Vulnerability myself and Valentine's Day

I was thinking about what makes people strong in the face of adversity. For those who claim to know my characteristics, I am sure that you find it amazing that I have the faculty to think. However, there are times when I actually think. One thought leads to another as they always do and finally began the concept of vulnerability. What does the word mean and what is its significance? Why do people fear the word and they take great pains to ensure that they not vulnerable? What is it that is so special about this small word?
Personally, before I begin, I would like to say that there have been times that I have been so vulnerable that it pained. Therefore, I guess that gives me the authority to comment on the topic.
However, being the weakling that I take pride in being, I shall not deal with the physical sense. That is for those people who take karate lessons and go workout in the gym daily. It’s a different thing altogether and let us not talk about that. I shall talk about what it is to be vulnerable emotionally. I do not want to go into what makes one vulnerable and why they should do if they are so. I want to touch upon the importance of being vulnerable.
In today’s world, more and more people want to be seen as strong people who are always in control and are scared of the word vulnerability and all that it signifies. They believe that the more in control they seem to be, the better they are professionally. Moreover, who gives a damn for the personal life anyway?
However, I have seen that vulnerability has strange effects on people. By people, I mean me. It took me sometime to realize that vulnerability is not a bad thing. When one is vulnerable, open to the world, one can learn many things. They range from the mundane things about others to the most important question of them all. Let me see if I can take you through them. I believe that it is only when you are vulnerable that you realize who your friends are and who the enemies are. At a time when you are down, emotionally, if a person takes advantage of you, then he is not one you should keep close to your heart. A person who knows that you are open, is ready to stand beside you, in my opinion is a good friend.
What is the opposite of being vulnerable? Is it being strong? Well it is not necessary. One can be strong and still make a mess of life. I am not saying that the vulnerable ones make a mess of life. That is the perception that is doing the rounds. Being strong is a case of not being in touch with who you are and what you want. It is like a mask that one wears to show the world that all is well within oneself. I have seen many cases where the people seem strong and they have become a mess inside. They have been hiding from what they should have realized long ago. That brings me to the most important characteristic of vulnerability, its ability to answer the question,” Who am I?” It gives a clear picture of the truth and all that goes with it. All your wants and your needs, everything that you say and do is direct from the depths of your being. There is nothing that wraps anything that you say and do. In a relationship, it is important to share this vulnerability. It shall enhance the relationship. There are times when I hated myself for being so open, but then this is but one life. Live it so that we never regret what happens or rather what does not happen. Be true to yourself and give others a chance to be true to you.
A thought takes me over. What is the greatest crime of them all? Is it stealing the crown jewels, or war secrets from a country? Is it betrayal of someone’s trust or is it not living up to someone’s expectations? Or is it being someone you are not?
What makes people act as if they are someone they are not? What makes them seem one person to the public and totally another to their own self? The worst part is that the people around you want you to be someone you are not. What makes a man unique? Is it what he does? Is it what he speaks or is it what he believes in? A man is unique not because of what he says or does, but because of the fact that he is a man. One must realize that the people they are with are what they are. They can’t change and there is no point in changing.
Coming back to crime. What makes one want to be someone he/she is not? There have been times when I myself have been someone I am not. I think that a person acts in a different manner if there is something to gain when he is different. When a person is not comfortable with what he or she believes in and feels that someone else’s ideas are better than theirs, there shall come a time when they doubt their own abilities. If you want to join someone’s circle and you think that you are not acceptable as you are, then what do you do? The logical option would be to change yourself and act as if you are one of them.
This means that you are killing yourself to gain something that you want. The other option would be to sacrifice what is less important, the circle. In this world there are some things that can be given up. The one thing that can’t be is what you are and what you mean to yourself.

Varun got a huge lecture on having the attitude of winners and not giving up hope on anything by both meg and joe separately. As usual, he got pained with what he heard because he didn’t give a damn to whatever they had to say and again as usual the late realization effects led him to understand what they meant which never forced you to go out of your way to get whatever you want. What they meant was to work hard for everything and just wait for the results. They can never be bad, all they can do is to demoralize you and hence help you come up against all forces and rise to the top yet again. But this is not the hook or crook way…it’s the right path its too tough… all this sounded text bookish when he heard them but the lessons that he learnt made him realize that sometimes text bookish things haunt you like crazy. He didn’t sleep that night and the next day being Valentine’s day, which he hates like anything, he had to get presents for meg and joe who were deeply in love with each other before they got married. Varun still does not understand the concept of love but he very well understood what meg and joe wanted from him. As a gift he bought a couple of diaries…
The one he gave to joe was with this…

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think you can't
It’s almost a cinch you wont.

If you think you'll lose, you have lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will-
It's all in the state of mind,

If you think you are outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise.
You've just got to be sure of yourself
Before you can win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can

The one which he gave to meg had this… to prove her that he is not stone cold and understands what love means.

I never thought I'd fall in love with you.
I thought someday, of course, I'd fall in love.
But what it felt like, I just never knew;
I'd no idea what I was thinking of.
And then, somewhere between my need and pleasure,
Walking neither overjoyed nor sad,
I looked into my heart and saw a treasure
Worth more than anything I'd ever had.
Ah! This is love! I thought. And then I wanted
To give my life to see your happiness.
Suddenly, from nowhere, I was haunted,
Needy, joyful, tearful, glad, obsessed.
My love for you has brought me out of me.
The beauty in your heart has set me free.