Quite simply, order is to chaos as Objective Morality is to anarchy. Objective Morality is the balance to utter chaos which is not to the benefit of human survival. However, both are required to create a thriving community. Too much of either will bring about changes to recapture balance between the two. And the catalyst which makes the pendulum swing between them? Change. Growth. In the micro chasm of my soul, I have dealt with both. Change has been forced on me, bringing chaos, then growth brings balance once more. Each cycle makes me into someone I'm proud to be, and into the person I can love without reservation. It allows me to give my love unconditionally to those around me in kindness and care and this makes all the trials put in my path worth the heartache and pain to gain the peace which resulted. Objective morality is the guideline, anarchy is the why. Both exist for growth and balance and communities deal with weighting the scales according to their unique situations. Who is to say what is correct? Until we walk in their shoes, how can we know their hearts? As to the question of whether or not objective morality exists? Of course it does, and it has many faces. As unique as the people who create it; each correct for their reality.

Friend —noun 1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. Simple as it is, I think that most of us would agree with this particular description. Although bland, it appears to encompass all the main ideas of friendship that would spring to mind. But not for me. At least, not anymore. No, as when you look deeper, one discovers that what this definition fails to reiterate is that in true friendship, these feelings are, or rather, should be reciprocated. Not only that, but it also neglects to mention that being a friend includes far more than simple feelings. We're all familiar with the age-old saying, “Actions speak louder than words,” and this aphorism proves its truth time and time again. There was a particular occasion quite recently when a girl I had believed myself to be friends with showed me the veracity of this statement. However, it wasn't in the way that you might think. She didn't fill my head with false promises about lifelong friendship and then fail to deliver. No, nothing of that sort. Words were not the problem at all, in fact. It was her actions that drove the final nail in the coffin of our friendship; they spoke loud and clear. As far as our definition is concerned, I was fully committed to being her ride or die. If I were to refer back to it like an instruction manual, I was certainly ticking all the boxes. But, do you remember our discussion on the fatal flaw of our dictum? It fails to mention the importance of reciprocation. So, it came as a surprise to me that whenever her time came to step into her role, she happily passed up the opportunity. The crux of it was far shallower and pettier than what you may think, which, in my opinion, adds even more insult to injury. She was unable to fulfil her duties as a friend, as she was exceedingly more interested in possessing what we all seem to thrive on in our teenage years, and in fact, at times, later on in life as well; she cared only about popularity. Being an outcast, I could be of no use to her as she tried to climb her way up ‘the ranks', so to speak. What is more, one could argue that she was playing by fair rules, as our definition mentions nothing of returning these feelings of affection. Her rejection had to occur several times before I came to this conclusion. This girl wasn't my friend at all; or if she was, my understanding of the word was evidently flawed. We all too often underestimate how evasive true friendship really is. A person would be lucky to have one true friend in this world, even if the relationship was short-lived. Just to have a taste of what it's like for someone to truly care for and understand you, and to want absolutely nothing in return. As our world becomes increasingly materialistic, our moral compasses slide off their axes and we continue to idolize expense and luxury to an increasing extent, it becomes clear that not much on this Earth is free. Anything worth having always comes at a price. I think that this is our issue when it comes to friendship. And not only this but all of our relationships. Because as soon as something is tied to monetary value, it becomes worthless. And as we all fight our way to the top of the social hierarchy, we buy friendships to help us along the way. The true power wielders in this world are not those with the most money, or knowledge or any of the things that we assume quantify success, at least not on their way up. They are not people with bulletproof integrity and titanium generosity. Neither of those things remain when we hold the world in our hand. Why? Because we sell them. We tie our morals and scruples to earthly goods and desires. The materialism of our society is worth more. So, we take the only things that cannot be stolen from us and sell them instead. And by the end of it, tradable goods like friendship are worth nothing at all. I'm sure you're all wondering how we got here. This place seems like a far cry from our simple dictionary definition. But this metaphor can be translated into every aspect of our lives if we only learn the language. Humanity has driven us to this state of selfishness. Authenticity has become a rarity and the truth a commodity that can be changed to please a buyer. We are unkind to each other. We use each other. We hurt each other. All to get what we want. So, the next time you call someone a friend, perhaps contemplate how truthful you're really being. Both with the friend in question and with yourself. Do you truly care for them, and them for you? Do you both speak about your feelings for each other, or show them? Or, is it all a mere façade for personal gain? Perhaps to work your way into a clique you've been shunned from. To get a leg up in the workplace, perhaps? Don't sell what is priceless. Be good to those around you who care for you. Appreciate the relationships that bring you joy, because they are more uncommon and valuable than you might assume.

 Did you know that too much of chocolates could possibly kill us? If we eat 22lb of chocolates, that is around 40 bars of dairy milk, at one go, we could be dead. Why chocolate, too much of anything could be dangerous. Too much of smoking could cause lung cancer, too much of water could cause water intoxication or too much of running could plaque your arteries. Too much of anything and everything is bad and could possibly kill us. We must take in as much as we need, not as much as we want. But, our wants have no limits. And when it comes to greed too much seems too little. We keep asking for more as no amount is enough to satisfy our greed. A man once said that if he had enough land he can lead a happy life. The devil heard this and thought of testing this man. The devil in the disguise of the village headman was ready to offer this man land. As much land as he could walk around on his feet in a single day. But there was a condition; the man must be back to the starting point by sunset. The next day at the break of dawn the man started walking. He kept on walking and walking as far as his eyes went. No amount of land covered was enough for a happy life. At late afternoon he realized he was way too far from the point he started and he must start walking back now. But it was too late and the starting point was far, far away. The sun started setting. The man started running ferociously thinking that, he will lose all the land he covered. He finally did reach the point, touched it, and fell unconscious. He was dead by that exhaustion of running and the fear of losing all that land. The only land he could take with him after his death was that 6ft land he was buried in. The devil is nothing but greed, which tempts you to keep asking for more till you have satisfied yourself. How much land was enough to feed this man's greed? It is never possible to satisfy human wants. When we were standing, we wanted a place to sit. When we get a place to sit, we want a place to rest. When we get a place to rest we want a comfortable place to sleep. And this goes on and on. I have a cousin who loves cookies. Once he was eating cookies from the cookie jar in the kitchen. He picked cookies one by one from the jar and ate them. He thought he could take more cookies if he takes two cookies at a time. So, he started picking two cookies at a time. It was difficult but somehow he managed. But then he thought why not try taking more cookies. So, he started picking three-four cookies at a time. This time his hand got stuck in the jar. He could not take his hand out without letting go of those cookies. But he did not want to let go. His hand started aching, he let go of the cookies along with the jar, and the jar broke.  That's what happens if we fail to let go on time. We wait till the saturation point, to let go. Thanks to our greed, we keep holding on to something that we desire till we are forced to let go. This ends in a disastrous manner. But not all greed is bad. Sometimes greed is good too. Greed for providing better education to the children in his village of Murshidabad made Babar Ali the youngest Principal at the age of 16. Greed to climb to the highest peak in the world even when she didn't have her left leg made Arunima Sinha the first handicapped person to climb Mount Everest. Greed is a common human attribute. We cannot possibly escape from it. If you are away from the greed for something, it is because you are in the greed for another thing. A spiritual leader may claim that he is not greedy for money or materials in the world. It is because he is in greed for spiritual learning. Greed is in me and in you. No human being is born without it. When a baby is born, it wants to talk. When it starts talking it wants to walk. And after walking it wants to run. Human greed keeps our learning process intact. The whole world is in the greed for achieving something or the other. So it is impossible for us to be aloof from greed. Instead of teaching every child not to be greedy, we must teach them how to channelize this greed for good. After all it just needs the right greed.

I sat alone on a isolated stretch of beach, knees pulled tightly to my chest, staring out at the vast, alluring ocean. I was mesmerized by the sunset kissed swells as the last breaths of daylight slipped past the horizon at my back. Wind whipped off the water and past my cheeks. The smell of salt induced nostalgia that enveloped me like a warm blanket. I reached down and grasped a hand full of sand, squeezing it gently. A controlled flow slid out of my clutch like an hour glass, each grain a tick of a clock as it spilled back to the earth. I've always loved the sea. It's beauty, the sound of the waves crashing, transforming the shoreline with each crest and fall. I remembered running alongside my cousins from the sprawling foam as it washed away our footsteps, leaving behind a beautiful, glistening clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning. As a person grows many venture further into the water. Some dip a toe, others may wade out to their knees, but many go deeper. Unfortunately as beautiful and majestic as it is, the ocean can be both unpredictable and dangerous. A riptide can tear your legs out from under you and pull you out to where it's so deep your feet no longer reach the bottom. A huge wave may crash over you and send you through a spin cycle. You'll lose track of which way is up, down, left or right. When you finally reach the bubbling, white aftermath on the surface, you're gasping for air, your strength and will depleted. Simply praying there's not another one coming. However, If you know anything about waves you'd know it could have been different. You'd know that very same one which destroyed you, through strength, timing and embracing its power could have carried you all the way to the safety of the shore. You may skim your chest on the sand but soon enough the sun will dry your skin and in no time you'll be swimming again. Maybe you'll stay closer to the shallows but that's ok, you're different person now. The last of the sand trickled from my palm. I stood while rubbing my thumb and forefinger together until I felt the ridges of my fingerprints meet again. I walked slowely off the beach as the last crest of the sun dipped behind the bay. I took one final look over my shoulder as a wave receded. What it left behind was a beautiful, glistening, clean slate. A new beginning. And I couldn't help but smile.