Here It Goes Again

For years I've been contemplating starting a blog. Actually, I did post a "debut"article two years ago, but I pulled it down. Why? Fear of embarrassment, mainly. I am a painfully shy person. Public speaking is definitely not my forte. I don't even like small talk at social events. But I can be highly opinionated with a few close friends. In fact, that's what I do most of the time - form opinions about this and that. I guess that's why I appear deeply in thought most of the time to the extent that people are afraid to interrupt or to be judged by me. Must be difficult to be around me. There have been times, a roomful of people, chatting and laughing away, fall into silence the moment I walk in. I am the worst party-pooper I know.

So why am I starting one now? I can't express it as well as my good friend Rehman Rashid who once lamented "It seems to me we each have an idea of who we are, and each of us lives in the hope of finding someone who can see us the way we see ourselves. To see through our words what we truly mean; to judge from our actions, our true intent. This is almost laughably difficult, but this, I think, is our yearning as human beings. But why is it so difficult, so rare and precious, to have others see us as we see ourselves, and know us as we know ourselves?"

Yes, I yearn to be known by my loved ones, meaning, you guys who are reading this. Access to this blog will be by invitation only, limited to people who I think love me, warts and all. I intend to pour my heart out in this blog and I don't want to expose myself to the whole wide world. You see, I have it all worked out - I am not vain enough to think the public at large would want to read me or confident enough with my writings to withstand open scrutiny. On the other hand, I hate the idea that I am writing merely to myself and I do think I have things to say that are worth saying. You guys are my captive audience!

The title of my blog? Everyone knows the story of "The Emperor that Wears No Clothes". I am like that naive little boy.