A thorn is a changed bud

A Thorn is a Changed bud Twenty seven years of Imprisonment, an isolated cell, no light, no bed, no proper food, no communication with outer world. Consumed by depression, uncertainity, frustration the person felt like bursting out with all his might, yet he stood still, he never let those emotions absorb him instead of getting cold and consumed with vengence, he turned the experience into strength and commitment to reconciliation to fight racial discrimination and apartheid. He is none another but Mr. Nelson Mandela A bud is innocent, vulnerable everything which begins in this world begins as a tender bud, but the circumstances one face in the course of life and the choices and factors like education, society, nature, and situations shapes the person one is becoming, it may be a Thorn or a beautiful flower. It depends on what the person chooses to become. In family settings, we would have people saying to siblings, "You both were brought up under same roof, by same parents, but how one is like this?

and another like that" people ask this question because they perceive people of same 'blood' act alike each other, but in reality, the circumstances and the choices one make in response to that situations is the deciding factor. Lets say, Two children grow up in a family setup which is rigid, controlling, dominant, Patriarchal and when they grow up one child imbibes the same trait, but other is completely opposite, How is it possible? The child A, has absorbed the rigid, controlling trait of his parent, and have developed the mindset this is how a 'Man' should be, this makes me a man and continuous the same path. but child B who was suffocated, starts introspecting, questioning and in search of his individuality, he discovers an another version of what makes a man? and starts building internal qualities like Emotional Intelligence, Love, empathy, Tolerance, patience, zero male ego so on that transforms him to an opposite version of his father and brother. So, two brothers, same blood, under same roof, but two different responses, one absorbed it another one reflected it.

The society we live in constantly thrusts preconceived notions and standards on its participants, say for example; An woman should not dress like man, cut her hair, woman's feminity is measured by her physical appearance - Not too tall, Not too short, Not too lean, Not too fat, Not dark but fair and tend to judge women and measure her worth based on these criteria, Similarly a Man should not cry, he is to be strong, protective figure, he has to be tall, staunch, with beard and moustache that is & masculine energy. People thrust these perceptions into Individuals and expect them to conform to it, Individuals who absorbs these comments and starts measuring their self worth based on these notions of society actually lose their individuality, whereas the ones who are self aware, does not get swayed about these notions and doesn't measure their self worth based on external validation. Same standards, different responses, Whenever we see a news of about war, injustices, crimes, harrasments, corruptions, our mind predominantly goes where world is going? what government is doing? why systems are this way? It can become healthy/unhealthy depending on how we choose to react to these questions, but when not channelized properly, it leads to degradation, loss of values, economic loss, loss of trust in institutions. Same thoughts aim and aspirations, different outcomes, In this highly technological world, world of Artificial Intelligence, Technology serves as a bud of human innovation, it promises connectivity, development, progress, prosperity but it depends on how society use it. Mindful usage of social media leads to productivity, enhancement of knowledge, avenues for entrepreneurship and skill development, but oblivious usage leads to Alienation, cyber crimes, misinformations. Same social media, different choices. Same potential can produce difference outcomes based on how we choose to respond it.

So are we merely products of circumstances? The answer is No. Circumstances shapes us, but the choices we make, the decisions we taken and the situations we choose to respond all together influence a person from becoming a Thorn or a flower. Dr BR Amebedkar was a victim of caste oppression and Injustice, instead of getting cold, he worked for the upliftment of Dalits and drafted the constitution. Dr APJ Abdulkalam was from a poor background, yet he used it as a fuel and became an aspiring scientist and president.

A Thorn is a Changed bud Twenty seven years of Imprisonment, an isolated cell, no light, no bed, no proper food, no communication with outer world. Consumed by depression, uncertainity, frustration the person felt like bursting out with all his might, yet he stood still, he never let those emotions absorb him instead of getting cold and consumed with vengence, he turned the experience into strength and commitment to reconciliation to fight racial discrimination and apartheid. He is none another but Mr. Nelson Mandela A bud is innocent, vulnerable everything which begins in this world begins as a tender bud, but the circumstances one face in the course of life and the choices and factors like education, society, nature, and situations shapes the person one is becoming, it may be a Thorn or a beautiful flower. It depends on what the person chooses to become. In family settings, we would have people saying to siblings, "You both were brought up under same roof, by same parents, but how one is like this? and another like that" people ask this question because they perceive people of same 'blood' act alike each other, but in reality, the circumstances and the choices one make in response to that situations is the deciding factor. Lets say, Two children grow up in a family setup which is rigid, controlling, dominant, Patriarchal and when they grow up one child imbibes the same trait, but other is completely opposite, How is it possible? The child A, has absorbed the rigid, controlling trait of his parent, and have developed the mindset this is how a 'Man' should be, this makes me a man and continuous the same path. but child B who was suffocated, starts introspecting, questioning and in search of his individuality, he discovers an another version of what makes a man? and starts building internal qualities like Emotional Intelligence, Love, empathy, Tolerance, patience, zero male ego so on that transforms him to an opposite version of his father and brother. So, two brothers, same blood, under same roof, but two different responses, one absorbed it another one reflected it. The society we live in constantly thrusts preconceived notions and standards on its participants, say for example; An woman should not dress like man, cut her hair, woman's feminity is measured by her physical appearance - Not too tall, Not too short, Not too lean, Not too fat, Not dark but fair and tend to judge women and measure her worth based on these criteria, Similarly a Man should not cry, he is to be strong, protective figure, he has to be tall, staunch, with beard and moustache that is & masculine energy. People thrust these perceptions into Individuals and expect them to conform to it, Individuals who absorbs these comments and starts measuring their self worth based on these notions of society actually lose their individuality, whereas the ones who are self aware, does not get swayed about these notions and doesn't measure their self worth based on external validation. Same standards, different responses, Whenever we see a news of about war, injustices, crimes, harrasments, corruptions, our mind predominantly goes where world is going? what government is doing? why systems are this way? It can become healthy/unhealthy depending on how we choose to react to these questions, but when not channelized properly, it leads to degradation, loss of values, economic loss, loss of trust in institutions. Same thoughts aim and aspirations, different outcomes, In this highly technological world, world of Artificial Intelligence, Technology serves as a bud of human innovation, it promises connectivity, development, progress, prosperity but it depends on how society use it. Mindful usage of social media leads to productivity, enhancement of knowledge, avenues for entrepreneurship and skill development, but oblivious usage leads to Alienation, cyber crimes, misinformations. Same social media, different choices. Same potential can produce difference outcomes based on how we choose to respond it. So are we merely products of circumstances? The answer is No. Circumstances shapes us, but the choices we make, the decisions we taken and the situations we choose to respond all together influence a person from becoming a Thorn or a flower. Dr BR Amebedkar was a victim of caste oppression and Injustice, instead of getting cold, he worked for the upliftment of Dalits and drafted the constitution. Dr APJ Abdulkalam was from a poor background, yet he used it as a fuel and became an aspiring scientist and president.