The finer things of life ......
On the first day of this last month of 2014, I made a pledge to myself - and because we live in a world when nothing is official till it's on your social network - my FB status that day read:
"This has been 1 helluva year for me... Phew!
But I made it.
As I begin the last lap, the last month of a watershed year, I have decided I will rejoice every remaining day till the year ends - be thankful for remaining blessed through rough waters, hug my connects closer, spend more time with those that really matter, do only what brings peace to my restless spirit....
Welcome December... Bring it on!"
And so far, the going's been good. Touchwood.
I sheepishly hope I will be allowed to end this Gregorian year on a note that does not reflect what the last 11 months have done to my world!
My calendar is currently full of events, activities and people that I hold close to my heart, very close..... and I am thankful, every day, for the peace they bring.
Last evening, I was at a mesmerizing concert and it lifted my spirits, no doubt...... it also reminded me of 2 life lessons that I have always considered critical....
1. To lift one's being from the drudgery of average living and fly free on a different mental/spiritual/metaphysical plane, one must make time to appreciate the finer things of life.
2. There is not 1 recipe for this kind of appreciation - while it's important that you must make time for what defines as "the finest things in life" for you, how you do it or how much of it works for you is a personal decision, a choice each one of us needs to make....
Allow me to elaborate a little more.....
Yesterday's concert was about a genre of music not much prevalent or popular these days, even in India, as the star performing artist highlighted. People just didn't seem to have the time for appreciating the classical category. While music can never go out of "fashion", today's taste seems more inclined to a 3-4 minutes recording that can be played on an iPod and quickly added to a playlist that gives a lot of variety within a short span of time.
It somehow reminded me of instant coffee - readily available, made with absolute ease, so can be made many times in a day, popular - can be shared with most, instantly. And its good too. But does it really compare to the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans, the flavor of the liquid that is prepared from the beans, the wafts that enter your nostrils and the taste that is left on your tongue after a cuppa? I am not sure it is.... however, for the second kind of beverage, you will have to make time - time to relish.
That's what, I believe, distinguishes us that seek to "live" from those that simply "exist" - this taste and appetite for "the finer things of life", this time taken to "smell the roses" lifts us from the mundane and keeps us afloat.
The rest, unfortunately, don't have time. They drink their instant coffee and get so busy in their lives that often, they forget what they are living for....
It saddens me; I hope those in this bus get off at the next stop and take stock.... of what constitutes "finest things in life" for them.....
Which brings me to my next point .....and I return to the concert experience....
I specifically noticed 3 members of the audience - around where I was sitting - who seemed to appreciate the show as much as I did, but in, what seemed to me, very different ways....
The first was the elderly gentleman who sat right beside me - he came alone ( which I used to think, was strange ) while the show was almost ready to start, quickly sat down and soon lost himself in the melodies..... he hummed, he sang, he applauded....oblivious of his surroundings.... he was totally "lost" in his appreciation of the performer and her art. Many a time, I actually turned to look at him and wondered .... why was he here alone? did he not have family? or friends? did they not have similar taste in music? did he escape from his mundane existence to find a few hours of solace, as his soul freely floated on this higher plane?
The second was a middle aged lady, who sat in front of me with her husband, and who obviously was not the biggest of fan of Indian classical music. She was doing her best, I could see, to keep engaged as the performance totally engrossed her husband; I saw her many a time, stifle a yawn, look at her smartphone every now and then - however, each time she seemed to get a little too fidgety, she looked at her husband enjoying the show .... and immediately her eyes softened .... and she turned and settled down and tried yet again to appreciate what made someone precious to her so happy.....
The last member of audience that caught my attention was seated a little away from me - it difficult not to notice him and his companions - as they were westerners, in a concert of Indian classical music!!!! Did they even know what was in store? Infact, another gentleman in front of this Westerner, actually politely asked before the show if he had ever heard Indian classical music ...and the answer was negative. He was a fan of Western classical music and wanted to know how different this particular genre was!!! This gentleman and his companions actually sat through right till the end of the show and showed as much appreciation as any of us....
My point is .... the good things that make this life worth living....can be "appreciated" in so many different ways .... as long as there is an intent to find the extraordinary within the ordinary things of our lives....
Keep looking, my friends.....keep lifting your souls higher ...
"This has been 1 helluva year for me... Phew!
But I made it.
As I begin the last lap, the last month of a watershed year, I have decided I will rejoice every remaining day till the year ends - be thankful for remaining blessed through rough waters, hug my connects closer, spend more time with those that really matter, do only what brings peace to my restless spirit....
Welcome December... Bring it on!"
And so far, the going's been good. Touchwood.
I sheepishly hope I will be allowed to end this Gregorian year on a note that does not reflect what the last 11 months have done to my world!
My calendar is currently full of events, activities and people that I hold close to my heart, very close..... and I am thankful, every day, for the peace they bring.
Last evening, I was at a mesmerizing concert and it lifted my spirits, no doubt...... it also reminded me of 2 life lessons that I have always considered critical....
1. To lift one's being from the drudgery of average living and fly free on a different mental/spiritual/metaphysical plane, one must make time to appreciate the finer things of life.
2. There is not 1 recipe for this kind of appreciation - while it's important that you must make time for what defines as "the finest things in life" for you, how you do it or how much of it works for you is a personal decision, a choice each one of us needs to make....
Allow me to elaborate a little more.....
Yesterday's concert was about a genre of music not much prevalent or popular these days, even in India, as the star performing artist highlighted. People just didn't seem to have the time for appreciating the classical category. While music can never go out of "fashion", today's taste seems more inclined to a 3-4 minutes recording that can be played on an iPod and quickly added to a playlist that gives a lot of variety within a short span of time.
It somehow reminded me of instant coffee - readily available, made with absolute ease, so can be made many times in a day, popular - can be shared with most, instantly. And its good too. But does it really compare to the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans, the flavor of the liquid that is prepared from the beans, the wafts that enter your nostrils and the taste that is left on your tongue after a cuppa? I am not sure it is.... however, for the second kind of beverage, you will have to make time - time to relish.
That's what, I believe, distinguishes us that seek to "live" from those that simply "exist" - this taste and appetite for "the finer things of life", this time taken to "smell the roses" lifts us from the mundane and keeps us afloat.
The rest, unfortunately, don't have time. They drink their instant coffee and get so busy in their lives that often, they forget what they are living for....
It saddens me; I hope those in this bus get off at the next stop and take stock.... of what constitutes "finest things in life" for them.....
Which brings me to my next point .....and I return to the concert experience....
I specifically noticed 3 members of the audience - around where I was sitting - who seemed to appreciate the show as much as I did, but in, what seemed to me, very different ways....
The first was the elderly gentleman who sat right beside me - he came alone ( which I used to think, was strange ) while the show was almost ready to start, quickly sat down and soon lost himself in the melodies..... he hummed, he sang, he applauded....oblivious of his surroundings.... he was totally "lost" in his appreciation of the performer and her art. Many a time, I actually turned to look at him and wondered .... why was he here alone? did he not have family? or friends? did they not have similar taste in music? did he escape from his mundane existence to find a few hours of solace, as his soul freely floated on this higher plane?
The second was a middle aged lady, who sat in front of me with her husband, and who obviously was not the biggest of fan of Indian classical music. She was doing her best, I could see, to keep engaged as the performance totally engrossed her husband; I saw her many a time, stifle a yawn, look at her smartphone every now and then - however, each time she seemed to get a little too fidgety, she looked at her husband enjoying the show .... and immediately her eyes softened .... and she turned and settled down and tried yet again to appreciate what made someone precious to her so happy.....
The last member of audience that caught my attention was seated a little away from me - it difficult not to notice him and his companions - as they were westerners, in a concert of Indian classical music!!!! Did they even know what was in store? Infact, another gentleman in front of this Westerner, actually politely asked before the show if he had ever heard Indian classical music ...and the answer was negative. He was a fan of Western classical music and wanted to know how different this particular genre was!!! This gentleman and his companions actually sat through right till the end of the show and showed as much appreciation as any of us....
My point is .... the good things that make this life worth living....can be "appreciated" in so many different ways .... as long as there is an intent to find the extraordinary within the ordinary things of our lives....
Keep looking, my friends.....keep lifting your souls higher ...
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