Preface   Like you, I am infinite born And die I know, I will finite, For every moment of my existence, I eat, I drink, I think, I write!   You may laugh with my creations, You may laugh at my creations, Your one moment of happiness, Is my reward in any situation!   My stories talk of pain, They may be full of hurt, And yet the lotus blooms, But out of mud and dirt!   My work will not be perfect, Applause is not so dear, To me their worth is only, If they remove your tear!   I know I am a gypsy, A bird which flaps and flies, Come live with me this moment, Goodbye! I leap beyond the skies!   This book is not just a collection of poems, short stories, essays and one act play by a common man for commoners on street like you and me. This book covers events in a self-realization journey through expressions made in written words. Even though the writings have been penned over a twelve year period (2004-2016), yet the thoughts have taken a life time to crystallize. My political views started from being right of the center in my childhood as experienced in a family which was anti-'centrist establishment' to be completely liberal as I realized that personal choice and freedom of expression was paramount. My social, economic and life orientation was shaped by the philosophy of Ayn Rand, Dayanand and the liberal atmosphere at SJA  Dehradun and IIT Bombay. It was though on religious and humane front where I have experienced a true evolution.  I was born Hindu, studied in a Catholic school and have had very close interaction with Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh way of life. Religion to me therefore was never a limiting boundary as I crossed the lines many a times to draw from all that I felt was good. But still there was confusion. Why so many differences? Why so much pain and hatred in the name of religion?  Then I went to Indonesia and met some of the most loving and peaceful people in the world.  And finally one day, I got in touch with the teachings of the greatest thinker of our times, Osho. No confusion or doubts existed any more. Religion as I now believe is a very personal feeling which is wrongly confined in the communities created to protect its identity. True Dharma or religion can never be divisive but should be the unifying factor which should link us to the Infinite from whom we all derive. And whose Iotas we are! Today I feel as free as a bird, liberated, unchained. I follow no religious scriptures, adhere to no boundaries, accept no political philosophy nor subscribe to any economic agenda. Freedom is my state of mind. Truth is the only seeking that I aspire to. Humanity is the only religion that I follow. I write to thank my Gurus- Osho, Nanak, Krishna, Dayanand, the beautiful people of Indonesia and above all the common people on the streets of various cities of the world who have enlightened me with this knowledge and to spread it far and wide amongst the fellow iotas.   The poems written in Hindi, a language in which my heart sings and the prose written in English, a language in which my mind speaks are how I See life and not how it should be Shown. They are uninhibited, bold, uncut, raw expressions of truth or its perception from the eyes of a seeker. Hope they touch your soul and together we can learn from each other to make this world a more liveable and likable place!   – Devanshu Narang