Come this Fourth of July, the USA will turn 237 years since the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Along with it a little known person on the other side of the globe down in India turns 25 years old. Yeah, that's me. I turn 25. A quarter century I would come to think of it as. (the effect of watching cricket for the good part of these 25 years) Effectively I am done with 1/3 of my time. That's how short our lives are in the bigger perspective of things. Many come and many go. Few make an impression that is everlasting. Well not exactly everlasting, for only thing that is everlasting is the change itself. Let us say, lasting at least till the next generation. So I too imagined I should make some sort of impression in something. What something? comes the question and I am yet to figure that out. "Have I made it large?" goes the booze company's ad (or is it mineral water). Seems like no one has, if you believe the ad. It ends with "Its your life. Make it large" Whatever does that mean. I do not wish to make my life large. People often say, "live every moment of your life". Well, isn't that what we do by default? Even when we don't do anything? Because theoretically speaking, if you don't live you die! (Ah, Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory! Go away, I am trying to write a serious blog post here!) So where was I? Yes, living the life. When I think of it, life has been too kind to me. Almost as smooth as a kids' roller coaster that doesn't have too many twists and turns. The one that gives pure fun and not too many scary moments. Touch-wood! I got a wonderful life. I should be fortunate. Everything has gone according to the plan. College, job, house etc. A typical materialistic middle class life. May be I am 'connecting the dots' backwards, but there hasn't been too many dots to connect anyways, yet. If this is made into a movie it will be - dull and boring. Have I lived a dull and boring life thus far?
When I was a kid, I used to write proverbs in my class black board and my favourite were the ones about life. Here is one that I remember - "Life is an ice-cream. Taste it before it melts". Life is this, life is that, life is not this, life is not that!! We can have 1000s of such quotes which don't even need to have any meaning, like for example, "Life is an onion, when you peel it you will cry". I have been having this obsession with life, for too long now. My desktop background is an image of a kid holding a placard that reads "Enjoy life". What exactly is life then? What is its purpose? The debates are endless but it still remains a grey area for us. Leaving aside the philosophical perspective, in general we expect a lot out of life. We want this to happen, in this exact same way. We want that to not happen and so on. One can't be completely void of expectations. But it is not life's fault if yours is not fulfilled.
There's this song that I loved - The Show by Lenka Below is the quote from the song:
When I was a kid, I used to write proverbs in my class black board and my favourite were the ones about life. Here is one that I remember - "Life is an ice-cream. Taste it before it melts". Life is this, life is that, life is not this, life is not that!! We can have 1000s of such quotes which don't even need to have any meaning, like for example, "Life is an onion, when you peel it you will cry". I have been having this obsession with life, for too long now. My desktop background is an image of a kid holding a placard that reads "Enjoy life". What exactly is life then? What is its purpose? The debates are endless but it still remains a grey area for us. Leaving aside the philosophical perspective, in general we expect a lot out of life. We want this to happen, in this exact same way. We want that to not happen and so on. One can't be completely void of expectations. But it is not life's fault if yours is not fulfilled.
There's this song that I loved - The Show by Lenka Below is the quote from the song:
I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze, and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go, can't do it alone
I've tried, but I don't know why
Slow it down, make it stop
Or else my heart is going to pop
'Cause it's too much, yeah, it's a lot
To be something I'm not
I'm a fool, out of love
'Cause I just can't get enough
I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared, but I don't show it
I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down
I know I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show
We've got to let it go and just enjoy the show. What is the take from all this? All I understand is, there is no set definition for life. You can define it the way you want. And it differs from person to person. From perspective to perspective. For me, life is about creating memories. Memories that are meaningful. For myself and others around me. For me, life is about little challenges. And how you overcome it. Things that we create on the fly as it happens, that makes life more interesting and exciting. Can I take the stairs to my desk at third floor and beat the lift? Can I walk past the unknown stranger before he reaches the next T junction on the road? I have realized small things do make a huge difference.
Life is a common platform for everyone. Its how we use it that defines us. Yes, I think its not about defining life. Its about defining ourselves. As I go about defining myself, I wish to embrace life and the memories it creates on the way and I wish to cherish it all along. Hopefully I leave an impression on, that would last for the next generation. Create a Legacy! My own way!
Life is a common platform for everyone. Its how we use it that defines us. Yes, I think its not about defining life. Its about defining ourselves. As I go about defining myself, I wish to embrace life and the memories it creates on the way and I wish to cherish it all along. Hopefully I leave an impression on, that would last for the next generation. Create a Legacy! My own way!