So, I was on my customary evening walk around my college campus, when this strange question popped up in my head – “If one was to assume the form of an animal or compare oneself to an animal, what would it be?” As I pondered over the most common answers to this question, I saw something move in the distance. It was like a part of the grey road was moving by itself – a stone perhaps. But then sanity took hold of me and I realized that stones can’t move by themselves. On a closer look, I realized that it was a chameleon, camouflaged to perfection.

Then I wondered why people don’t like being compared to this gifted creature. A popular saying in Hindi goes like this: ” गिरगिट की तरह रंग बदलने वाला “, which refers to a person who changes his behaviour like the chameleon changes its colours. I find this very unfair to the chameleon. I say so because a chameleon changes its colours in accordance with its surroundings on instinct, the same instinct which helps him survive in this world dominated by animals either big in size or big on brains (like us). It does not do so to harm others as the saying suggests, but in pure self defence. 

If you come to think of it, most of our behavioural patterns are based on our instincts. I, for one, consider myself a chameleon because my behaviour depends on the kind of people I’m surrounded with, the way I talk, the things I discuss with them….. everything! And I can assure you, this condition of mine is purely instinctive and spontaneous. When I’m with a girl, I don’t pretend to talk or think like her, I discuss the topics which she wants to discuss spontaneously and without any pretence (although I admit, it sometimes DOES get boring when they turn off the chameleon in them and go on discussing about clothes and footwear 🙂 ) . Similarly, when I’m with my guy friends, we discuss what we like… women, sports, cars etc. The only difference in the two cases is that I know as a guy what guys like to discuss, so I can initiate the discussion, whereas in case of girls, I let them take the lead and discuss things. 

So, you see, the gist of the matter is that being a chameleon isn’t a negative aspect of your personality, as long as it is truly instinctive, the problems  begin when you become the chameleon of that infamous saying. I’ve discovered that harmless chameleon inside me…. have you?