I have often noticed how the most genius of people might have rather twisted ideas, would be absent-minded or simply lost. They might also be impertinently proud or maybe even shy. But where does eccentricity come from?

While the definition of genius is a very subjective matter, I feel that there is a very thin line between genius and eccentric. I first got this idea through a very unrelated circumstance. While I watched House M.D. with my mother, binging the series led me to think why did he always have to be high on Vicodin for him to be an exceptionally good doctor? Then came The Queen’s Gambit. Why did she have to get high to be able to play flawlessly or win even the most impossible game?

Perhaps being high on something takes one to an imaginary wonderland where everyone is able to seek the genius that they otherwise wouldn’t. Well, getting back to the topic of eccentricity and genius, I question this sometimes : Maybe naming people as eccentric gives incentive for a bias to grow against geniuses? Only Lord knows. The beauty though, of a word like eccentric is that it tells you much about a person, but several other thoughts about the meaning of eccentricity, specially in India, gives an entirely different and faulty perspective.

Eccentric is ‘UNCONVENTIONAL’, which is another word that I love. Why? We all are unconventional somewhere. There is someplace we all feel the desire to disagree with the common beliefs or common faith. At least I do. And perhaps I feel that something being unconventional or within the bounds of convention is only a game of habit and opinion. Unconventional things are what drive change. When we stand up for something unconventional, we make a change that eventually drives out the conventional beliefs that might play a part of an obstacle in the pursuit of betterment.

So, if we consider eccentricity to be very close to genius, perhaps we are all geniuses. That is the point that I wish to make today. What gives rise to feelings like jealousy? The thought that something someone else has is better than what we do. But while something that you have is only going to be exclusive to you, why be so insecure? We are all geniuses in our own way and it is the time to cherish and work on our strengths rather than craving for someone else’s strength. This is because what we have is never going to be with someone else. Better to spend our limited days on Earth loving and caring for the people around us!