Everything happens for a reason .....

It's been a year, now.

Time flies.....whether or not you are having fun. Like the gushing river, stopping for none.
And Time teaches its lessons.... whether you learn or not. Maybe it keeps repeating its lessons till we get it.

And I have learnt. Many new things in these last 12 months.
And I have grown as a person, not just in age.
And I would like to share some of these learnings again, in the hope that they may benefit someone, somewhere....

1. Life's unpredictable.
You can never prepare enough. We all plan for a tomorrow that we hope will come, but there really aren't any guarantees. In a flash, it could all change -sometimes, you can see it coming; sometimes, it hits you out of the blue. And you are left gasping. All you want to do is be able to breathe, to make it through each day.
It's important that we understand this ephemeral nature of our lives. Its important to understand, given this background, what's really important and what only feeds our material wants and our egos. It's important to appreciate all the good that you have going, rediscover them again and again and live each moment like there may not be another.

2. You've got to seek out happy.
There's unfortunately too much of negativity in the air, these days. It's like a virus. Crumbling economies, hypocritical polities, disjointed communities, disconnected societal norms, dysfunctional relationships, healthcare issues, lack of safety - loads of reason for you to frown, to worry, to fear.
It takes a lot to keep walking down our roads in the midst of all of this. Yet we have to.
And I have found the best way is to keep seeking happy moments despite the darkness around. My little "drops of blue". Small simple pleasures that permeate and spread joy and more importantly, hope - for a better tomorrow. Seek these moments in your lives, and trust me, there are many - hold them close to your heart, appreciate their beauty and warmth. Create as many happy memories as you possibly can. Don't procrastinate. Reach out for that dear friend that you lost touch with, for that pen that you used as a sword at one time, for that bicycle that makes you love the feel of wind in your face, for that baby game you once played with your toddler.
Read. Watch. Notice. Travel. Explore. Meet. Open your mind and seek happy. And you will find it. Still.

3. You've got to let go.
Easier said than done - and who knows better -  but I also realize that this is the only way to heal. Seriously. Forgive, even if you don't want to. Accept what you can't change. Let it go.
Learn to love again, to live again, to laugh again. Change perceptions that you grew up with. Rewrite those dreams - slowly but surely. Don't let what's happened make you cynical, instead focus on the new doors that could now open up. Make peace with the past, don't deny, don't regret. Accept what's water under the bridge, understand what you can or can't do now to impact the situation and MOVE ON!

4. Give peace a chance.
That's what it has boiled down to, for me. That's what I have sought most in these last few months. What has driven most of my actions or lack of them. And I am happy for my choice.
We all deserve peace, especially once you have crossed a particular stage in life. Our peace may come in different formats, in different surroundings, with different people - and we all deserve a right to chose. Think long and hard about what brings you this sense of contentment and go after it. Don't wait for this peace to happen outside of you - it doesn't. It's within you, through your choices, within your decisions that you have to find peace. Again, there is no other way.
Yes, the journey could be long and tumultuous, but you have to do the drill. Keep going till you find that light! And you will....


Above all, I have learnt that Life is still beautiful, bountiful in its own way. Our perspectives may change due to our circumstances, but the river flows as it always did; the vibrations remain as they always have.

It is entirely up to us to adjust our stances, our mindsets to recognize and enjoy the gush of positive energy that flows eternally.


Comments

  1. Samadrita Ghosh9 June 2015 at 09:03

    Ms.Chats, its a really great article! Thank you for sharing your experiences. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ms.Chats9 July 2015 at 12:14

      Thanks so much Samadrita, for reading and appreciating.
      Much love.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Those lazy, hazy days of summer

Image
Today marks the end of my summer of 2024. Not because it's any special day in the calendar but simply because I have marked it so. ( These days, I mostly do as I please! )  Today I do nothing but simply look back.... I am not a fan of summers normally - especially given that I have been based in a sandpit for the last 20 odd years. Like most of us expats who live here in the Middle East, I have always found summers a good time to escape - either travel  back to India or to visit other countries that have, or used to have, cooler temperatures.  This year, I stayed put, mostly :) And it was different.  Yes, it was very hot and one had to stay indoors almost all the time but there was a sense of quiet and peace in and around Dubai that I quite enjoyed. Over the last 2 months, almost every expat had left the country, there were less cars, less traffic, less noise, empty malls and restaurants and generally a sense of slowing down every where. Even less socializing! So one...
Read more

About drawing lines

Image
As the years pass by, I realize, more and more, the importance of drawing lines. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The world is divisive enough on its own - some may say do we really need more boundaries between us?  The answer to this question could be debated. Yet, I have always been a fan of personal spaces - a concept alien to most Asians, definitely Indians! For me, it's linked to giving another human being the respect he/she deserves and ensuring that I have the same - the space to breathe free, to think without any pressures, to decide on my own. I tend to feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable, otherwise.  However, growing up - especially in my twenties and thirties, I did prioritize on "belonging" - to many groups and communities, for both personal and professional reasons. My circles grew so large that by the time I was in my mid forties, I again felt the need to set some controls once again - ...
Read more

I hope you are doing fine, Ma!

Image
Ma, It's been a while since I have heard from you .... You have gone too far, I guess. Life has taken over, generally, pulling me along with its usual ups and downs. Truth be said, I am not really sad - you lived a full life and I have let go... But I still think of you a lot, almost every day. I think of you and your opinions on all that is going on in my life - and I know a lot of those opinions may have even been disapproving....yet, I miss them - sorely. I wonder how you are doing....  How is this place you have gone too?  Is it as peaceful as they say it should be.... have you found "eternal peace'? Have you met those who had left before you? Has there been some kind of a happy reunion of sorts up there? Knowing you, are you settling scores? Are you ruffling feathers there as you often did here? Do you miss me? Do you miss my daughter? Can you see us? Do you sometimes feel like coming back just to say one more thing, hug us one more time? Or even repr...
Read more