The Atheistic Hindu

My faith is consumed in the warmth of the aarti, but as a child I was afraid of that fire. I aspire to more than being a rebel. I actually mean it when I say that the idols are hollow, that the words are meaningless, and the traditions empty. I blamed this culture for taming my mother; for forcing her into a cage and clipping her wings. But then the words of my ancestors ring in my ears: Sathyam, jnanam, anandam Brahma. For the first time my numb soul fills with feeling; I see the meaning I want to see. I rage for my birthright taken from me. I'll set my own destiny. The planets will follow my lead.