And that is one question you can answer fairly easily. At any given point, he is experimenting with some truth he picked up from a book. Lately, it has been Gandhi's Autobiography, prior to that it was Matthieu Ricard's Happiness, and even before that it was Herman Hesse's Siddhartha...

And while that may seem like he is on some metaphysical quest, I'll also add that he is equally influenced by his round-the-clock newsfeed (from NPR, the Economist...), several graphic and cyberpunk novels, science and technology magazines and every other kind of media he picks up.

He is the only guy I know who can pick up any book or movie and completely go into character. He will imbibe every word in it with utmost sincerity, like there is no greater truth in the world than what he just learnt... which is what I most adore about him, and what sets us apart.

I usually read the same books and casually reflect on them for a bit, but I can't say I have in it me to assimilate what I read into my life as much as I would like to "in theory". It just may be that I have chosen to bypass his quest for self-realization because I am inherently more self-centered and in no mood to realize anything.

But, while I go on contemplating about these books on some diaphanous level, he is living what he learnt in a more meaningful and life-altering way. The trouble is, we live together and influence each other's life choices, which means, I can't always choose to be purely contemplative, and he can't always fully acknowledge his changed attitude... even though we consciously try not to impinge on each others choices.

Here's where it is exciting for me. I find that his receptive and reflective attitude makes him the ideal companion for everything I want to share with him. He is open to any diversion you throw his way... so I totally feed his "open mind" with all kinds of baloney-garbage I find entertaining... and at the end of it, my baloney-garbage becomes his baloney-garbage and he is more excited about it than I was to begin with... which makes him so much fun to be with. :)

Also there is nothing I say or do that shocks him or he's complained about.

The one thing that he is less influenced by but completely immersed in is music. But maybe that's more a statement on the intangible quality of music, where it's influence on people is well... intangible :)

Anyway...

Gandhi's Autobiography that he is reading right now is making me slightly nervous. As Tapi is turning the pages next to me, my mind is shifting a million gears and flashing all the ideas from the book that will become actualized over the next few weeks... Checklist: truth (ok) vegetarianism (ok) nonviolence (ok) simplicity (ok) faith (umm.. ok with me! he might fail Gandhi in this one), celibacy (please, nooooo!) :)

My selfish side is looking to simultaneously supplement Tapi's Gandhi-quest with some mindless TV entertainment ... something that will neutralize all the idealism he is feeling and make it more workable (for me!). I am thinking food and travel shows, some nature and wildlife films, some romantic comedy movies, reality shows, anime, sci-fi and fantasy films... anything and everything that will encourage vicarious exploration or kindle empathetic behavior.

But then, I think he will gobble up all the aforementioned entertainment and delight in this abundance of diversion and then go back to reading Gandhi again...

So that's Tapi. :)

No. It's not his birthday. And I write this knowing fully that he will never read this.