My dad always said, “Coffee drinkers are better thinkers.” He was a wise man. I’ve never had a reason to doubt him.
These days, “Coffee?” is the answer to everything.
Questions, answers, problems—it doesn’t matter. Coffee solves it all. Especially in Mumbai. The city hums with its energy, fuelled by endless cups.
Maybe it’s the caffeine. Or maybe coffee is just a great excuse to pause, talk, and think.
Either way, I’m not arguing. Coffee?
August will be the curtain raiser month of sorts for me. I along with Stephen Berkeley will be working with interested and interesting participants at a one day Pre-Conference Workshop at the International Association of Facilitators‘ Asia Conference and exploring the power of stories in bridging the world. The IAF Asia Conference 2017 is happening in Seoul in August 2017. What better of a setting for a topic like “Building Bridges and Breaking Walls. One Story at a time”! I think it fit to build context the IAF Asia Conference 2017 Seoul Pre Conference Workshop titled: “Building Bridges and Breaking Walls, One Story at a time” through a series of posts here. This then becomes a space for conversation and dialogue on the power of stories.
IAF Asia Conference 2017 Seoul Pre Conference Workshop “Building Bridges and Breaking Walls, One Story at a time”
Stephen and I have been bouncing ideas off each other for a while now on a variety of topics. From Systems Thinking to organisational structures. The power of local communities. Change processes in organisations. Process facilitation. And a variety of other topics. Even as the conversation evolved, we realised that we were very different individuals with a different take on most topics that we discussed. United only by a strong idea of staying engaged with pursuits that are meaningful.
Even as we discovered more of our worlds we saw how similar they were, despite having completely different contexts. Set in different times, time zones. As much as we had our differences, we were united in our openness to share and exchange stories from our respective worlds. Over time this became to be the fulcrum of our friendship. It was but obvious that the willingness to listen to and share each other’s stories bridged gaps.
One day as we sat on a rock after a small hike, a little idea came upon us. We perhaps could work with larger groups to explore the power of telling and listening to each other’s stories too. Perhaps, we thought, that would bridge larger gaps in the world that surfaced in our conversations many times over. We ran a few experiments, ran the idea past friends and colleagues. The idea seemed to have currency. It kept growing. We wondered why and came up with our own set of hypotheses. The set is only growing. Here are the five that I connect to the most.
a. There are too many wedges in the world we live in. Cultural. Political. Generational. Economic. The trouble is that those wedges are seeming to appear like irrevocable divides. Walls of steel, so to speak!
b. The world has newer tools and additional power to communicate in the modern times. Sadly these tools find increasing use in amplification of these divides.
c. Listening to each other’s stories helps understand points of views and helps explore our world views. Examining these with an open mind brings greater awareness and possible shifts. Stories are integral to these shifts.
d. Shaping and shifting of the narratives and stories, both inside our minds and in the world around us will determine the shape of the world our kids will inherit
e. When whole systems engage in deep listening to each other new realities emerge for the whole system that can be infectious. Systemic change will bring about lasting impact for the system and its constituents.
For now :
Armed with the first-hand experience of leading change initiatives in large organisations and communities, we seek to further the conversation to see what more is possible. Would it be a new set of skills and abilities? Perhaps a deeper understanding of the process of change? Maybe a clearer way to harness what emerges from a story? We don’t know for sure what else the questions are. And thus begins this journey.
While it is a personal journey to take the ‘story of the story’ to newer areas, new bridges will perhaps get built. In the telling and retelling of the stories, new ways and connections have greater chances of emerging. All of us who jump into participate are going to be better off depending on how much we are willing to give and take. Seoul in August ’17 will be the first pit stop. And we intend continuing the conversation, armed with whatever comes from the previous pit stops. This space will curate the journey and will continue to evolve.
This is work in progress. And this is far from complete. Wonder if we will all ever be. So, do jump into the conversation. Spread the word. Let’s see what stories emerge.
We sit by the sea, watching its endless waves. She sits beside me, tossing questions like pebbles into the water.
“Where does the sea begin and where does it end?”
“Can we build a new sea?”
“If we can’t build a new sea, then we must take care of this one, right?”
I nod. She’s here for answers. I came here for the breeze. But she’s stirring up a storm.
Somewhere, I hope the right men and women are listening. Because the sea has no voice—except for those who ask the right questions.
(at Marine Drive Mumbai)
Life isn’t just lived—it’s chosen. Every moment, every turn, every ‘yes’ and ‘no’ shapes where we stand today and where we’ll go tomorrow.
We are the sum of our choices. Some lead to open doors, others to lessons. But each one writes a part of our story.
Choose with care. Choose with courage. Because the fruits of good choices don’t just nourish the present—they secure the future.
#choice #health #fruits #stories #culture #life #ordinary #traveller #instatravel #instapassport #blogger #travelblogger #blogging #traveladdict #traveltheworld #wanderlust #play #lessons #india #metaphor #love #reflection #purpose
#season #future (at Gurgaon, Haryana)
There’s something about the rural plains that feels like a deep breath. A pause. A reset. Maybe it’s the colour—bold, unapologetic, woven into every fabric, wall, and festival. Maybe it’s the lack of sterile perfection, the absence of polished edges. Everything here is raw, textured, and gloriously authentic.
Take these mud horse statues from Madurai. Bright, defiant, standing tall against time. They aren’t crafted for galleries; they are made for the land, the people, the stories. Each jagged line, each uneven brushstroke carries a tale. There’s no need for refinement when there’s meaning. No need for symmetry when there’s soul.
Walking through these lands, surrounded by these colours, I feel something shift. A reminder of where I come from. The earth beneath my feet is familiar, yet always new. My roots, like these statues, breach fresh ground—seeking, stretching, growing.
Perhaps that’s the gift of places like this. They don’t conform. They don’t pretend. They simply are. And in their raw beauty, they remind us to be, too.
#village #Madurai #passion #rural #stories #culture #life #ordinary #traveller #instatravel #instapassport #blogger #travelblogger #blogging #traveladdict #traveltheworld #wanderlust #play #lessons #india #roads #metaphor #love #reflection #purpose
#temple (at Madurai, India)
A bunch of flies. That’s all it took to disturb the giant. They buzzed, hovered, and annoyed. The tail swung in swift, practiced arcs. The head shook—first a twitch, then a full-bodied fury, horns slicing the air like exclamation marks of irritation.
And then, as suddenly as it began, stillness.
The bull reclaimed his calm, standing his ground like a seasoned warrior who knows battles are won by patience, not panic. His horns, curved and mighty, framed the world anew—turning the ordinary road into a scene from an old, untold legend.
For a brief moment, everything aligned. The dust hung in the air, the flies retreated, and the great beast stood unchallenged, his silence louder than any movement.
Somewhere, another fly plotted. Somewhere, another swish of the tail would follow.
But for now, peace.
#animals #cow #roadside #stories #culture #trade #commerce #life #ordinary #traveller #instatravel #instapassport #blogger #travelblogger #blogging #traveladdict #traveltheworld #wanderlus #play #lessons #parenting #india #mtabu #Rajasthan #metaphor #love (at Mount Abu)
Few cars have held space for such extremes as the good old Ambassador. It stood tall, equally at ease ferrying the powerful bureaucrat and the tireless taxi driver. One car, two worlds. The only difference? A coat of paint and, perhaps, a red beacon on top.
A fresh polish, a new badge, and suddenly, power shifted. But beneath it all—the same engine, the same steel frame, the same unmistakable bulk navigating potholes and people alike.
Isn’t that how life works? Titles, uniforms, status—coats of paint that shape perception but not the core. Strip them away, and we are all running on the same fuel—hopes, fears, and the daily need to keep moving.
Co-holding is about recognising this shared essence. Power and purpose can sit side by side. The taxi driver and the bureaucrat, the leader and the led, the privileged and the everyday worker—each playing a role, each moving forward.
And at the end of the day, the Ambassador carries them all.
#stories #culture #life #ordinary #traveller #instatravel #instapassport #blogger #travelblogger #blogging #travelinsights #traveladdict #traveltheworld #wanderlust #destinations #entrepreneur #startup #disrupt #fun #metaphor #love #story #latergram #work #meaning #conversation #love #cars #ambassador
A bubble floats, catching the light, shimmering with impossible colours. A child watches, wide-eyed, as if witnessing pure magic. And maybe, just maybe, they are.
Because magic isn’t in the moment—it’s in how we see it. Every day hands us the same raw materials: time, people, possibilities. We can treat them as ordinary, or we can see the shimmer, the wonder, the fleeting brilliance.
The moment offers the opportunity. The magic is ours to make.
Here’s to a week filled with wonder!
The hills of Vagamon do not just sit quietly. They call out, but only if you listen. The winding roads, the tall trees, and the gentle slopes hide their invitation. “Come,” they seem to say. “Climb, and you will see.”
Climbing is never easy, but the best views come after effort. And when you reach the top, it all feels worth it. The air is fresher, the world looks different, and the journey suddenly makes sense.
As the sun begins to set, the colours change. The hills turn gold, then orange, and finally a soft shade of dusk. The wind picks up, moving through the freshly cleaned road, making the plants dance. They bend, they sway, they follow the wind’s lead. They seem to smile, happy to be part of this moment.
Maybe we should be like them. Climb, adjust, move with the changes, and enjoy the journey.
So, which height are you climbing today?
(at Vagamon Meadows)
Michael Jordan once said, “Success doesn’t stop when you get there.” And he would know. Winning wasn’t his final goal—it was just a checkpoint before the next challenge.
Reaching the top is one thing. Staying there? That’s the real test. What changes when you get there? Do your values shift? Do your old associations still fit? Does your outlook evolve, or do you stay the same?
And then comes the biggest question—What next?
A true winner doesn’t just celebrate the shot. They look up at the hoop again, ready for the next play.
Are you?