Top Secret

Many politicians, policemen, lawmakers, law breakers, protectors, perpetuators, professed lovers etc. have one thing in common. They all participate to a great degree in the delights – as well as the burdens – of sharing a secret. That is why we are jealous of them, for the secret fulfills a truly basic human need. A secret is absolutely wonderful ! Whether wife discovers it while scrumptiously rummaging through husband’s drawers, or Saas ji eavesdropping outside closed doors of Bahurani, whether we share it in furtive whisper or stoically keep it to ourselves, a secret is the perfect synonym for excitement and adventure.

A secret can be a burden too, if we have to keep it to ourselves. But the difficulty of keeping a secret cannot outweigh the delight of discovering one. Nothing unites people than having a secret in common. Secret societies, conspiracies and intrigue benefit from the power and attraction of a secret. And the good news is – there’s a secret around just about every corner. So while there is no dearth of secrets, the trick is to retain a sense of curiosity.

Most people have a secret or two. A friend of mine once indulged in the fun of calling up all sorts of people on the phone and whispering "I just chance to know a couple of those things and goings on etc." into the handset in his most conspiratorial voice.

Actually he knew nothing at all but almost all of the people so addressed were nevertheless astonishingly quick to realize which of the secrets he claimed to 'know'.

Secrets lie in wait just beyond our own four walls for the open mind-well, at least if one of the walls borders on a neighbouring flat. What goes on there day and night, why this neighbour returns so late in night, who is that frequent visitor of theirs? What mysterious fates are lived out behind the doors and windows which we pass by so innocently? Nothing but uncharted territory on our maps. All of animate and inanimate nature offers us nothing but secrets – the minute we care to look. But you need not become too inquiring and marvel at every single thing from now on. A spark of curiosity is enough to confer undreamt of allure on life. If that is not enough for you and then I recommend that you adopt a lead you to all manner of excitement and complications – if you really keep it concealed. This in turn will make substantial contribution to honing your memory and mental agility. But above all, such an alter ego enables us to act out aspects of our personality which we may not have inkling of yet. An alter ego might actually save you from boring or indeed dangerous conformity.

But beware ! keeping your own secrets is not the sole requirement. In every close relationship it is essential in more ways than one that we remain reverent and respectful towards the secrets of others. If you lack discretion, you actually challenge your opponent to insist on his inalienable right to have secrets by reverting to secretiveness and disloyalty. If, one the other hand, you think you already know all of the others’ secrets, then tedium and boredom are your just punishment.

Not every secret has to be resolved. If you persistently seek to be open and alert, however, and live by these active opposites of mysteriousness, then you will never have to worry about running out of secrets.

Source: Milchar