Sunday, September 19, 2010
Control
Life, it seems, is a constant battle over what we cannot control. We battle our emotions and our tendencies. Judgment is often, at the losing end of the battle, at times. But, after that bitter defeat, you do come out with a little bit of gumption and a new found will. That's all what is needed to rule yourself, again. So, I believe.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Accountability
I have been living in the US for more than a year now. While I can be tempted to compare and rant about the development and infrastructure differences between the US and my home country, there were a few subtle experiences that really inspired me during my stay. The public utilities systems here show a remarkable level of accountability and transparency.
Recently, I received a letter from the water distribution board mentioning that tests indicated proof of bacteria in the public water supply. The letter insisted that the species of bacteria found were not really harmful in most cases. For instances where that could pose a health problem, remedies were provided. The letter ended mentioning that the system was committed to quality and would take adequate measures so that this wouldn’t happen again. It mentioned that the letter, which was communicated to all residents in the town, was to be transparent in their service and governance.
The utilities company responsible for electricity provides information about the sources of power in the state, provides a graph showing your consumption for the past 12 months, comparing that with the average household consumption and also mentions why the unit charge is more during certain months and less during others. To top it all, every bill provides valuable tips on saving power specific to the season you are in, information about go-green initiatives and how consumers could be a part of this as well.
These were two examples where organizations showed a great deal of transparency and accountability. These not only instill a sense of confidence in their customers, but also pride for many. If you look at it, these are not hard measures to undertake as an organization. In many ways, these principles are somewhat missing in the utilities system (run by the government) back home. I personally think these principles come before any major overhaul in the utilities system.
Accountability doesn’t stop with organizations. We have our own share of responsibility, and accountability. For instance, we must try our best to help recycling. Here, in the US, and in many other countries, people consciously separate out paper, plastics and other garbage. It is also important to separate out non-biodegradable stuff and materials that are bio-hazards (like battery cells etc). Unfortunately, this measures are not religiously taken in India, and garbage disposal is not given as much importance as it should be. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that we have more than a billion people living in the country, with really, really high population density. Recycling is just one of the many things we civilians should be accountable for. More importantly, we must be aware of the fact that we are accountable for many things – we simply seem to forget them by putting ourselves in a shell, blaming the government and organizations, instead of ourselves.
Recently, I received a letter from the water distribution board mentioning that tests indicated proof of bacteria in the public water supply. The letter insisted that the species of bacteria found were not really harmful in most cases. For instances where that could pose a health problem, remedies were provided. The letter ended mentioning that the system was committed to quality and would take adequate measures so that this wouldn’t happen again. It mentioned that the letter, which was communicated to all residents in the town, was to be transparent in their service and governance.
The utilities company responsible for electricity provides information about the sources of power in the state, provides a graph showing your consumption for the past 12 months, comparing that with the average household consumption and also mentions why the unit charge is more during certain months and less during others. To top it all, every bill provides valuable tips on saving power specific to the season you are in, information about go-green initiatives and how consumers could be a part of this as well.
These were two examples where organizations showed a great deal of transparency and accountability. These not only instill a sense of confidence in their customers, but also pride for many. If you look at it, these are not hard measures to undertake as an organization. In many ways, these principles are somewhat missing in the utilities system (run by the government) back home. I personally think these principles come before any major overhaul in the utilities system.
Accountability doesn’t stop with organizations. We have our own share of responsibility, and accountability. For instance, we must try our best to help recycling. Here, in the US, and in many other countries, people consciously separate out paper, plastics and other garbage. It is also important to separate out non-biodegradable stuff and materials that are bio-hazards (like battery cells etc). Unfortunately, this measures are not religiously taken in India, and garbage disposal is not given as much importance as it should be. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that we have more than a billion people living in the country, with really, really high population density. Recycling is just one of the many things we civilians should be accountable for. More importantly, we must be aware of the fact that we are accountable for many things – we simply seem to forget them by putting ourselves in a shell, blaming the government and organizations, instead of ourselves.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Elevating your game
A thought, one afternoon, took me back sixteen years in time.
I was in high school, and that time, cricket was my passion, my only one. I was the captain of a team of school kids from nearby villages. We weren’t that particularly good a team, partly because most of the team were just beginning to play real games. We were mostly fifth or sixth graders. Unlike in a town or a city, we didn’t really have many teams to chose from, as opposition. There was this team from our neighboring village who kept egging us for a match. We barely had six players in our team. The other problem was that the neighboring team were a bunch of high school and college going guys. Their average age was at least five years more than ours. Better yet, each player was good in a certain discipline – bowling, batting or both. Basically, we were minnows compared to them. And yeah, they were a full eleven member team.
The prospect of a match was uniquely exciting. There was a feeling of certainty that we would be thrashed. But yet, somewhere inside, I felt they could be beaten. It was an unreasonable, yet nagging thought. Perhaps, it was the kind of feeling the captain of the Bangladesh cricket team has before playing Australia.
My team had to be complete for the match. I requested a few friends and classmates from neighboring villages to join us. They agreed, and we were now eleven. Adequate head count was far from being ready though. When we got together to discuss and prepare, we all settled with the idea that we had to prepare enough to avoid an utterly humiliating defeat. The idea was to perform enough to give an impression that we went down fighting.
That evening, a couple of weeks before the big day, self and Guru, my cousin, and a good friend of mine, had a seeming boyish talk. There was no reason to, but we talked about winning. We went on, and on, and kept laughing about it. That Saturday, the sun had set and it was getting dark. We decided to have a good day of practice the next day and signed off.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of winning. I was pacing up and down in my front yard thinking about what it would really take to beat them. We really had only three players matching the level of each of the players in our opposition. I had a seemingly ludicrous thought that if each of us gave 200% and each member of the other team gave 50% or less, out of sheer complacency, we could win. Funny, you might chuckle off, but I was dead serious in thought then. I slept with the thought that we had to find some ways of elevating our game to a different level, to be able to realize my amazing theory.
The next day at practice, Guru mentioned that he had the same thought the night before. So, we began practice with that very goal - raising the level of game. How to achieve that, we didn’t have a clue. I believed it was all about practicing, and practicing hard. I firmed it up in my mind that I had to work on each of my skills – my fielding had be to sharper, my range of batting shots had to improve, and my bowling had to be darn accurate. Guru, for some reason, thought all this was not needed. He just believed in just being himself and going for it. When we practiced, I gave 200%. All of a sudden my game was so better. My bowling was particularly unplayable, and I had a great all-round performance. The extent of my determination and focus at that time were indescribable. I seemed to be all set and prepared. So, I thought. I was to be proved otherwise.
Guru, on the other hand was quite miserable in practice. He seemed to be tense, but believed that things would simply come together on the day of the match. Guru was our best player, and I had nothing but hope that he would deliver. Little did I know, what he would transform into.
The day of the match is something I cannot forget. There was tension as much as there was excitement. We were to play an away game. When we reached the playground, an improvised valley between hills, the confidence I exuded in practice was starting to diminish. I was nervous now, and my feet were trembling. Guru, on the other hand was quite the opposite. The jitteriness that he had during practice was non-existent. He was ready for war.
The first exchange of looks was intimidating for us. They were bigger than us, looked unforgiving, and seemed to be all set to make mincemeat of us.
We won the toss, elected to field and I took to the first over. I was darn nervous for the first ball, but the first ball happened to be a beauty. That took some tension off and gave me tremendous confidence. I knew those guys would be complacent and I cashed on it. I scalped four important wickets, and the they were bundled off for a reasonable small score. But still, that was a tall order for our team, because we had only three batsmen, effectively. We lost the one of them in the very first over – a shaky start. It was all up to me and Guru to take us all the way home.
What happened that day is something I can never forget. It was the day I saw Guru like never before. He single handedly destroyed the opposition. Though I didn't go all the way, I shared a good little partnership with Guru and we sailed home. Guru had just shown an example of how one could really elevate one’s game when required. Even to this day, every one of us (and our opposition) vividly remember that game.
Sixteen years have gone, and in the present day, I look back to glean some lessons. I am constantly faced with similar uphill tasks in work and personal life. Perhaps, even today, I do the mistake of focusing more on skills alone. For short periods of time, you will need to push the envelope of conventional thinking and situation handling. That is what makes you accomplish certain important victories and specific goals. Of course, this level cannot be sustained for long as you would burn out. But nonetheless, you need to help yourself elevate the game, when needed.
I was in high school, and that time, cricket was my passion, my only one. I was the captain of a team of school kids from nearby villages. We weren’t that particularly good a team, partly because most of the team were just beginning to play real games. We were mostly fifth or sixth graders. Unlike in a town or a city, we didn’t really have many teams to chose from, as opposition. There was this team from our neighboring village who kept egging us for a match. We barely had six players in our team. The other problem was that the neighboring team were a bunch of high school and college going guys. Their average age was at least five years more than ours. Better yet, each player was good in a certain discipline – bowling, batting or both. Basically, we were minnows compared to them. And yeah, they were a full eleven member team.
The prospect of a match was uniquely exciting. There was a feeling of certainty that we would be thrashed. But yet, somewhere inside, I felt they could be beaten. It was an unreasonable, yet nagging thought. Perhaps, it was the kind of feeling the captain of the Bangladesh cricket team has before playing Australia.
My team had to be complete for the match. I requested a few friends and classmates from neighboring villages to join us. They agreed, and we were now eleven. Adequate head count was far from being ready though. When we got together to discuss and prepare, we all settled with the idea that we had to prepare enough to avoid an utterly humiliating defeat. The idea was to perform enough to give an impression that we went down fighting.
That evening, a couple of weeks before the big day, self and Guru, my cousin, and a good friend of mine, had a seeming boyish talk. There was no reason to, but we talked about winning. We went on, and on, and kept laughing about it. That Saturday, the sun had set and it was getting dark. We decided to have a good day of practice the next day and signed off.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of winning. I was pacing up and down in my front yard thinking about what it would really take to beat them. We really had only three players matching the level of each of the players in our opposition. I had a seemingly ludicrous thought that if each of us gave 200% and each member of the other team gave 50% or less, out of sheer complacency, we could win. Funny, you might chuckle off, but I was dead serious in thought then. I slept with the thought that we had to find some ways of elevating our game to a different level, to be able to realize my amazing theory.
The next day at practice, Guru mentioned that he had the same thought the night before. So, we began practice with that very goal - raising the level of game. How to achieve that, we didn’t have a clue. I believed it was all about practicing, and practicing hard. I firmed it up in my mind that I had to work on each of my skills – my fielding had be to sharper, my range of batting shots had to improve, and my bowling had to be darn accurate. Guru, for some reason, thought all this was not needed. He just believed in just being himself and going for it. When we practiced, I gave 200%. All of a sudden my game was so better. My bowling was particularly unplayable, and I had a great all-round performance. The extent of my determination and focus at that time were indescribable. I seemed to be all set and prepared. So, I thought. I was to be proved otherwise.
Guru, on the other hand was quite miserable in practice. He seemed to be tense, but believed that things would simply come together on the day of the match. Guru was our best player, and I had nothing but hope that he would deliver. Little did I know, what he would transform into.
The day of the match is something I cannot forget. There was tension as much as there was excitement. We were to play an away game. When we reached the playground, an improvised valley between hills, the confidence I exuded in practice was starting to diminish. I was nervous now, and my feet were trembling. Guru, on the other hand was quite the opposite. The jitteriness that he had during practice was non-existent. He was ready for war.
The first exchange of looks was intimidating for us. They were bigger than us, looked unforgiving, and seemed to be all set to make mincemeat of us.
We won the toss, elected to field and I took to the first over. I was darn nervous for the first ball, but the first ball happened to be a beauty. That took some tension off and gave me tremendous confidence. I knew those guys would be complacent and I cashed on it. I scalped four important wickets, and the they were bundled off for a reasonable small score. But still, that was a tall order for our team, because we had only three batsmen, effectively. We lost the one of them in the very first over – a shaky start. It was all up to me and Guru to take us all the way home.
What happened that day is something I can never forget. It was the day I saw Guru like never before. He single handedly destroyed the opposition. Though I didn't go all the way, I shared a good little partnership with Guru and we sailed home. Guru had just shown an example of how one could really elevate one’s game when required. Even to this day, every one of us (and our opposition) vividly remember that game.
Sixteen years have gone, and in the present day, I look back to glean some lessons. I am constantly faced with similar uphill tasks in work and personal life. Perhaps, even today, I do the mistake of focusing more on skills alone. For short periods of time, you will need to push the envelope of conventional thinking and situation handling. That is what makes you accomplish certain important victories and specific goals. Of course, this level cannot be sustained for long as you would burn out. But nonetheless, you need to help yourself elevate the game, when needed.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Being in a Dream
The patch of time when you are transitioning from a dream to harsh reality is harsher than the reality itself. You are better off being in the state of blissful unawareness.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A random musing on 'Leadership'
I have come to an unexplainable conclusion that one cant really pen what true leadership is, or learn from literature or countless workshops. One's pursuit of what leadership is all about is, in my opinion, as arduous as an expedition to discover the human soul.
When you come across a true leader, you will know, and you will learn leadership without being taught. A few weeks, days or just minutes of being in the influence of one would condense reams of literature collected over centuries to a small speck of insight, and wonder that sits in the forefront of your mind.
You will realize then, that you are blessed.
When you come across a true leader, you will know, and you will learn leadership without being taught. A few weeks, days or just minutes of being in the influence of one would condense reams of literature collected over centuries to a small speck of insight, and wonder that sits in the forefront of your mind.
You will realize then, that you are blessed.
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Joy of Driving
Even as a child, being behind the steering wheel gave me a lot of unexplainable joy –be it my dad’s green Ambassador, or my own toy peddle car. When I started to drive, I ceased to believe it was just about transportation. My first car, a used Maruti, was more than just a car to me. While behind the wheel, I wanted to think I was not just driving, but becoming – becoming the car itself. Every time, I hit a pothole hard, I cursed myself. I tried hard to hear to the hum of the engine to understand how the car was feeling. My car’s health seemed no less important than my own.
I am in the US now, and my stay here has been joyful, attributed to the time I have spent behind the wheel. I am really happy to be in New England. You can see some of the best scenic byways here. The sheer joy of driving through winding roads, through mountains and valleys is second to none. Twisty hill climbs are followed by descents to open valleys. The wind plays music, the foliage play to the tune and the brook glitters in the tender sun. Your eyes fail to completely comprehend the resplendent scenery painted in front of it.
But then, there is a problem. My heart goes into a conflict of sorts. Should I tune into the heartbeat of the engine, or should I feel the wind in my hair? The thought of being perfectly between the road markers fights with the feeling of flying through the valley with lofty spirits. I am not sure if I need to play music in the car, or tune into the piston station. Perhaps, this conflict makes the drive more desirable. Perhaps.
Byways, is where I saw the real passion for the road - groups of riders in their thunderous cruisers, with no care of what was happening in the world beyond the road’s shoulders. I could relate their joy to the what Pirsig described in his profound masterpiece. I would be there, someday.
Well, my passion for driving still doesn’t make me a good driver. I am human, after all. So, this is where the flow experience comes to play - striking the right balance between the rules of the road, and roar of the engine. More miles, is what I need.
I am in the US now, and my stay here has been joyful, attributed to the time I have spent behind the wheel. I am really happy to be in New England. You can see some of the best scenic byways here. The sheer joy of driving through winding roads, through mountains and valleys is second to none. Twisty hill climbs are followed by descents to open valleys. The wind plays music, the foliage play to the tune and the brook glitters in the tender sun. Your eyes fail to completely comprehend the resplendent scenery painted in front of it.
But then, there is a problem. My heart goes into a conflict of sorts. Should I tune into the heartbeat of the engine, or should I feel the wind in my hair? The thought of being perfectly between the road markers fights with the feeling of flying through the valley with lofty spirits. I am not sure if I need to play music in the car, or tune into the piston station. Perhaps, this conflict makes the drive more desirable. Perhaps.
Byways, is where I saw the real passion for the road - groups of riders in their thunderous cruisers, with no care of what was happening in the world beyond the road’s shoulders. I could relate their joy to the what Pirsig described in his profound masterpiece. I would be there, someday.
Well, my passion for driving still doesn’t make me a good driver. I am human, after all. So, this is where the flow experience comes to play - striking the right balance between the rules of the road, and roar of the engine. More miles, is what I need.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Displacement
Spring was coming to a close in New England; summer was knocking on the door. I was in my apartment looking outside the window. There were white fluffs, each as large as a palm of a hand, flying in the brisk wind. Seeds they were, in their millions. So dense was the air, that it appeared like a heavy snowfall.
For many plants and trees, dispersion of the seeds by means such has the wind is critical. Without this displacement from the parent, sprouting, and hence the continuation of life wouldn’t be possible.
“Displacement” was the thought that stuck on to my mind, that instant. As I thought, I realized that I was displaced myself - from the comforts of my hometown, my folks, my friends and my home. As much as it is painful to leave these behind, it is important to do so. It is displacement that makes you better, both in your career and your life. The further you put yourself away from the comfort zone, the better you would learn to adapt, and thrive.
Displacement was what I needed. Now that I have it, life beckons, again.
For many plants and trees, dispersion of the seeds by means such has the wind is critical. Without this displacement from the parent, sprouting, and hence the continuation of life wouldn’t be possible.
“Displacement” was the thought that stuck on to my mind, that instant. As I thought, I realized that I was displaced myself - from the comforts of my hometown, my folks, my friends and my home. As much as it is painful to leave these behind, it is important to do so. It is displacement that makes you better, both in your career and your life. The further you put yourself away from the comfort zone, the better you would learn to adapt, and thrive.
Displacement was what I needed. Now that I have it, life beckons, again.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The First Center of Excellence
If you ask any young kid in my country what she wants to be when she grew up, you wouldn’t be surprised if the kid mentioned the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Kalpana Chawla, Dr. Kalaam and so on. And why not be, these individuals are role models in their respective fields. They are looked upon as gods who exhibit certain qualities that captivate a young mind. They set the benchmarks for achievement, for excellence.
As much as this is a good thing that kids can differentiate the best from the rest, I sometimes feel saddened that the chosen role model is not from within your own family. When was the last time you heard a kid saying "I want to be a great engineer like Papa when I grow up", or "I want to be a great Doctor like Mama". This could be attributed to the parent deliberately belittling their jobs in the eyes of their kid, so that the kid aspires to be something which the parent thinks is more superior. Well, if that is the case, then the parent is inadvertently infusing discrimination in the mind of the kid - a lack of dignity of labor. This is not a small problem.
The other, seemingly subtle reason could be that the parent is not exhibiting those qualities which the child looks upon as exemplary. To the parent, it's like a performance appraisal gone too badly. This is perhaps a grim reminder that the parent might not after all, be doing justice to her job, her responsibilities.
I believe one of the biggest achievements you can have in your life is to be a role model for your own kid. To get there, one would need to reach a level of sustained performance and peerless excellence in the eyes of your own kin. The first center of excellence you would need to be a part of is your own home.
As much as this is a good thing that kids can differentiate the best from the rest, I sometimes feel saddened that the chosen role model is not from within your own family. When was the last time you heard a kid saying "I want to be a great engineer like Papa when I grow up", or "I want to be a great Doctor like Mama". This could be attributed to the parent deliberately belittling their jobs in the eyes of their kid, so that the kid aspires to be something which the parent thinks is more superior. Well, if that is the case, then the parent is inadvertently infusing discrimination in the mind of the kid - a lack of dignity of labor. This is not a small problem.
The other, seemingly subtle reason could be that the parent is not exhibiting those qualities which the child looks upon as exemplary. To the parent, it's like a performance appraisal gone too badly. This is perhaps a grim reminder that the parent might not after all, be doing justice to her job, her responsibilities.
I believe one of the biggest achievements you can have in your life is to be a role model for your own kid. To get there, one would need to reach a level of sustained performance and peerless excellence in the eyes of your own kin. The first center of excellence you would need to be a part of is your own home.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Frugality
It is a point of time when birthdays and anniversaries can be remembered by checking which major bank or financial institution collapsed on that day. The newspapers don’t seem to have enough of pay cuts and layoffs. To top it all, the communication from the corporate houses are sober, at best.
People who have seen it all have many a quote to share - "It's too good a crisis to waste", "Wherever there are adversities, there are tremendous opportunities" and so on. What does this all mean to each one of us? Is it just for the senior management and leadership teams to think what to make of this situation? I guess not - it starts with every individual.
I believe it starts with frugality. The best analogy is the survival of wildlife in African plains in the thick of summer, after months of lush green abundance in the rainy season. As summer moves in, food gets scarce, water scarcer. The wildlife has evolved to deal with it - animals slowly switch to frugal mode. They expend lesser energy, conserve water content in the body and they survive, and survive well.
Professionals in this harsh economic climate would need to evolve traits which helps them survive well. For us, being frugal doesn’t just entail reducing spending. It is not just about saving fuel, water, electricity or paper. It is also about avoiding the wastage of one of most important resources - time. A conscious effort to achieve more with lesser time goes a long way in making one deal with adversity. It means being in a state of constant hurriedness to deliver. Time, at this hour, is more than money.
I always think about the recession as the "Deluge", and it takes great amount of preparedness and differentiability from a professional to get on to the "Ark", not just to survive, but to survive and excel.
People who have seen it all have many a quote to share - "It's too good a crisis to waste", "Wherever there are adversities, there are tremendous opportunities" and so on. What does this all mean to each one of us? Is it just for the senior management and leadership teams to think what to make of this situation? I guess not - it starts with every individual.
I believe it starts with frugality. The best analogy is the survival of wildlife in African plains in the thick of summer, after months of lush green abundance in the rainy season. As summer moves in, food gets scarce, water scarcer. The wildlife has evolved to deal with it - animals slowly switch to frugal mode. They expend lesser energy, conserve water content in the body and they survive, and survive well.
Professionals in this harsh economic climate would need to evolve traits which helps them survive well. For us, being frugal doesn’t just entail reducing spending. It is not just about saving fuel, water, electricity or paper. It is also about avoiding the wastage of one of most important resources - time. A conscious effort to achieve more with lesser time goes a long way in making one deal with adversity. It means being in a state of constant hurriedness to deliver. Time, at this hour, is more than money.
I always think about the recession as the "Deluge", and it takes great amount of preparedness and differentiability from a professional to get on to the "Ark", not just to survive, but to survive and excel.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
To go beyond
It is half past five on a December evening. The sun is already set to plunge down into the horizon. As I drive into the 'Tech Park' I work in, I see a slew of people walking briskly while talking on their cell phones. They don visible ID cards and carry compact bag packs - a trait of engineers of my kind these days. They carry smiles on their faces; they are visibly relieved. Perhaps, they are more than happy, and eager to go home to their families.
I am driving at a snail's pace, negotiating an endless array of speed breakers. As I slowly go past the scores of seemingly young people, mostly in their twenties, my mind bubbles up a thought - there is a hell of a lot of potential everywhere! Imagine every one growing beyond basic engineering, and the values of offshore delivery. Imagine one and all to think beyond their set result areas. Imagine everyone blazing a trail of success and unique accomplishments. I can barely imagine the landscape then.
These ten seconds of temporal digression clearly accentuates one thing - Dreaming. Perhaps, it isn't as difficult to live that dream and dare to go beyond.
I am driving at a snail's pace, negotiating an endless array of speed breakers. As I slowly go past the scores of seemingly young people, mostly in their twenties, my mind bubbles up a thought - there is a hell of a lot of potential everywhere! Imagine every one growing beyond basic engineering, and the values of offshore delivery. Imagine one and all to think beyond their set result areas. Imagine everyone blazing a trail of success and unique accomplishments. I can barely imagine the landscape then.
These ten seconds of temporal digression clearly accentuates one thing - Dreaming. Perhaps, it isn't as difficult to live that dream and dare to go beyond.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Solitude pays a visit
The sun is a few hours away from setting; it’s bright all around. The sky is clear, but for a few fleeting clouds. The colors, a rich blend of yellow, red, brown and green, are all around. The sight is pretty, to say the least. I am tempted to walk around, as always. I take a few steps, but the cold wind pierces through my skin; my sweater seems no good. A chilled cold drink can in my hand does not make sense. Birds chirp and fly around, just the way back home. I see high speed traffic at a distance; I don’t hear it. A few yards from me, the American flag and the Ohio state flag next to it flutter in the strong wind. The wind seems to be playful with the fallen foliage, displacing them everywhere.
A friend from the past comes to give me company. We travel back and forth in time, and memories bring smiles. It feels like old times, when time moved fast, but life went slow. The feeling isn’t all that bad. I then walk back to where I belong.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Zone
A humble perimeter of office space housing a handful of mavericks, separated by disposition, bracketed by merriment, disbanded from chaos and disconnected from time - a place on earth we fondly called Ramlal Zone, then.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Success: My Explication
Success in life, to me, is only a measure of how much of a difference you bring to people’s lives. Anything else is just a mindless exaltation resulting from mere fulfillment of material interests. Awards, recognition or fame don’t mean anything either.
Very shallow thought perhaps, but I like to think that way.
Very shallow thought perhaps, but I like to think that way.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Being Unconventional
It’s ironical and woeful that to do good to society and mankind at large, you need to be ‘unconventional’. It seems to me that traits like undivided attention, unwavering focus, unrestrained enthusiasm and unconditional commitment, the ones needed to make a significant difference are not imbibed by default.
That way, existence within this macrocosm is meaningless; un-belonging beckons.
That way, existence within this macrocosm is meaningless; un-belonging beckons.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
The Quest
Courage awakened, arose an unrelenting will
To smile at life, and the pain it may spill
Pride marched forward, despair lay conquered;
The person in the mirror is whom I had discovered.
To smile at life, and the pain it may spill
Pride marched forward, despair lay conquered;
The person in the mirror is whom I had discovered.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
The Smile
In a disarray was my mind
Restless my heart chose to be
Then it dawned upon myself
It was your smile that was killing me.
Restless my heart chose to be
Then it dawned upon myself
It was your smile that was killing me.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The Circle of Happiness
Try out this simple test. Draw a circle on a sheet of paper. Within it write down everything that you think makes you happy. Anything at all, small or big – fame, money, car, jewels, gadgets, or even just coffee. If you are not able to fit in everything into the circle you have drawn, draw a bigger circle, and repeat this exercise till you have a circle that fully envelopes all the things that make you happy, joyful. So, how big is your circle of happiness?
Most typically, our circle of happiness is unimaginably large – so large that perhaps, you wouldn’t be able to draw that on a sheet of paper. It is not so hard to deduce that the larger the circle, the more difficult it is to be happy. Therefore, the perfect state of happiness – no circle at all. It is when you don’t need anything to be happy; you are happy because you just choose to be. Perhaps, this is the state that is documented as the “transcendental state” in our religious texts.
So, let me go back to my circle of happiness and help see it shrink by the day - a lot of work to do here.
Most typically, our circle of happiness is unimaginably large – so large that perhaps, you wouldn’t be able to draw that on a sheet of paper. It is not so hard to deduce that the larger the circle, the more difficult it is to be happy. Therefore, the perfect state of happiness – no circle at all. It is when you don’t need anything to be happy; you are happy because you just choose to be. Perhaps, this is the state that is documented as the “transcendental state” in our religious texts.
So, let me go back to my circle of happiness and help see it shrink by the day - a lot of work to do here.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
In true Christmas Spirit
Our lives always yearn for priceless moments - moments of bliss, joy or of accomplishment. Well, the seemingly unfathomable act of singing carols on the busy Brigade road was definitely one of them!
While most passersby were thoroughly amused, some of them joint us in chorus, and that was a fantastic feeling of oneness. This flagged the beginning of a very special Christmas to us!
Powered by some great wine and the best fruit cake you could ever imagine, we visited several of our friends and family that day, singing carols all along. It is quite hard to put in words the warmth of the people we met and the spirit of unity amongst us.
Needless to say, this was the best Christmas I have ever had.
While most passersby were thoroughly amused, some of them joint us in chorus, and that was a fantastic feeling of oneness. This flagged the beginning of a very special Christmas to us!
Powered by some great wine and the best fruit cake you could ever imagine, we visited several of our friends and family that day, singing carols all along. It is quite hard to put in words the warmth of the people we met and the spirit of unity amongst us.
Needless to say, this was the best Christmas I have ever had.
A memorable adventure
On a weekend that was longer than usual, we, a bunch of four weary software professionals, yearning to get off our bums, decided to head off to the majestic western ghats – destination Hebri. Every moment of that weekend was enthralling to say the very least. Be it driving through the dense, mystic Malnad woods while playing enrapturing music, or meeting fear in the eye – socializing with the loathsome leeches in their thousands, and riding the violent rapids of the Sita river. Blessed were we to see Jog in its crowning glory – a sight that made our lives worth. While the nation celebrated independence, so did our spirit. The elusive joy was simply bountiful.
Context: Reminiscing the Hebri & Jog trip - unmistakably, the best trip of my life.
Context: Reminiscing the Hebri & Jog trip - unmistakably, the best trip of my life.
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