Dirty thoughts

An old photo of mine taken in Dubai

Seeing me pensive, my colleague commented, “It’s thoughts that give us pain. We can change it.”

I thought about it.

“It’s thought that gives us pleasure too,” I countered.

We laughed and parted.

I again thought about thoughts.

I have this habit of going for a long walk and doing some exercises at the awesome Sharjah corniche area whenever I manage to wake up early.

This week I perched myself on a concrete slab, closed my eyes and kept rotating my head as part of yoga.

In a few seconds, a tornado of thoughts lashed my mind. A happy occasion expected in the family, never-ending money challenge, feud with my best friend and graceful ageing. It was all twirling like inside a washing machine. I got lost in the ocean of thoughts.

Suddenly, there was a sound.

Was it a lion roaring or a cat mewing? I swiftly opened my eyes.

There was a burly youth standing next to me.

“Good morning,” he smiled.

I reciprocated, but my eyes immediately fell on the wallet and cap I had placed nearby.

They were intact.

He praised my concentration. How will he know about the war inside my mind!

“Can I join you?” he asked.

I made a demonstration of some exercises that I had learnt in school.

Impressed, he thanked me, picked up his skipping rope and moved off cheerfully.

I felt ashamed.

Why did I look for my wallet and doubt such a good guy from Africa! (That my wallet is mostly empty is another matter).

Thoughts: I do not understand whether they are dirty by default system.