role. But, the beast is undoubtedly Ferocious and Feared. Not too cool, but that is not going to hurt your position as a leader. A mighty Lion grabs what he wants and when he wants it. Modern management gurus will dig this Alpha predator characteristic and set you as the benchmark for Leadership.

A lamb, on the other hand, is cute at best. It brings about a smile when you look at their clumsiness. But then they are lunch or dinner for just about every beast with claws or fangs or even a knife and fork. So I certainly would not like to be the vulnerable one.
But then I am not a lion either, as much as I envy most of its power.

One

By now, the painting progressed significantly and reached a point that I had to take that decision of cub or a lamb in Lion’s mouth.

Just then, I remembered a fundamental principle of painting realism. Paint what you see and not what you think should be. The original masterpiece had a lamb in Lion’s mouth, and so will my Lion too.

For the remainder of the painting, I did not worry about the cause or logic. I did not care if the Lion was hungry or if the Lamb was scared. It did not matter to me if the Lion protected the Lamb or took it to the dinner table. I became an earnest trier, an artist who wanted to get better, a hobbyist who wanted to have fun, a humble student who was not worried about failing and many more at different stages of the painting process. All that mattered was the fun of putting paint-dipped brush to canvas and saw those images shaping up. I was many versions of the one person that mattered.

After all, the Lion and Lamb is a metaphor for the ultimate sacrifice (Lamb) of God and his resurrection to life (Lion). Many versions that ultimately represent the ONE

The best way to be is to become the best version of ourselves

My Lion and Lamb painting might be a humble imitation of the original masterpiece. But, alas, this painting might not be exhibition worthy or good enough to be sold. And it does not matter. After all, what matters is that this painting will keep reminding me that we do not have to be a mighty lion or vulnerable Lamb.

The painting reminds me that we do not have to bother about the game but be the best player while the game is on. It does not matter if we understand the play as long as we act the part we chose to perfection. It tells me that let us not worry about the war but battle hard as a true warriors as long as we are standing.

We do not have to be something or someone but be many versions of ourselves constantly trying to get better.

Because the best way to be is to become the best version of ourselves.

By |2026-03-26T02:09:16+00:0030/07/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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The Big Picture

Are small details the enemy of the big picture? Or do these small details form the big picture?

The good part is, no one will admit to not seeing one for the fear of being brandished as not too smart. After all, it is the realm of visionary leadership trait. Details are often relegated to the poor foot soldiers to deal with. After all, Leadership is all about showing the Big Picture is it not? Besides, if we just focus on the small details, we will never get the big picture. That is a good excuse to avoid details and paint your version of the big story. Do you agree?

Creating my own magical world

Having done a few canvas paintings over the past 3 years, I wanted to transition to the larger versions. Or in other words, I wanted to paint a big picture. A very big one at that. The fun part of painting on canvas is that you create your magical world and live in it.  Maybe not forever but at least as long as you are painting it. It’s a different matter that I have never figured out why these paintings always looked better in my head than on the canvas I have painted in.   Well, that is a challenge for another day.

Acrylic on Wall

The Big Picture and Bigger Challenge

Armed with paints, brushes a blank wall, and more importantly the permission to paint the wall, I was all set. I even had a reference photo so that took care of the problem of my ‘creative- challenged’ mind. And, before I knew it,  I was staring at the huge blank wall in front of me – A proverbial blank canvas that I could paint my world in. I felt like God.

But then there was this small question that posed a big challenge. Where do I start? The harsh reality of the magnitude of the task ahead erased every hazy detail of the image I had in mind. (Ok, in the laptop screen).  Did I say, I felt like God? An overwhelmed clueless God, I must admit.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

But don’t little things matter? Don’t these small details make big things happen? I  decided to tackle the challenge by focusing on the details and started painting one little detail at a time. One tiny brushstroke at a time. I chose to ignore the big picture and looked at everything close-up.  I was no longer trying to create a Master Piece but focused on the smallest of details. Slowly but steadily from the blank emptiness of the wall emerged a serene forest.  25 hours later when I stepped back from the wall, there it was, my version of the big picture. Click here for the video to see the details up close.

Not everyone is a gifted visionary. Ordinary mortals like my self, may not be able to paint a big story that inspires the world. But that does not mean, we cannot get there. We simply have to take a different route. We can reach that big picture, with one tiny brushstroke at a time. Layer after layer, detail after detail, element after element we can build our picture up without feeling overwhelmed at not seeing the big picture.
Big Pic Collage
Close Up Pictures of the painting to show details

Small details are not the enemy of the big picture.

In fact, they are not mutually exclusive traits of leadership too. So do not bother about figuring out if you are a big picture person or the details person. You can be both. You need to be both. There is no shame in paying attention to details.

We can be that foot soldier who takes care of the details that help emerge the big picture. One tiny detail at a time creates a large forest. Nature has been doing it successfully for billions of years. So why can’t we?

By |2026-03-25T02:08:19+00:0030/07/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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