It is that time of
the year when one reminisces about the year gone by and takes stock of what has
happened. Children have been born, marriages have happened, people have got
divorced, people have passed away, new jobs, new courses, new careers, new
friends, falling in love, breakups, good fortune, bad fortune everything has
happened. Each one of you would have had some or more of the above. Some of you
would have made huge progress; some would have had a roller-coaster year and for
some the year would have been largely uneventful.
When I look back at what has transpired with me in the last
twelve months, I think it I need to share it with the world. Twelve months ago,
I was headed towards a simple uneventful year. Good job, decent money, lovely
family, a cute four year rascal, some great friends, playing golf two days a
week... life looked simple.
If any fortune teller had told me that by end of 2015, I
would have quit my job, be on the verge of publishing my first book, be a
regular blogger, preparing a digital media strategy for launch of the book,
interacting with PR professionals to arrange media publicity, be consulting
with a manufacturing company on production, playing golf on weekdays, lost some
money, earning a fraction of what I was earning, commenced entrepreneurship, fallen
in love once again, and still be happy, I would have laughed. I would have
checked what the fortune teller was drinking or smoking. I would have said,
even God can’t write such a script.
But it turns I would have been wrong. 2015, has really been
an exciting year. Truth is stranger than fiction and the script could not have
been written by anyone else other than God. In August 2014, I trekked to
Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world with my mother and a cousin.
Lord Shiva is one who is said to smoke opium and drink bhang. By the time I
reached the temple it was one in the afternoon. I am sure he must have had his
lunch and whatever else, and must have been high, when I met him, which is when
he blessed me by deciding to write my script.
It all began with a life changing event. A friend from
college passed away in February. This was the second such person passing away
in the last six months. That’s when the fickle nature of life struck me.
Everything that one works for, all aspirations which one postpones can come to
a naught in a jiffy. I realised life is so uncertain, it is no point postponing
the pursuit of your dreams. What is the point sacrificing today, for a better
future, if there may not be any future? Carpe Diem has always been my motto, and
seize the moment I did. I decided to quit my job to aim to play golf
professionally. I am sure everyone in office and my family would have felt I
have had a knock on my head. My family would have very easily sent me to a
mental asylum, but then there was one catch, I am the sole breadwinner, so they
put up with this.
I am sure when Lord Shiva was writing my script, he showed
it to Goddess Parvati to approve. And like all wives, she made her presence
felt, by adding Angels in there. After all, no script is exciting enough
without the presence of Angels, other than the spouse. So the Lord agreed and
has been sending Angels time and again to add twists and to bless me.
A lot of people ask me, how we plan our careers. My
experience, over the last 20 years tells me, that it is very difficult to plan
your careers. You have no clue what destiny has in store for you. There was no
way that I could have planned what I have been doing. Many times opportunities
knock at our doors, and we don’t open them, think too much about the risks,
whether it is the right thing do, what if it doesn’t work out etc. I was
telling a friend that I have been extremely lucky. He disagreed. He said that
over and above luck, what I have done is I have been open to opportunity. I
have taken risks. I still don’t know whether I have taken the right decision; one
is right or wrong only in hindsight. So my advice to all you people out there
is, take some risk, laugh a lot, dance to your heart’s content, have a few
drinks, live life, follow your heart, spend time with your near and dear one
and don’t take money and work too seriously. Keep that child in you alive and
count your blessings.
Gods only know what script they have written for me in 2016.
One thing is sure – it is not going to be an uneventful year. I will end this
blog with the following words:
Aansoo hain jo sone nahin dete .....(Tears not letting me sleep)
Aur Sapne hain jo rone nahin dete.....(And Dreams not letting me weep)
Happy New Year and see you all in 2016
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