Meri Jaan, as the ball drop begins for another year, I am sure most of us are making plans for next year.
What more can be achieved, should I get married or stay solo, will I find that love of my life, should I stay steady or move on beyond the current Gf/Bf/job/house/place, should we plan for a kid, how much more can we save, where else can we travel, where to plan the kid's next birthday party, how much % of my next pay will go towards this asset, house, or investment?
Oh Yeah !! We take life so much for granted - Don't we? :)
We get so engrossed in our specific lifestyle, that we start believing in our day-2-day schedule and start framing our lives around that schedule.
Well, most of us will say, schedules and routines are part of life and then we have to plan for the future? Don't we?
True! But, who knows about the next moment Meri Jaan, Predictive schedule and future is a very lonng way?
I am pretty sure all of you know this, but one thing that I have learn-ed over the years is that the greatest thing about Life is im-permanence: Life is always changing and it has its own schedule.
Do you know the most read story in Time magazine this year was of this lady who missed the flight from Rio De Janeiro?
Johanna Ganthaler had been on holiday in Brazil with her husband Kurt and missed the doomed Air France Flight 447 that went missing over the Amazon. Ironically, Johanna safely reached her hometown and the very next day she died in a car crash.
So, events constantly keep happening around you pledging to move you away from a frame. Sometimes we keep moving with those events and sometimes we choose to ignore those events. But things will keep changing and so will the time frames in your life.
Think of the people who attended the Obama inaugration? Or, those that survived the deadly recesssion that was deadlier than the Swine-Flu? Think about the pedophile MichaelJ who was really working hard on his stage comeback show, OR, poor Brittany Murphy who was still trying to move on in Hollywood. The Time Frame just changed the surroundings around all these people.
So, should we stop making plans? Should we not do anything? No resolutions?
Meri Jaan, dont make any resolutions, dont make any plans - but just go DO SOMETHING!
Do anything to break beyond your existing routine and time frame - for you know not what is coming.
Go sailing, go travelling, learn an instrument, language or go dancing, go fishing or dive into cooking, run a marathon or exercise a ton, but just dont follow a routine and stagnate in your so called - protective front.
I remember the story of a Raja.
Once, there was this ruthless king.Meri Jaan, the Raja's dilemma is not a new one. For the Raja, it was kingdom governance for most of us it could be life-governance. Keep the thinking cap on, and never leave the thought-flux; is this the real life, or somewhere else?
In the day, he used to be a very strict ruler with no-mercy on the people of his kingdom. But, every night, in his dreams, he used to wander into the villages to go help these same villagers in every possible way.
One day, he called his local counseller and told him about what had been happening.
The Raja said, every day I do my job, I follow my routine of what I am supposed to do, but every night I wander off to help the same people. So, then what it the true world - is it after I sleep, or is it when I wake up? Sach kya hain?
The counsellor smiled and said - Raja, I cannot answer that question, for it is you who dreams of a different world. So, Neither state - day or night is a true or definitive state. The only truth in this world is time and its feature of constant change !
In the day, you are stuck in a routine of your governance, this is what a Raja should do - be strict, ask people to obey those ordinances or bear strict consequences. In the night, your heart takes over your mind, and you start doing what you really believe.
So, it is you who has to decide which is the true world. Night or Day?
If you really believe in something, then why not bring that change in the world? Why be so merciless on those peasants during the day?
Why just follow a track or routine of kingdom governance? You have the power to change it, you can do it King.
All, I will say is that - You Decide, but you better decide fast for you never know when those lights will change from amber, orange to red !!
Tou Meri Jaan, till we meet next year, stay safe, be aware of those changing time frames around you, and most importantly stay in loeve !
Wishing you all a great Holiday season and a Very Happy New Year !!
- Pankaj
19 comments:
Merry Christmas. You made me cry with the story about the King. I am in a state in my life where I dont know which way to go, but I think I have some direction after reading your blog. Thank you Pankaj. May Life give you all you deserve. You are a great person with a beautiful attitude. You may not know this but you must have changed the lives for so many people. Stay good and keep writing.
Super post. I did not know you were into philosophy dude. Happy New Year.
Happy New Year. When do you come back to the US?
Life is a b#####. I lost my mom 2 yrs back and at that point I was making plans to take her to China, Japan and likes. All plans and even life went on hold for next yr. But, we keep moving and so does life. I liked the Raja story. Happy New Year and keep writing the good posts.
Happy New Year. It always feels good to read your posts.
Your post reminded me of Avatar in some way. In the movie, the lead actor is caught in two worlds and he is uncertain which path to go? Like you said we are all facing the same life dilemma. There used to be a Hindi song - main idhar jaaoon ya udhar jaaoon? Do you know the movie?
Life is funny and not always sunny is what I always tell my hubby. Every moment is precious and I treat every second as a moment truly lived. Donno about others but I truly believe in your sentiments. How is life treating you in India?
Happy New Year. I still remember your Vegas story. Have you travelled anywhere in India?
The King's story is good. I also had planned lots of things but life has its own path to follow. Your time frame thing really made me cry. My aunt was cutting vegetables and she just fell on the floor. I could not believe seeing death so close. It shattered me for almost a year. Life and death are so close it is very scary.
The advisor framed it right that the only universal thing is time and change. So, it is your perception of that moment that makes that moment true or not real. Really wonderful post. Have a great year and please-please keep writing the blog. Thank you Mere humdum and dost of ebc.
Hey thanks for catching up on the posts. You really made my day. I think you made a great decision this year, and I and my hubby are following your footsteps and coming next july. I have this question for the people in the US or actually anywhere abroad. Except for people with health care issues, or those whose kids & family situations that wont let them come, or those who are coming from really dire economic backgrounds, why are those that can really come back to India still living abroad? What is holding them? Green Card? USC? What will they do with that paper or plastic card? Ease of travel and lines at the immigration? But where are the holidays for travel? Is Money holding them? Cant be, because you dont save that much. And then look around for the number of families that are breaking apart due to the different survival situations? if you can make comparable living amount in India, is that not much better life? Even the millionare aunties and uncles of the 70s are still washing their vessels and vacuuming their carpets? Family Stability? Do any of these older generation people have their kids around them when needed? Well, that will not still happen in India too, but you still have familiar support of life. Fun? Well to some extent, but be true to yourself and answer dont you have more fun when you visit this side of the world? Career? 27% unemployment is not a joke and IT, Health Care, Engineering, Architecture, career growth is immense back home. So then, why are these people struggling to keep their heads up in that land? Dont give me the B%%%shit that they are living in a paradise. They are not, so then are they ashamed to come back to India? Or they find themselves cool in living abroad? Well think about what Pankaj said that timeframe will change for you and you will be ones to miss out on a possible opportunity of happiness. Maa-baap, nana nani, bhaiya behn mar gaye tou kuch nahin rahegaa. Then you can take your canoing and trips around the world and shove it in your ass. Thank you my savior, see you in July.
Pankaj Bhai sleeping dogs let sleep. Why you want to raise feelings in dead hearts. Happy New Year.
Good one. Happy New Year.
T: - Won't say much.... Only that I agree with you.
We left tired of waiting. Are very happy here in Apna des!!!
Good story. Keep it up. Atleast someone is doing his part. Happy New Year Pankaj and God bless.
Happy New Year. What a way to start the year. I think you have ignited a whole new passion son. I have been in the US since 71 and I think I will never go back, but lately my kids have been thinking of visiting India. It is a good start, lets see where the passion ends?
Good post. Happy New Year.
Mera Des yeh paigam laaya hain ki meri mitti ka yeh bulaava aaya hain, mujhe tou jaan hi hogaa, maine tou bahut dukh dekha aur paa liya, par tera kya hogaa kaaliya? Bahut khoob vatavasi.
Waiting for the new one.
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