Unseen Seen
My decision to write a diary is not a maiden attempt. I tried my hand at this a couple of times earlier as well, the first time was in school. These escapades lasted only for a few days, not sure how long this experiment will last. My wife Swati is sceptical of my attempt not because she doubts my ability to write but due to my fickle mind. She is curious to know what I am writing but I am zealously guarding it. She would rather wish that I put my spare time to good use by doing some household chores. Jokes apart she has been very supportive of my initiative.
The idea to write and publish one’s thoughts through a blog is not only to satiate my curiosity but also to evaluate the possibility of a parallel source of income. I am very intrigued by this business model of generating income through advertisement revenues based on your popularity on social media. Reading is the only hobby that I have carried to date from my childhood. The journey started with a daily dose of Times of India followed by Business India and other magazines on current affairs like India Today, Outlook, etc. not forgetting the filmy gossip magazines like Stardust, Filmfare, Star & Style, and Femina which was subscribed for my mother. Reading is something that I have inherited from my grandfather and father and shared by my cousins as well. Access to a circulating library in the neighbourhood gave a fillip to reading Comics and novels; Noddy, Famous Five, Tinkle, Target, Amar Chitra Katha, Tintin, Richie Rich, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Mandrake, Phantom, Supremo (of Amitabh Bachchan fame). Mystery and detective novels were another craze, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Famous Five, Three Investigators, Sherlock Holmes, Sidney Sheldon, Jeffery Archer, Ruskin Bond, R. K. Laxman, Arthur Hailey and many more. I became fascinated with Pu Le Deshpande a bit later in life, watched his storytelling programs (Katha Kathan), heard him through audio cassettes, and later read his books in that order.
One common theme running in all the great writers/authors is their keen sense of observation, attention to detail, and analytical skills. The ability to decipher the ‘Unseen’ from the ‘Seen’, as expressed succinctly by Sherlock Holmes as “Its elementary my dear Watson”. Sherlock Holmes with his eye for details and analytical mind could see things that his colleague Dr. Watson could never fathom. The characters of Pu Le Deshpande’s stories were for sure picked by him from real life; similarly, R. K. Laxman had a great eye for details; when you read his stories, you can easily visualize based on his description of the scene.
When I look back and take a moment to interpret what I have gained from reading fiction and mystery novels; I am pleasantly surprised to find that I have subconsciously imbibed inquisitiveness and the ability to see the Unseen in situations and people. My inquisitiveness or curious nature is sometimes misunderstood, and my family members jokingly refer me as ‘CID’ of namesake television serial — (Dayaa kuch toh gadbad hai). I am a keen observer of people and situations around me. Although I cannot claim to read people’s minds I can at times foretell and reasonably predict the next actions. I am never surprised by people’s actions or reactions as if I already see it coming; one may call it a premonition or sixth sense. Mostly in adverse situations or early warning signals for an upcoming personal calamity. I could feel the negative vibes especially when things went wrong with my bosses and senior colleagues in the office. In 2 situations wherein I was forced to quit my jobs due to the circumstances, I saw it coming 2 weeks in advance. The pressure was palpable, and I could see myself walking in a quagmire. Office politics is a topic that I will dwell upon later.
Eyes are the most expressive and vocal organ of the human body, one needs to develop the ability to read them. A mirror never lies, similarly, the eyes which are the mirror of our soul never lie. A person can communicate his emotions through his eyes, love, lust, fear, anger, compassion, and sympathy. One can read the emotion in another person’s eyes and assess his next action. You cannot predict his next move but can surely anticipate his line of thinking. This is the primary reason senior leaders always insist on meeting in person before making the final decision. Modalities or operational issues are never discussed in these meetings, but the real intent of the adversary is captured. This is an art that comes with practice and experience. Degrees and textbook knowledge cannot prepare yourself for this situation.
In professional life, most consultants mint money by capitalizing on this aspect. They study the situation and present new insights based on existing facts and figures. The treatment is different, core matter remains the same, it’s that they can draw new inferences which were ‘unseen’ earlier.
The ability to see the unseen, read between the lines, face reading, body language are all passive methods of communication. These are excellent tools to understand and master. They come handy in everyday situations whether in professional or personal life.
