Hi, Thank you everyone for listening to Lost in Labyrinth. I have had a very encouraging response. I will truly strive to be worthy of your time.
Today I want to begin by sharing with you all a very charming, short story that was a chance discovery for me, but gave me that much needed impetus. Impetus to do what, I will share in a brief moment. But the story first...Games at Twilight by Anita Desai, will surely transport most of us back to our childhood. This story opens on a hot afternoon in an urban house in India. The children who have been kept indoor to escape the scorching heat outside, when finally unleashed, decide to play a game of hide and seek.
The eldest Raghu, most revered by the cousins, becomes the seeker. Ravi, the central character, determines to win this game and hides behind the locked garage. As Raghu starts catching other children Ravi steels his resolve and slips through the abandoned gap in the shed. The dark, spooky shed filled from junk of yesteryears is frightening but the goal of not being found and beating Ravi in the game keeps him going. In the want to be recognized at the top of the so called pecking order, this shed becomes his welcome haven. Imagining the laurels he would receive he decides to wait a little longer. The light through the door is getting softer and he can hear other children's voices outside. It makes him wonder how can the game get over without him being found? And it occurs to Ravi while he was so occupied to elude the seeker, he forgot to declare his victory by dashing across the veranda and ringing the cry of Den! With a whimper he slips through the crack, reaches the veranda and at the white pillar shouts Den!Den! There is a despair in his voice. The other children stop and stare at him for a while and then resume the game they were playing. The sense of insignificance hits him and he looses all the interest in playing the other game.
The whole story beautifully captures the human emotions- of innocence and disappointment, of fantasies and disillusionment. And most importantly, not to be so occupied with your victory or the idea of it that the life slips away. As they say,' Life happened when we were busy making plans!'
Always a career minded and career oriented woman, I never imagined myself in a role of a home maker. Becoming one showed me the immense mental and physical strength that goes into pulling the duties off this thankless job. Coming from India, you come to realize how privileged it is to have house help! And while discharging the daily chores how it gradually becomes ok to do everything on your own. No dependence, no shame! I shall however talk about this in my subsequent episodes.
But today I want to talk about how not to be Ravi. Don't let the moments slip you by in desire of something bigger or greater! Taking my case here(quite literally) I have always conditioned myself and have always aspired to be a career woman. But life had other plans! So how do you think I maintain my sanity doing things I am not particularly fond of. I love my children and family but needs more from life then just spending my time at home. Being gregarious at heart, I am more of an outdoor person. So how then I keep my wits around me? The simple answer to this question is by doing things that are meaningful to me, wholly and solely for me! You need to give yourself that time in the day! Activities that enhances your Self-worth! Recognize and acknowledge the contrast between Self worth and self- importance. This time of pandemic showed us just that! The mandated lockdown across the globe, urged us to dwell within and engage in activities that are truly pleasurable for us and how! Instead of looking for engagements outside, we focused on learning and developing skills that are much more significant to us. Almost everyone I knew tried something different and proudly shared it with the world! So here I want to give a big shout out to all those who discovered the artists, the cooks, the reader, the enthusiast in them! Discover, explore, do, develop and trust that magic of beginning!
Always a career minded and career oriented woman, I never imagined myself in a role of a home maker. Becoming one showed me the immense mental and physical strength that goes into pulling the duties off this thankless job. Coming from India, you come to realize how privileged it is to have house help! And while discharging the daily chores how it gradually becomes ok to do everything on your own. No dependence, no shame! I shall however talk about this in my subsequent episodes.
But today I want to talk about how not to be Ravi. Don't let the moments slip you by in desire of something bigger or greater! Taking my case here(quite literally) I have always conditioned myself and have always aspired to be a career woman. But life had other plans! So how do you think I maintain my sanity doing things I am not particularly fond of. I love my children and family but needs more from life then just spending my time at home. Being gregarious at heart, I am more of an outdoor person. So how then I keep my wits around me? The simple answer to this question is by doing things that are meaningful to me, wholly and solely for me! You need to give yourself that time in the day! Activities that enhances your Self-worth! Recognize and acknowledge the contrast between Self worth and self- importance. This time of pandemic showed us just that! The mandated lockdown across the globe, urged us to dwell within and engage in activities that are truly pleasurable for us and how! Instead of looking for engagements outside, we focused on learning and developing skills that are much more significant to us. Almost everyone I knew tried something different and proudly shared it with the world! So here I want to give a big shout out to all those who discovered the artists, the cooks, the reader, the enthusiast in them! Discover, explore, do, develop and trust that magic of beginning!
And with the following parting thought I leave you till the next Friday!
Be the " Lighting that mocks the night, Brief even as Bright!"
Be the " Lighting that mocks the night, Brief even as Bright!"
Catch you soon!
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