Beyond Yourself!
So find out what drives you and maybe at a crossroad, you too could get lucky like Kamran and meet yourself!… But beware in this inward quest, you will incessantly face the fundamental fact: “Why am I here?” and the sway between delirium and deliverance.
At a time when each one of us is seeking for some sort of inspiration to be able to connect with her inner self, ‘Kamran on Bike’ surely drops the penny in the precise spot. Now who is Kamran? Last weekend, casually, my friend had chanced upon him through a Facebook page and, intrigued by his vision, wanted me to dwell upon it. Some minutes into the page and I knew that I was delving into a man who perhaps emphatically embodied the words of Louis XIV. “There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.”
And indeed here is a man who literally does everything on his bike, a borrowed one to start with. He travels, unbridled, conquering not only the terrain without but also the territory within, and every time he turns a test into a taste, he knows that he can traverse farther.
If possible take a pause from living your life at breakneck speed and stop by at Kamran’s blog and I assure you that you too would feel like the speaker in Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening.” Cherish the pause to ponder before you proceed as you too “have promises to keep” and “miles to go before (you) sleep.”
When I read through Kamran’s Argentina affair, I almost encountered the fears and uncertainties that accompany the unknown and marveled at how this biker had overcome all his vulnerabilities, physical as well as mental, till he reached the poise that set him free. Here I would like to share one of his revelations that touched me deeply. “I wanted to behold the finest work of nature, and you turned me into eyes.” And yes, this adventurer sings too, beautifully, even at a time when he admits that he couldn’t speak or “pronounce” as he had been bereft of a singular conversation for a while driving through the wilderness of Yukon. Honestly are we even aware of the blessings that we blatantly take for granted? Or do we need Kamrans to acknowledge the need to build bridges and forge bonds of human connections?
Nature and life seem to unfold in front of Kamran seamlessly as he proposes a thought for the reader: “Just as water is not afraid to jump off the heights because all it wants is to flow, why should you and I be scared if all we’ve ever wanted is to live?” And that certainly leads to the most speculative question that one could ask herself, “What drives you?” With a majority of the population suffering from what is called ‘depression,’ a term quite overpowering in recent times, the probe does seem a seminal one. It is perhaps very similar to ‘Ikigai’ as the Okinawans would call it and explain it as the reason to live.
So find out what drives you and maybe at a crossroad, you too could get lucky like Kamran and meet yourself! But for those who literally want to use the bike as their means of exploration, accept the open invitation of Kamran and join him in a bicycling tour of the most breathtaking places of Pakistan while learning at the same time the art of free-living. But beware in this inward quest, you will incessantly face the fundamental fact: “Why am I here?” and the sway between delirium and deliverance. Kamran Ali, the man is as intriguing as his narratives. He calls himself an introvert but manages to strike up meaningful conversations with strangers. He belonged only to his room till the world widened and took him in her wholesome embrace. And while we struggle maintaining our countable relationships, he established an infinite one with the universe. To appreciate his vision, we also need to see how his eyes captured the most sublime views through his lenses and turned them to eternity. Even mountaineering gets the purest of perspectives through Kamran as meditation and motivation intermingle to seek the summit that needs to be scaled within.
To say the least, there are innumerable posts and videos of Kamran, the man who quit his methodical job to pursue his impetuous passion, and whose family and fate coerced him to become “something” till he mastered many things. Bicyclist, photographer, filmmaker, traveler, story writer, fundraiser, influencer, and the list goes on. In fact, I could keep writing on him and reviewing myself, but then I choose to leave you with one of his talks to discover for yourself the magic that lies in becoming your own Muse.
Now that you’ve heard him, let’s acknowledge that when hardships come face-to-face with Humanity, the latter wins. So go on and do your thing!
By: Promita Banerjee Nag
Disclaimer:
This article and the opinions expressed in it are personal opinions. It is not meant for imposing specific views or endorsing a particular way of life. Also please do ignore any errors or omissions that you might come across. We pledge to learn from them. Happy viewing.
Comments