The Human Economy: Navigating a Shifting Landscape

The Human Economy: Navigating a Shifting Landscape

This written piece reflects on the evolving demands of the modern workforce in an increasingly digitized world. It underscores the diminishing relevance of purely technical skills in favour of uniquely human attributes like empathy, critical thinking, & adaptability. The author argues that as technology automates routine tasks, success will hinge on one's "agile mindset"—a continuous commitment to learning, innovation, and, critically, the cultivation of core human values & interpersonal skills. It's a call for individuals, businesses, & governments to prepare for a "human economy" where qualities like passion, character, & collaboration will drive value creation.

It will certainly yield significant returns in the long run to cultivate a mindset that respects human values. This includes your innate capacity for affection, genuine concern for others, a caring touch, and fundamental respect.

In this era of technological revolution, many technical jobs are rapidly becoming digitized and can be performed from anywhere in the world. Companies are transforming into aggregation platforms, connecting talent globally. To thrive in this environment, we'll need to be highly skilled, seamlessly integrating our expertise with new algorithms. This means not only excelling in our core fields but also developing competencies in related areas. Ultimately, our contributions will need to fit seamlessly into this broader context.

We must embrace continuous positive change, constantly learning and equipping ourselves with the skills demanded by evolving times. It's essential to acquire new skills as required and maintain an open mindset. Many of us aren't primarily technocrats or creatives; rather, we are users or professionals in fields where technology is applied. However, to remain engaged in employment, we must adeptly adapt to the requirements of these new platforms.

From Knowing to Learning: The Agile Mindset

Learning has become inherently more valuable than simply knowing. The new "killer skill set" is undoubtedly an agile mindset. This mindset fosters an expectation of lifelong learning & adaptation, emphasizing uniquely human skills such as empathy, social & emotional intelligence, keen judgment, creativity, divergent thinking, and an entrepreneurial outlook for a long & successful career.

Individuals, governments, & companies will all need to adjust to these new realities. Consider Tesla: their goal isn't just to produce & sell cars, but to gather data on driving behavior to build superior vehicles and potentially even generate entirely new products from digitized data streams.

The most valued worker today isn't merely the one who can tackle increasingly complex tasks. It's the worker who can also learn by doing that task & identify avenues to innovate, creating new opportunities, markets, products, or services for themselves or their firm. Similarly, the best new companies won't just be defined by the products or services they offer, but by their ability to learn from every product sold & every consumer interaction, allowing them to create more innovative products & engage more deeply with consumers.

The greatest gift a teacher or parent can bestow upon a child is the right mindset! This means cultivating a proactive attitude towards global changes, an eagerness to learn & contribute, and the crucial ability to filter out junk & fake news from genuine knowledge & facts.

Instead of asking a child what they want to do when they grow up, inquire, "How are you going to be when you grow up?" or "What is your passion, and how will you make it productive?" This approach helps translate passions & purposes into new entrepreneurial opportunities, fostering a spirit of continuous invention rather than merely finding a job.

The Rise of the Human Economy

The industrial economy focused on "hired hands," and the knowledge economy on "hired minds." The technological revolution is now propelling us into the human economy, which will expand value creation to include more "hired hearts"—all those attributes that cannot be programmed into software, such as passions, character, & a collaborative spirit.

This implies we must cultivate more humane daily discourse & interactions. We need to think globally, recognizing that every human being is an integral part of a larger whole. This perspective will prepare us for the coming times, where the rules of social behavior will be rewritten. Old, cruel & deceitful ways must be shed to embrace full humanity, ultimately benefiting us all.

Indeed, I must strive to be more pervasive, encompassing, & mindful in my interactions with all kinds of people. Respect is always earned when you show genuine concern for others; in turn, others will naturally respect you. Strive to smooth out systems for the betterment of all; many significant tasks await your touch. So, always be sensitive and concerned, accomplish great tasks, and prove your mettle.

The Enduring Value of Human Attributes

Fairly soon, virtually everyone will have a screen & Internet connection, but a significant divide will emerge: the motivational divide. The individual with self-motivation, grit, & persistence—who leverages free or cheap online tools to create, collaborate, & keep learning an entire lifetime when traditional support systems are less present—will gain a distinct edge.

Crucially, these attitudes & values cannot be simply downloaded. They must be in-built in an old-fashioned way: nurtured within two-parent households supported by healthy, caring neighborhoods & communities.

We all need to foster great curiosities, seek out good teachers as mentors, and allow them to cultivate our skills. Simultaneously, we should strive to help others succeed in their endeavours.

 

Pawan Kumar,

1^st August, 2025, Friday, Time 9:08 A.M., Berhampur (Odisha)

[From My Diary July 6, 2023, Thursday, 7:50 A.M., Berhampur (Odisha)]

Lighthouses in the Mind

                                                                Lighthouses in the Mind

This piece is a quiet tracing of an inner journey—not toward achievement, but toward alignment. Written as a conversation with the self, it attempts to observe, unclutter, and refine the inner responses that shape a meaningful life. The tone is intimate yet aspirational, offering readers space to reflect on their subtle inner transitions.

Life is an amazing process taking us through innumerable realms & testing each side.
But with adaptive minds and consistent effort, there’s more than solace to find.

Life needs to be brooded upon—why things happen to us on this winding course.
We aren’t always equipped to stay steadfast in our acts or declarations.
We sway often in the winds, dance to whatever Providence sends our way.
Maybe we’re responsible for much around us—if not wholly, at least in part.

A sincere person must confront their issues & find the courage to move forward.
He must think broadly, involve himself where needed, and sort out what he can.
Solutions are nearby—people see their angles, and if met, they lend support.
Yet egos bruise in some, and when they do, a balm of grace is needed.

I see roughness scattered through daily life; perhaps it is just like that, too smooth.
It’s like walking barefoot on thorn beds, or rocky, slippery hills alone.
Somewhere it’s marshy, foul, and breath grows heavy from our weaknesses.
Many outsiders seem to seek fights—as if they feed on it, even delight.

From certain characters, I expect their oddness, unmoved by words or counsel.
Their manner causes pain—mental at least, and they find constant reasons to complain.
I see a kind of greed embedded there, little respect for others’ good work.
Still, despite discomfort, duty calls—and for that sake, I must accomplish.

I observe much shaking in the minds of our soft-looking fellow beings.
They carry matters deep in their hearts, bear grudges, & delay under trivial pretexts.
They don’t act despite requests, and wait even when urgency rings the bell.
Emotion alone does little—one must act with purpose, and move for a cause.

My own work is inefficient too, as I wake only when it falls on me.
Yes, the demands are many, & I must tread carefully to balance them all.
I must avoid traps of any sort and fix things rightly, without delay.
Times test us, but courage smoothens even the hardest conduct of life.

I do not complain—just look for ways out of the jargon all around.
Yet never must one fall into wrong for the lure of momentary gain.
When the work is right, mishandlings reduce, and a little gain holds meaning.
Still, no room for complacency—life does care how well things are carried out.

We must learn the 'Art of Living'—daily challenges shall always pass our way.
So train body & mind enough to manage what life brings to the door.
The real issue is, we often aren’t ready to face what comes to us.
Yet training ensures readiness, and that’s what equips us to handle & win.

Life surprises often—accidents strike, as in Kerala, where landslides took 500 lives.
In Uttarakhand and Himachal, floods swept homes, & rains destroyed with full cruelty.
Earthquakes arrive—homes turn to rubble, lives vanish in seconds under falling stone.
Wars rage between nations—leaders play, and citizens end up paying the price.

Due to student unrest, Bangladesh lost many lives, and PM Sheikh Hasina fled from country.
She ruled long, for nearly two decades, bringing the economy to high standards.
But things went wrong—reserving 60% jobs for a few sparked unrest, turning violent.
People rose—agitations surged—and the government broke down in a single breath.

Each day brings upheavals; lives suffer; the reasons are scattered & manyfold.
We attempt to design life with care, but still, uncertainty looms in our face.
The key is to work like water—never wrong, image quietly rising in depth.
No need to fight always—know your strength, your space, and come out clean.

One must shape strategy with care, and not run after things that merely glitter.
Sometimes it takes bold words, but grace & excellence must walk alongside them.
I, too, am organic, a breathing being, trying to survive with dignity intact.
Yet I stay positive, keeping attitude clean, and seek help where needed to stay safe.

{In a world of surfaces, this is a quiet rebellion—to return to the depths & live from there.}

 

Pawan Kumar,

27^th July, 2025, Sunday, 11:40 PM, Brahmpur (Odisha)

[From my diary, 7^th August’2024, Wednesday, 9.44 A.M., Brahmpur (Odisha)]

 

The Author, Pawan Kumar, is a senior civil engineer, philosophical thinker, and deeply reflective writer. With over three decades of professional experience & an equal span of introspective journaling & literary work, he now blends engineering precision with poetic insight. His writings are a tryst with the self—rooted in values, awakened by questions, and drawn toward the timeless. Through poetry & prose, he urges others not merely to live, but to live meaningfully.

To Rise Above and Beyond

                                                        To Rise Above and Beyond

This reflection was written in a quiet morning hour, not as a performance, but as an inward declaration. It is a personal yet universal list of aspirations: a meditative inventory of how one might live with dignity, clarity, and enduring value. Each line arises from the author’s lived experiences, observations, and inner compass, shaped by decades of service, thought, and daily striving. It is not meant to instruct others, but to offer a mirror to anyone seeking a higher plane of thought, conduct, and contribution. These words are not hurried resolutions — they are lifelong directions, drawn from stillness, meant to stay.

I aspire to raise my level as a person — to continuously consider how to improve the quality of my work, how to make it readable for all — a public property, or at least to those learned ones who care for literature, refined words, or prudent reflection. Let the effort persist, push high, put the self to test, demand the sky, motivate those aligned, stretch vision far ahead, enhance the self and others’ limits, engage in higher dialogues, aim high with a global outlook, come out of dilemmas, keep clarity, direct superiors, engage in serious business, treat people with respect, communicate well, make best use of time, remain jovial, gauge the surrounding atmosphere, smoothen the way, clear problems, respect expectations, accommodate others’ needs, remain attentive to observations, sensitise attached ones, expedite resolutions, act proactively, stay clear of dirt, swim clean, build a good image, encourage steadfastness, cooperate, become a vehicle of progress, be a confiding person, aim for a serene world, take people along, orate well, carry superb character, rise above petty grades, live with respect, keep a clean image, facilitate progress, and leave the impression of coming right.

I aspire to avoid letting shallow selfies undermine good systems; instead, I aim to build beautiful & long-lasting structures. Keep morale high — for self and others, especially children — inspire them to aspire, remember the past, ensure greatness, rise above the ebbs, keep high thoughts, meditate superb, raise relationships, help people rise above pitiable conditions, usher in new possibilities, being an embodiment of goodness, aim for great creations, write with impact, publish books, and become a valuable name. Listen to others’ viewpoints, observe how the world behaves, how nations grow or fall behind, promote goodness, give reasons to smile, make the most of time, fill value into each moment, reduce inefficiency to nil, keep the body fit, learn many skills, master the best ones, produce works to be counted in the best books, keep a good library, design meaningful environments, green the ambience, uphold best habits, rest adequately, keep peace of mind, remain free from agitations, embrace sunshine, and practice solitude without tolerating mediocrity.

Let high idealism walk with practical effort. Secure a livelihood with dignity, behave well, carry lofty thoughts, scribble great, create marvels, raise institutions, build minds, erect on the ground, offer to the public, make hay while the sun shines, benefit from situations, grab opportunities without greed, love neighbours truly, raise the community’s name, help people meaningfully, pave the way for progress of those attached, lay superior educational foundations, grow in real assets, speak appropriately, listen more, raise gardens, spread scents, keep surroundings clean, own farms, grow organic, explore the world, learn languages, sit among great minds, connect with the superb, elevate relationships, meet higher-ups, sow better seeds, ensure quality, and eliminate tolerance for nonsense.

Bear others’ problems, let go of harshness, love deeply, accept differing viewpoints, embrace diversity fully, profess what is practical, live true professionalism, resolve dilemmas with clarity, maintain soothing relations, become a beacon, show the right path, work hard to yield results, widen the worldview, venture across domains, avoid disturbing others needlessly, intervene timely, take strong decisions, prove mettle, pull others out of inefficiency, clear confusion & fogs, practice best habits, travel across beautiful places, empathise with common lives, and prepare for the future — including managing assets wisely.

Be part of great efforts. Take on higher responsibilities. Learn to communicate effectively without confusion. Judge broadly for the common good, respecting fair rules. Create a niche for the self, stay above suspicion, offer chances for others to grow, witness beauty in the world, and become the right fit for the best things. Venture in all vivid directions and become, in some meaningful way, a thing of enduring use.

 

Pawan Kumar,

16^th July, 2025, 9:47 A.M., Berahmpur (Odisha)

[From my diary, 22^nd October 2024, Tuesday, 8:26 AM, Berhampur (Odisha)]

 

In the Midst of Execution: A Reflection on Effort, People, & the Self

 In the Midst of Execution: A Reflection on Effort, People, & the Self

This reflection was written at dawn during a work stay at HAL Guest House, Sunabeda. Amidst physical fatigue and professional tension, the writer meditates on the layered reality of execution — its frustrations, responsibilities, and the personal transformation it entails. What emerges is not just a project journal, but a thoughtful exploration of effort, interdependence, control, and meaning — a reflection of one man’s journey in the public sphere, navigating between outer results and inner order.

Since yesterday, I have not been feeling well. Even then, I exerted myself on site — despite weakness — and expressed my anguish at the slow pace of the Academic Block. We try to remain sincere, vigilant, demanding, and closely involved, and yet things still fall apart. It becomes a case of “Man proposes, God disposes.” Actual execution is riddled with ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, and while people outside form judgments and hold high expectations, they rarely see the complexity within. Still, visits, inspections, direction, and motivation do matter. People must be cajoled, made to understand urgency, awakened from slumber, checked, questioned, pushed — made to feel and act. An able leader must raise the situation, set the house in order, and exert influence so that others exert themselves too.

It is people who must act — and they often come with limitations, dependencies, and excuses. The real cause of the delay often remains hidden behind explanations and assurances. Manpower and material are difficult to arrange; frustrations surface. One’s fate often lies in others’ hands, even while one is held accountable. Leadership, then, is not total control but a painful orchestration of planning, resourcing, monitoring, motivating, correcting, producing, testing, and handing over — a cycle that demands both strategic clarity and emotional stamina. Yet one must bear awkward conversations, conflicting expectations, and delayed results, all while continuing to lead, persuade, and re-align people who may be lost in inertia or vagueness.

In such roles, one cannot flee. We must face the music, absorb dissatisfaction, explain slippages, and shoulder responsibility. Life demands balance, yet our balance is constantly disturbed by others’ imbalances. Targets are set and missed, things move slowly, people avoid responsibility, and realities remain unspoken. Expediency hovers, yet outcomes remain elusive. True results demand more than shifting from task to task — they must be sculpted, fine-tuned, textured, and completed with care. Only then do we meet the eyes of stakeholders, users, clients, and the public. And in this process, leadership becomes more than authority — it becomes presence, pain-sharing, truth-telling, forgiveness, and direction-giving — all at once.

Still, no leader can lead without personal wellness. One’s health, both mental and physical, is essential for sustained effort. Waiting is part of the journey, but not losing spirit. We must endure slippages, face discomfort, and keep communicating needs clearly. One must strive to turn things in one’s favor without falling into fear or fatigue. Results must be checked objectively, but efforts must remain rooted in subjective will. Life, after all, is only one — and it must be filled with experiences of every sort, even if not all go as planned. Amid the chaos of planning and urgency, we can only attend to one branch at a time, ensuring we don't skip roots in our haste.

Clients are increasingly proactive — they demand performance, timelines, and outcomes. They question, pressurize, and expect accountability. That is their right. And being in public service, we must listen, respect their stakes, and deliver, not through complaints, but through calm responsibility. My life finds meaning when I strive with full effort, when I turn pressure into planning, and disorder into design. And while life often feels 20–30% efficient at best, it still pushes us forward — into urgency, into expectation, into clarity. We don’t always succeed, but the journey refines us. A life well tried and tested is a life that shows you your strengths, your cracks, and your ability to rise.

And that, perhaps, is enough. These things are hard to explain and harder to reduce into polished language. We may repeat ourselves in different words, but each expression has its value. Each piece of writing, each act of reflection, is a suomoto offering of the self, not for judgment, but for understanding. Yes, everything can be simplified into rules. But even then, human beings will continue to write, to reflect, to bring their minds to paper. I am like that. I scribble as the pen demands. The quality may not be in my hands, but I walk as the path unfolds beneath me.

 

Pawan Kumar,

10^th July 2025, Thursday, 12.37 A.M. (Midnight), Berhampur (Odisha)

From my Diary 26th October 2024, Saturday, 7.48 A.M., HAL Guest House, Sunabeda, Koraput  (Odisha)

 

The Stream of Being

 The Stream of Being

 This essay is a contemplative journey into the timeless questions of existence, ancestry, and the nature of consciousness. It explores how one’s life is not a solitary flame but a continuation of countless flickers that came before. Drawing from personal introspection, cultural observations, and natural cycles, it reflects on the fragile yet eternal nature of life. The boundaries between self and universe blur, revealing a deeper unity of being. Through this search, the writer does not seek definitive answers, but an understanding that births peace in the presence of mystery. Where appropriate, a light infusion of scientific insight helps align personal reflection with modern understanding.

I find myself entering a quiet but urgent phase of learning, tracing the deep-rooted questions that have stirred in my mind since I first began to think. Over time, through books and reflection, I have come to articulate some of them with clarity, yet many remain beyond comprehension. They linger—neither surfacing completely nor fading away. Still, an unshakable anguish passes through this body-mind, seeking answers to questions I cannot yet form. I don’t even know how to ask about my own existence.

Perhaps birth has a purpose. Perhaps I am simply a speck of dust in the infinite flow of inheritance, present here only because an unbroken thread, stretched across the vastness of time, has brought me forth. My forefathers, against all odds—wars, diseases, hunger, accidents, infertility, or sheer chance—survived. I exist because they did not perish. This lineage, uninterrupted, brought me to this place and moment in the incessant unfolding of time. I am grateful and fortunate to witness this era of being.

Evolutionary biology tells us that I am not simply born of two parents but of an unbroken succession of adaptive survivors. My very DNA, particularly the mitochondrial line, carries markers passed from mother to child across millennia. I am a living archive of resilience, a vessel of silent, coded history.

Yet what am I but an assembly of scattered parts? I am formed from the elements of this Earth, drawn together in a particular arrangement, just as others before me were. In me, a continual exchange takes place—of thoughts, cells, breath, impulses, and ancestry. Inputs from countless sources are shaping me, and I, too, release my own into the world. I am everything, and everything is me. The connection is not metaphorical—it is molecular, spiritual, and indivisible. Systems biology reminds us that no organism is isolated; life is exchange. Thermodynamically, I am an open system—shedding and absorbing atoms, heat, and thought. Matter cycles through me like wind through trees.

This body is my home, the cave where consciousness resides. I must preserve it well so that the soul within finds safety. I must nourish both the body and the mind, knowing they are one and the same. My very existence rests on this harmony. Neuroscience, too, teaches that consciousness is not confined to the brain—it is embodied. Thought emerges from networks of nerve, skin, muscle, and breath. What I feel, how I move, even how I remember—all these give shape to the mind.

Across time, humans have tried to preserve what they feared to lose—Egyptians embalming bodies with balms and jewels, and Himalayan Tibetan Buddhists preparing mummified monks with care and reverence. These are not foolish rituals; they are expressions of longing. I do not share these beliefs, but I understand their impulse to hold on to presence even after life has passed. We grieve our kin and leaders, preserve their memories in stories and shrines, though we know our own moments are numbered.

Sometimes I wonder: what about those who left no trace? Those who died without descendants, lost to wars, plagues, or anonymity—do they vanish entirely? Or do they echo in other forms—unnoticed, yet never truly gone? A mindful person begins to see that nothing is isolated. Even this ink that flows onto paper carries within it the essence of something once living. The paper, the air, the hand that writes—they are not separate. Aliveness surrounds us, but not always in conscious form.

My father has been gone these twelve years, but he still lives in me—through my voice, temperament, body, gestures, and genetic fabric. My mother, too, is present in the curl of my hair, the tilt of a smile, the impulses I do not understand. I am their continuation, just as someone after me may carry pieces of me forward. Epigenetics suggests that even lived experiences, traumas, and fears may be imprinted biologically, subtly passed onward. We are not just descendants; we are transmitters.

Nature, too, has its law. It cannot carry all life at once. So it creates trials—only the fit survive. This is not cruelty but balance. The deer must run from the lion, and the lion must run for its food. If either fails, both perish. Ecology shows us this law of energy and balance, where each creature contributes to the stability of the whole. There is no charity, only participation. Still, we must carry the spirit of kindness and do what we can—for that, too, is part of our inheritance.

Whether I remain here or not, my existence has already expanded far beyond this moment. I was. I am. I will be—until the last flicker of everything. The question of perpetuity answers itself not with logic, but with presence. Let there be no ceremonious anxiety over birth, living, or death.

And if I dissolve back into dust, let me do so with grace, knowing that I was, that I am, and that I always will be in one form or another.

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
— Rumi

Pawan Kumar,

2nd July, 2025, Wednesday, 11:39 P.M., Berhampur (Odisha)

From my Diary 22nd November 2024, Friday, 10:16 AM, Berhampur (Odisha)

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To Grow Is to Roam and Return

To Grow Is to Roam and Return

This reflective poem explores the relationship between solitude & exploration — between the quiet of thought & the stimulation of the world. It argues that true creativity emerges not from choosing one over the other, but from moving between the two.

Drawing from everyday observations, philosophical musings, and lived experience, it weaves a journey from local roots to global awareness, and back into personal expression. Through its rhythmic structure, the piece emphasizes that growth is conscious, balance is essential, and life is both a mirror and a window.

It invites the reader to ask: Am I becoming, or merely repeating? To Grow Is to Roam and Return reminds us that every outward step should deepen the inward voice.

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When is a person most creative — while travelling far or sitting still?
Both paths shape us deeply, and each gives something real.

Our outings add freshness — we see and hear the world anew.
We step beyond our mental walls into a sky of richer hue.
We sense the vastness, far beyond what quiet minds conceive.
Old beliefs dissolve like clouds — our worldview starts to breathe.

In life, we build mindsets, often fixed in a silent stone.
Unless we're stirred or challenged, we retreat and sit alone.
Yes, we need our silence — a space for peace and breath,
But solitude must still belong to something larger than self.

We connect through daily duties, errands, voices & streets.
In passing conversations, we find where inner and outer meet.
Each one may seem small alone, but together they rise in mass.
We merge and then emerge, each time with something to grasp.

The question of who's right is not one we can hold.
Truth slips with time — even wise words grow old.
We build ideas and theories we think might be true,
But every “fact” is shaped by time’s ever-changing hue.

We travel to new places, where cultures live and breathe,
Where tongues are strange, and customs wear different wreaths.
Gods are made, meals differ, beliefs are shaped by land —
Some are taught not to ask, only to understand.

Suppose we live in Kangra’s hills, where mountains hush the day.
Our world is shaped by elders, and we walk a narrow way.
We learn what's given, rarely asked to stretch or doubt,
So thoughts remain within, and seldom travel out.

To grow beyond such borders, we must step through the door.
‘Small is beautiful’ holds true, but when tied to something more.
Few are lucky, bold, or stirred enough to leave their comfort zone,
To fling themselves into the wide, uncertain, ever-growing unknown.

Travel still shows fragments — we never grasp the whole.
But even one new broad vision can reshape the soul.
Touching something foreign doesn’t make it ours alone,
But even passing moments plant seeds we might own.

We should see museums, walk in fairs, breathe parks & art.
Watch foreign lands in films, see how other people start.
Some have risen high through learning, love, and care —
They build a world that nurtures all with dignity and air.

Harsher lands exist, and yet many bloom with grace.
They’ve turned nature to wonder, shaped with time & place.
By seeing such, we better know the space where we reside,
And how others strive with dreams that burn inside.

We come from loving parents, yet with limited means & sight.
So we must reach beyond them, toward broader beams of light.
We build this through our schools, our play, our shared events,
Through tours, exchanges, and programs of deeper intent.

Competitions teach us to rise, to strive from local to wide.
They ask us to prepare, to measure, to rise with pride.
We can't be content while the world moves on its way —
To know our capacity, we must push into the fray.

Yes, some will pull us down with envy, noise, or fear.
But we must break the inertia — apply that needed gear.
Newton’s first law still holds: no move without a shove.
We must push with books & effort, with questions & with love.

The wise remind us gently — we know very little, still.
But through each opened window, we find a deeper will.
Remaining open helps us learn just where we stand,
And how much more we must do with mind and hand.

This world is uneven — some rise while others fall.
Those behind must toil harder to level what we call
A fair & earned respect — through habits sharp & strong,
And faith in work and purpose to carry them along.

As I read about cultures, sciences, literature, & thought,
I find myself expanding, drawn into a deeper knot.
The world, in bits & pieces, enters through the mind,
And urges me to shift, to leave no growth behind.

The world reshapes my silence — its sights, talks & light.
Though I roam wide, I must return to rest and write.
My mind replays the images, the moments, and the sound —
It weighs, discards, or welcomes all that the day has found.

When I'm alone, and still, and the mind is moved to speak,
I draw what’s stored within, what thought and feeling seek.
Some may sing or draw instead — there's no one right way,
But words remain, and speak again, long after memory’s day.

My meditations form from what the world has shown.
They build within, give judgment, roots to what was grown.
We’re always in formation — more input keeps us bright.
Our outings are those sacred sparks that help us find our light.

Yet balance must be kept — experience must become art.
We must digest what’s gathered and discard the waste.
We cannot only take, but also must use what we consume.
For life is a conscious learning — its flower, thought in bloom.

 

Pawan Kumar,

27^th June, 2025, Friday, Time 8:34 A.M., Berhampur (Odisha)

(From my diary, 11th October 2020, Sunday, 4:07 PM, New Delhi)

 

 

A Little Knowing, A Great Becoming

Life’s journey is full of mysteries, challenges, and learning curves. Each day brings fresh struggles & opportunities for growth. This reflection explores the tension between knowing & ignorance, the limits imposed by time & mind, and the silent mission to nurture one’s self into a treasure of enlightenment. It is a personal meditation on embracing small knowledge and striving beyond, no matter how tiny the steps.

---

Reflection

Every day is a challenge, and the body and mind
Take different routes without a control or guide.
Life is a labyrinth—it jumbles by itself,
And some solution arrives, slow but sure, with time.

Indeed, life’s puzzle is never fully solved—
At least not by the individual’s own hands—
He lives with these gaps, these deficiencies known,
Knowing well, he’s small in Providence’s grand plan.

Examples are many: I own a mobile phone,
With apps that could make life so much more smooth.
But I don’t know how to use them, and remain ignorant,
And simply work with the little that I know.

I sit in a car every day, but know not its parts,
Nor how all systems work to give me a smooth ride.
I am content with this little knowledge—just sit back,
The driver drives; the mechanic will repair as needed.

I have a laptop computer, vast as a sea—
Its knowledge could make me a Bill Gates in time.
But I lack the urge, do not try, and perhaps will never
Understand its depths beyond my humble reach.

Admittedly, one cannot know the whole,
But must bear the pain of knowing too little, still.
This is life’s great compromise—the little we hold—
Perhaps a foolish world where all know but a bit.

Some try to rise above their ignorance, but face
A vast, enormous field far too wide to grasp.
Body and mind have limits, practical and firm—
Time, energy, and age make many things impossible.

Yes, with effort, perhaps we can know a little more,
More than if we didn’t try at all to learn or grow.
But here lies the crux—each one is given a choice,
Some freedom in how they treat themselves in this regard.

Man is given intellect by providence’s grace,
Which he may use for growth, to develop himself.
Though sometimes we block each other’s paths with schemes,
At times, we support for reasons deep and true.

Life’s span is limited, mostly passed in routine:
Eating, working, going out, sleeping, and so on.
What best time you can carve out just for yourself?
Very little—and that little must be wisely used.

Within one’s limits, try to reach the highest peak,
It is possible—one must strive with all their heart.
The problem is that others can only help a little—
You must show your intentions clearly to see results.

A life with a mission focused on the self—
The self is a project to develop beautifully.
Try at least what lies within your bounded limits,
And some respite will come, to grow and flourish well.

Even a single day of true enlightenment—
More precious than the full wealth of all today.
It is a personal treasure none can ever match,
So we should all strive with passion to outshine.

Pawan Kumar,

9th June, 2025 Berhampur (Odisha) Time 9:06 A.M.

From my Diary (A Morning Reflection — 1st April 2021, Thursday, 8.39 A.M. New Delhi)