Another post without the “picture making me speak” ? There’s a reason why there’s no picture….I have tried several times and failed miserably – trying to take the picture of a mirror:) Every time I try, the mirror dutifully reflects my image also, and it is no more the “picture of a mirror” 
Not being too techie a person, I gave up – trying to photograph the mirror – but not my attempt to understand it.
Here is a chat with my elusive mirror…
Mirror dear, you are like a flattering ‘friend’ – you show me what I want to see…if ever you refuse to abet my narcissist tendencies, I turn you away; for this friend has a specific role to play - to praise me when I look good, and turn a blind eye when I don’t. (By looking good I mean the beauty of my soul of course). Alas my friend, that is not real friendship, you will crack with the pressure of succumbing to my wishes too often, and too soon, and will be forever charged with the guilt of not bringing me onto the right path when I needed you to. You can only be a good friend if you know when to be there for me, even when I don’t know it myself.
But supposing I allow you the liberty of doing your job of reflecting always….then what happens ? There…we have entered murky waters…
My words, intentions, & actions need not be aligned in this big bad world…but you catch my reflection - which is the final metric of my integrity. One sure test of personal integrity is whether one speaks his mind, and acts his thoughts. Even if two of these don’t match – the absolute standard of integrity fails…there is NO standard than the absolute for integrity isn’t it?
So, I am actually just a bundle of my thoughts, and words…you truly reflect what I actually mean…for there is no meaning in what I think or say unless it gets reflected outside. You do not just discipline me my friend, you also give me the courage to be true to myself.
That is what I want from you, my mirror friend, help me see myself as I am, and not how I should be.
Awesome …..First get a publisher to publish this piece…..Deewane sheeshe ka hai jo,un sabko mera salaaam
….i have always tried enough though in vain….the left is always right and the right is always left….:) no i am indifferent towards politics….not them….
hmmm….
this blog reminds me of the countless strategy journal papers that I read every week…I will think I am understanding what the author is saying..only to realize as I go the later passages that my initial understanding is wrong
..let me try to understand this…
1) I think it is pretty clear in the first para…what u say is a friend who is always nice to you..and want to tell u only those things that u want, want u to be comfortable always…tells what u want him to tell u rather than what he wants to tell u..is not a true friend…Maybe this is right..but think from that friend’s angle..he might think that u r not ready to take the tough message now and is just biding time so that u get ready to take the tough message…if u r still not ready and he gives u the tough message u might reject it totally and seal an opportunity for him to explain to you altogether in future also…so in this case, u would still regard him as true friend I guess…
2) Integrity has only one standard – absolute…great point…yes u have it or not..digital..one zero…u cannot be slightly pregnant right..
3) now the last passage I have two explanations:
a) u r allowing the friend to reflect your actions…he is not true to you then..according to the first para….but u r not true either right? U think one thing and do another..that too even with your friend…so u do not have integrity either..so u deserve such a friend..
b) u r allowing the friend to reflect your actions..u r using that reflection to know urself..ur actions..now u know from that reflection what u actually do rather than what u think u do..in this case your friend is doing u a great service, right? If this is indeed the interpretation then I cannot see any link between earlier paras and the last para…
Now to conclude: (this is how we normally conclude in our doctoral classes)…”u understand..i understand..maybe the understanding is different, even diametrically so…maybe the author meant a totally third thing altogether…no problem..as long as u understand even if the understanding is not uniform”
Atleast I can make out something from the blog, but I am totally lost on Arun’s comment…what is this left right thing doing here !!!!!!!!!!!
Now this is what is known as RGmax……my comment is longer than your blog
ohhhh…good stuff mani ! u have put fight & thoroughly analysed my blog ! thanks a ton for ur time man:)
1) Agree. If i want to be blind, i don’t deserve the “true” friend:) I am greedy, I may not be mature, but I want a mature friend:)
3) a) I am not being dishonest wit the friend per-se…atleast I never intended to project tat…I meant if I am untrue to myself, my friend will show tat wat I am doing is wrong.
b) Yes…u got the idea right, the friend is indeed doing a service…read my last line…tat is what I want from the friend. There’s no conflict…have explained wat a friend should not be doing, then what a friend should be doing. Fair enough?
Arun had commented on the 1st para alone I think:) On the photography thing…I am not sure…he has to clarify
Finally if our understanding on the subject still differs, good only, atleast we have one more perspective added to our lives