Five regrets of the dying

 An ultra fascinating read by Bronnie Ware who had spent a lot of time working as a caregiver to dying people at their homes. During their last days, these people shared a lot of stories and regrets they carried with them. This book encapsulates all of that in the most beautiful of ways.

The departing souls regretted of not being true to themselves, of having worked too hard, of not having the courage to express, of losing track of the loved ones and of not allowing themselves to be happier. At the end, all that mattered was how joyfully they could live and how true to themselves they had been. Apart from being greatly spiritual and intriguing, the book is phenomenally written. I would definitely not regret in saying this -one of the best ones I have ever read.

Perpetual yearnings

It had been a while since I had taken a class/lecture and ergo after continuously speaking for almost two hours, I could feel the texture of my voice had degraded. It was almost time so I asked them if they had any questions. An elderly person stood up and enquired,"I am too old for the exam but can I come to your classes for getting knowledge?".

It was a pleasant surprise to see him there. I have seen old people running marathons. I have seen them clearing exams. I have seen them starting new careers after retirement. It is inspiring to witness the perpetual yearning to learn, expand and conquer. "Absolutely, most welcome", I told him.

Rainbow-esque Persona

 As we approached her almost complete PMAY house, she welcomed us with a beaming smile. On hearing our appreciation for the timely construction, her smile broadened. "When are you planning to colour it?", I asked. "Soon, but what colour should I use as per the regulation?", she enquired.

The innocence made all of us smile. Her joyful personality made me question my inquiry. When you have a person radiating happiness to such extent, the whole house is already lit with all colours of a rainbow. That house without colour suddenly seemed the most colourful ever. But, of course, we told her to select the one of her liking.

The Good Blot

 Every time when I sit down to tie the laces of my black sports shoes, these couple of contrasting white blots grab my attention. I tried to get rid of them but they persisted. Aye, they compromise the aesthetics, but I don't mind.

They represent my amateurish attempt at painting a house. We were painting the PMAY house of a specially abled beneficiary. It was community work and the place was lit with volunteers. It brings back those wonderful memories. As my nostalgia dominates the hollow idea of aesthetics, I don't mind them at all. They are, the good blot!

The Great Gatsby

Touted to be the greatest American fiction novel of the 20th century. Well, it's been more than 100 years now. In the era of romanticism, this yes would have felt magical. That was perhaps a time when people could not differentiate between obsession and love.

Gatsby's contrasting romanticism in times were money power was starting to spread it's wings, is still relevant today. But the modern reader craves for much more. The gradual build up is perhaps quintessential in these times. So then, only for those, who like to romanticise, with the romantic era of literature

Say the name, every time

During the inaugural event of Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (Phase II), the obvious abbreviation MGNF was frequently used by the speakers and participants. Perhaps to shorten their talks. But at the end, the Chief Guest made an interesting observation on that.

"We should not use this abbreviation MGNF at all, rather every time we should say 'Mahatma Gandhi' National Fellowship. That way, you get to utter his name. And every time you utter his name, the associated values and virtues will reverberate". That is so true, isn't it. Every time those words are uttered, the idea of truth reverberates. The idea of non-violence reverberates. 

Tears of gratitude

 The house looked so majestic. Was it the good craftsmanship of the mason or the fact that it was made possible by the benevolence of several, I debated in my head. All assembled faces seemed illuminated. Was it the sunlight bouncing off the red roof or the altruism oozing out of the bricks, the debate persisted.

As the chief guest addressed the gathering, an emotional Peronni turned away hoping to dissolve into the surroundings. Tears are difficult to hide though. She weeped uncontrollably. The whispering sobs spoke loudly. Of her joy, of her euphoria and of her gratitude. As they rolled down her face, "Thank you all", they murmured

Utopia for realists

Rutger Bregman's book is almost like a prophecy. It talks about several ideas to transition towards the ideal world. Universal basic income, open borders, a fifteen hour work week and many more ideas, 'seemingly' radical, well, as on today. What a world that would be, though.

But hey, dive into history and recollect that those who called for the abolition of slavery, for suffrage for women etc, were also once branded lunatics. Until history proved them right. The time for Rutger's Utopia shall come. Perhaps sooner than one would anticipate. For now, rather than being outright dismissive of this idea, let's debate, like realists.

The Wait

 The driver must have been in his sixties. He was so still that his body seemed like an extension of the Auto-rickshaw itself. On the way, he gently asked “Beta, student ho ya naukari karte ho?”

Upon hearing my response, he looked at the rear view mirror. Our eyes exchanged notes. He turned his attention back to the road. “Mera graduate beta hai ghar pe. Kehta hai aap 5 saal aur Auto chalao. Uske baad wo naukari karega”. Perhaps words weren’t even needed. The eyes had given it away already, the desperate wait to retire. I had nothing to offer but prayers.

Deep Work

Bill Gates has this unique thing called "Think Weeks" where he disappears to an isolated place carrying along a stack of books. Author J.K.Rowling used to check into a hotel simply to work on her book "Deathly Hallows". There are numerous examples of people innovating to create quality work in this world full of distractions.

By the cover, one would think Cal Newport's book 'Deep Work' would simply tell you to focus. What else there can be to it. But certainly he has done his deep work. Small things that we usually ignore can have that butterfly effect. A fascinating read which will surely enhance outputs irrespective of the domains.

Prediction #11

In his book titled ‘91 Predictions-The fate of the world & it’s people in next half century’ , astrologer Greenstone Lobo talks about several things ranging from politics to cricket and much more. Of all the things he predicts, I really hope prediction#11 comes true. As per him, we shall make good progress on reducing carbon emissions and on enhancing our capabilities of harnessing renewable energy. 

For that to happen, we must accept Climate Change is real and that it is a consequence of what we have done to nature as a species. For that to happen, we need to stop and ponder. For that to happen, we must mend our ways and mend it now. And for that to happen, Planetary positions may not be enough.

The luxury of rest

It was an unusually hot morning for September. The rains and the sunlight playing hide and seek was making it worse. And the sultry mood of the capitol almost forced us to take a rickshaw. Soon enough we observed that the guy had to put in tremendous efforts on a seemingly flat road. Perhaps the heat. Perhaps our cumulative weight. 

Near to our destination he stopped for water. He was gasping for breath. We got down to check on him and told him to take rest for a while. He complained of dizziness. We helped him with wharever little we could do and decided to walk from there. He sat there for a while. When we turned back, he was gone. He had to. Like you and me, perhaps, he did not have the luxury of rest.

One Fine Morning

One fine morning in 2017, I decided to plant pineapples at SDO(C) Residence in Dadenggre. The resolve was a result of a preceding field visit to Chibinang, a place famous for extremely sweet variety of pineapple. As I joined the Mali in digging up the holes, he teasingly remarked, “Sir it will take 3-4 years to fruit, you will not be here”. I pointed towards all the flowers planted by previous incumbents amidst whose fragrance we stood. He perhaps understood.  

One fine morning in 2021, the present SDO(C) Dadenggre shares  a picture of a plate full of pineapple pieces sparkling with a delicious shade of yellow. “Thank you, they are amazing!”, he remarked. It felt great to know they came through. He tells me that they have also planted lots of other fruits this year. 

One fine morning, few years down the line, the story shall go on.

Roads and Trees

As we walked across the village to inspect the ongoing road construction, I saw an old man sitting in front of his house. He was still as a rock and yet there was storm of emotions in his eyes. “Aren’t you happy atchu(grandfather)? Your village will finally have a motorable road. 

“I am happy. But also worried. With road, transport becomes easy. Illegal felling of trees increases”. Silence followed. Silence which spoke volumes on the dilemmas of developmental discourse. I sat down next to him. We both looked at the lush green cover across. Hoping for balance to prevail.

Bee-ing Human

The poor creature was confused. She could see the bright lights coming into the room. But then why wasn’t she able to fly across the window and embrace the mother nature outside? How did she end up in this concrete cocoon while hunting for nector? Little did she know, it was a man-made thing called the glass creating an illusion of a passage back home. 

She tried again. And then again. Dejected, she lay on the floor. As I attempted to pick her up using a paper, she flew away. Scared perhaps. Why would a human being help, after ruining it in the first place. After finally convincing her of my intension to help, she hopped on the paper. As I kept her on the ground outside, she was still cautious. Expecting another invisible barrier. And as she gently flew into the wilderness, I pondered how we can reimagine this world? A world with harmony, balance and we, bee-ing human!

Upsets are inspirational

The other day, an unknown football team from an unknown league defeated a top-league one. They gave it all. Everything they had. They were warriors on the field as if everything was on stake. Final whistle saw tears across. Of joy on one side and of despair on the other. 

When results are totally unexpected, we call them upsets. But they are nothing but inspirational moments. It instills belief, that the established order can be reversed, that the unthinkable is plausible and that, the mountains, are there, to be conquered.

A house in progress

Some plastering works were yet to be done. There were no doors and windows yet. A skeleton of sorts. “Call the beneficiary of this PMAY house”, I asked the block officials. A man limped forward from nowhere. He had locomotive disability and used a bamboo stick. “The mason has been delaying the works and money problem”, he clarified with a smile. 

He had no family and was living alone in the adjacent hut.  He knew handicraft. Inside his house, I saw bee-boxes. He was also trying to cultivate Mushrooms. Inspite of all his problems, he only knew opportunities. As I stood there, next to him, I questioned myself. Why do we, the haves, complaint at all. Sigh. Let’s learn from this guy. And yeah, let’s get this house done.

Goodness around

“He is a very talented Football player as well”, said Father, gesturing towards one young boy among the group of runners from Loyola School. “Unfortunately he cannot afford a pair of football shoes. He comes from a very humble background”, he added. The tone of voice now poignant. 

If only talents could get the right support at early stages. Just as I was about to offer a little help, a voice from behind said “I can get those shoes for him, what’s his size?”. It was one gentleman officer from our district. That moment, it felt great. For the little boy and for the goodness around.

Beyond the call of duty

It was a foggy morning and yet the elegance of the landscape was evident. The Meghalaya day run saw great numbers on the road. I was almost near the half way point when a policeman came from behind piercing the misty backdrop. He was on his bicycle. 

There were several policemen along the route assuring the safety of the runners. But this cop on bike did a tad more. He cheered for all the runners he came across, motivated them to complete the run and told all drivers to go slow. It was a foggy morning and yet his special efforts, beyond the call of duty, were transcendent.

Boundless

With valleys on either side, the road offered breathtaking views. The thick vegetation made us feel as if we were breezing past a meadow. And amidst this genuine flirtation with the landscape, we saw a dark figure lying on the road. Perhaps hit by a speeding vehicle. 

We stopped and got down to find out that it was a mare. And a pregnant one. Through the administration, I informed the vets. The neighs reminded me of the growing human apathy. Even for our own species at times. But love and care should not be governed by the genetic code. It should be boundless. Both the mare and foal are doing good, I was later told.

WW 1984

The movie stands out for two beautifully depicted tenets. First, you don’t really need a superhuman to save the day. All that is needed is a collective desire for humanity to thrive. All that is needed is for everyone to renounce their wishes drawing gains from someone else’s loss. 

Second, for those who have taken a vow to serve humanity, thou shall not even get that ‘one’ thing, that one thing, the only thing you ever desired. Thou must rise above it. And when the chips are down, thou shall remind the world the first tenet. And thus, the world will survive.

From Soil to Dirt

The soil in the old pots had dried up and the plants were long gone. To revive the roof greens, we needed to mix it up with the new alluvial. And ergo we laid it all on the floor. As we worked on it with our bare hands in the comforting sunlight, the maid complained that the floor has been ruined with dirt. 

When exactly did this distinction come about? Isn’t it the stuff of life ? We all have come from it and shall go into it. Why did we forget this quintessential connect while we designed our concrete enclosures? Why did we ostracise mother nature from our lives? When did the soil become dirt?

Ikigai

This Japanese concept roughly translates into - the happiness of always being busy. There have been various studies to analyse the high life expectancy in Japan and especially in Okinawa. There are, of course, several factors like genetic makeup, diet, climate etcetra but the one which stands out is, Ikigai. 

They are always on the move. You will never find them sitting idle. They would keep on working till the very end. They do not have a word for ‘retirement’. They prefer walking around the town running errands. Smiles and laughther are ubiquitous across their social groups. You see, most of the secrets we seek are so simple. Have you found your ikigai?

Generosity of the modest

She was proud to show us the little kitchen garden that she had prepared near the Anganwadi Centre. As she cautiously drifted across the vegetable beds, she recollected names of all people who had provided her the seeds and the assistance thereafter. She expressed her immense gratitude and prayed for them. 

Meanwhile as we were engaged in a conversation about expansion of such initiatives, she quietly plucked few ready vegetables. “For you all”, she said with a smile. With that little kitchen garden and more than 40 children in her centre, she still wanted to give something to the visitors. Makes you wonder, you need not have all the resources in the world to be generous to others, one big heart is enough.  “Keep it for the children, I will bring more from my kitchen garden”, I humbly submitted.