R: Read, Read, Read, Repeat

  Reading is essential for writing. Hence, no wonder when I stepped into the world of writing, I knew reading will form a significant part of my work.

 My relationship with reading goes way into the past, much before this line of task. As a child, I enjoyed reading books, newspapers, and everything I could lay my hands on. And though reading is important for my work today, I do not like to associate it with that aspect in any way. Because work is work at the end of the day. No matter how much we love our work, it still seems a ‘job’ at the end of it all. So, in order to protect my love for reading, I keep it away from the burden of roles and responsibilities. As long as I enjoy it as my hobby and interest, I look forward to the sense of satisfaction it delivers.

Why this sudden expression of love and affection for a simple task like reading?

Why a post demonstrating my obvious feeling towards reading,you ask? 

  Recent experiences with some amazing books have paved way for this thought. And, when the next letter in series was ‘R’, I realized what better way to show my respects than writing about reading? Before it gets confusing for you to read, let me dive straight into the pool. Writing about the love for reading is like stating an obvious fact “These roses are so pretty” or “The sky is so beautiful and clear”; we all know it, but still find it tempting to say it, just one more time.

  Though I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction, a new form of writing has grabbed my attention lately. After reading five volumes of ‘Best American Travel writing’ and few more books (‘Lost on Planet China by J.Maarten Troost’, ‘360 degrees longitude by John Higham’, ‘Better than fiction: true travel tales from great fiction writers’), I am attracted towards this unique, yet happening form of travel writing. Expressing thoughts about a trip, coupled with the real time experiences of a particular place form the essence of this genre. As the writer narrates every single aspect of his/her travel, it seems so engaging along the way. Good travel writers are those who can actually transport you to that spot, taking you right in the middle of their experiences.

  Rather than a glossy picture of a fictional kind, travel writing has to be an honest account of everything that the writer has experienced. Good, bad, happy, awkward, interesting or boring- every aspect of the trip has to be captured in order to keep it real. Many of the travel writing books and articles succeed in describing the place, brick to brick. From the nature to environment, buildings to houses, and people to culture – only an excellent form of travel writing can say it all, leaving nothing to imagination.

  Though travel writing is just a representation of what the person has experienced, it is quite challenging to play with appropriate words and describe it in the same manner. And while the traveler has enjoyed the destination in its purest form, it only irritates the writer hidden within, if he/she cannot do justice to the amazing wonders seen by the naked eye.

  Reading travel books does not substitute your own trip to the destination. In no way do I intend to propose that reading about exotic locations around the world can replace the need to be there in person (Dearest husband- please take note). The joy of travel writing resides in the colorful experiences painted by the writer. Background thoughts about the new place, culture, lifestyle and tourist attractions form an interesting experience, while you read comfortably from your couch.

  A look into the history:

  Travel writing dates back to the early 1800s, when travelers have narrated their experiences, voyaging all around the globe. Most of the travel writing includes memoirs, autobiographies and stories describing the destination. Travel writing was extremely popular during the good, old years when the modes of transportation were limited. Common man had to rely on the travel literature to get a sneak-peek of what lies beyond the border.

  After the advent of print media, there were numerous books and magazines describing the glorious trips of great travelers. The picture is entirely different today. With ease of global connectivity, we can travel often and craft our own stories. Thanks to social media, we do not need to wait for long. Instant pictures, videos and blogs can deliver the experience, straight from the source within matter of few minutes and virtue of a strong network (read: Wi-Fi). But, the reader in me does not find satisfaction in this form. Call me old school or a lost dreamer, I still enjoy the happiness delivered by books. Though you can reach any destination within matter of few clicks, it does not equate to reading a colorful narration by a talented writer.

A fictional touch to non-fiction:

    Travel writing does not limit to 3-D description, presented in a 2-D form.  Be it physical books or online versions, travel stories succeed only when they touch the associated feelings and emotions. Just a dry description of land and roads does not interest me as much as the story hidden within.

   I am guilty of being a demanding reader, but for me a good travel journal goes way beyond a plain guide book. Unless a travel article does not take me to that particular place, forcing me to imagine the surroundings purely on the basis of its words; I cannot see myself enjoying it at all. No wonder I find it difficult to take up that challenge myself. It takes a lot more than just good choice of words. Every single word has to come to life to make the travel article as enjoyable as the real experience itself.

   Besides travel writing, I am also inclined towards short fiction stories. Short notes that leave you spell-bound, I am amazed by the ability of such fiction writers (e.g. The O. Henry Prize stories). Within a short time frame - the talent of developing characters, plot, story and the end is beyond imagination. Stories cannot be successful until they instill that ‘Aha’ moment in the readers. And it is this experience that stays with the reader, even after the last page is turned to close it forever.

   Reading transports me to a different world, longing me to stay a little longer; while admiring the imperfectness of a perfect world created by the writer. No matter what genre you enjoy or pick or prefer, find happiness in reading. It has the power to enlighten good thoughts and feelings applicable to the real world. Knowledge gained during reading turns us into a practical person while living, the ultimate goal of our life, right?

   ‘Read, read, read, repeat’ is my mantra to a sane mind in an insane world or the other way round, an insane mind in a sane set-up. Whichever thought you agree to, share some of your favorite books/genres/styles in the feedback. Let us read together to lead together (I know this sentence made no sense, but how could I say no to that rhyming effect?)

Q: ‘Que sera, sera’ - whatever will be, will be

   

The curve in the path only leads to someplace nice

   Often, the most complex of things are the easiest in reality or the things we think a lot about answer themselves within a fraction of a second. This out-of-context statement is actually in for a reason. It represents the background of letter Q and my experience while dealing with an unusual alphabet. So before I begin with the article, let’s back up a bit.

   When I started with the A-Z series, I chose to go with the flow. Instead of deciding a word for each of the 26 alphabets right at the start, I started to address it letter after letter. Even after all this practical sense in me, I was dreading difficult letters Q and X.

    I was sure the simpler ones from the lot such as A, B, N, P, S will be do their job easily with loads of options to pick from. But, it may not be the same for few offbeat ones. Hence, when I finally reached the bridge with letter Q within arm’s distance, I knew it was time to cross it. Much to my surprise, all the expected anticipation evaporated into thin air, when the song ‘Que sera sera’ rang in my ears instantly. No sooner did I find myself pondering about the letter Q, I got the answer in a jiffy.

 

   An extremely old song dated back in the 1950s, this piece was famous among listeners for several years thereafter. I was acquainted to it during our school times. More than the rhythm or melody of its music, it received popularity due to its wonderful lyrics which kept it alive for all these years. It stands for a simple conversation between mother and daughter, while they address the biggest question of ‘attitude’ towards life. It did not ring much of a bell while I was in school, but years later as I look at it now; I realize its significance, paving its way into my series.

   Written by artists Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, the song was remade several times after the original track; including a colorful and fast-paced dance number in our very own colorful Bollywood! (Google it, later) Though the lyrics were twisted and the context was different, it retained the original phrase.

What is the deal with the phrase?

  ‘Que, sera sera’ literally translates to ‘Whatever, will be will be’. A Spanish phrase inspired by Italian origin, it represents the fact that whatever is bound to happen in the future will definitely happen. No matter what we think about the future or how many hours we waste in the process of dreaming, worrying, feeling hopeless or hopeful, the things that are meant to materialize will do so at their own pace. Worrying about the future does not change the bad to good or convert dreams to reality.

A look into the song: 

  When a little girl with dreams in her eyes and cloud of questions in her head asks her mother whether she will be rich or pretty ahead, her mother answers with the phrase “Que, sera sera, whatever will be, will be, the future is not ours to see, Que, sera sera.”

   It then proceeds to the daughter growing up and falling in love. Though the questions change, her anxiety about the future remains the same. When she asks her sweetheart about their future together and whether their love will be greeted with rainbows, she receives the same expression of not worrying about the future. The song comes along a full circle, when at the end this daughter enters into the role of a mother. And while her children are equally inquisitive to know about their looks and wealth in the future, she answers back in the same way.

Cut, copy, paste to real-life:

 A simple conversation, yet meaningful to the last bit. This is true in our context too.

How often do we find ourselves thinking about what lies way ahead?

Career, wealth, assets, health, hobbies, passion, children, grandchildren and everything in between?

  There is nothing harmful in harboring dreams. Nothing wrong in picturing everything you want to be or everything you need in your life. I do believe in ‘thoughts attract reality’ concept written in the book ‘Secret’ by Rhonda Byre, but only to a certain extent (personal review- if you apply it to everything, too impractical to be true). But, on a practical scale for practical happiness, future is way beyond the road. Just thinking about the happy tales of tomorrow will not bring happiness today. No matter how good you think about the future, those are just thoughts at the end. And reality is more about circumstances and situations.

  Efforts give way to results. It is important to invest our hard work to reap the fruits of success. But in any case, it is only after we have worked in the present. Our anxious questions about future will never yield any productive answer because it is still ‘a road in progress’. If you halt your progress to imagine about the fancy path, you are only wasting time in hand.

  Each one of us is anxious. It is only normal and human to tempt ourselves about tomorrow. We want answers to everything, right away. Thanks to modern technology, we seem to be equipped in every way. But, only if that colorful, know-it-all Google could answer this question too “What is the future?” (Not through some funny and weird prediction apps, but real answers.) Till no technology finds a true solution to this complex question- you and I can do nothing about it.

   I do not intend to offend any faith or belief (kindly pardon me, if I sound so), but no form of science/religion/ philosophy/ practice/ astrology/moral sciences/ hand-palm-leg-forehead study will tell, then why are we still hunting? (I am equally guilty- been there, done that). Future is never ours to see, rather it is not meant to be seen from your seat in the present. It is only meant to be experienced, when it reaches to you in the ‘now’.

 ‘Whatever happens, happens for good’ is often treated as the excuse put forth by non-ambitious people. But in reality, it is the thing that happens to each one of us. Being visionary and ambitious is necessary to have a goal in mind, but being flexible with the flow is the real test. Giving up everything because of one unexpected failure is not something to be proud about. You are not praised for the big dreams you hold, but for the practical results you give out. Ambitions are more like unprocessed raw materials in your back office which are not meant to be seen by anyone. After you put them through the machinery of hard work, it gives the perfect fancy final product to be displayed with pride.

  When we learn to deal with the present situation in the best way we can, it reflects our preparedness to life. Acing known questions is not the talent, answering the uncertain ones to the best of our capacity definitely is. Simply put, you cannot avoid failures, but you can only be prepared for it.

   You know it is time to quit thinking when the ‘How’ and ‘Will’ type of questions crowd your system. Because questions without answers are total waste of time. And though each one of us knows it to the ‘T’, it takes someone else to prompt such reminders.

  Like the mother who answers her child or a lover who answers his sweetheart, we will always need someone to tell us ‘Que, sera sera….’

Ascend to the mosaics, beliefs, pictures and colors - for every step is a part of the whole

P: Priorities, perspective, principles, passion – four pillars of a fulfilling life

  

Only a shining light can guide over the path of a fulfilling life 

   

   Pardon me for involving too many P’s, but ever since I started to ponder about this letter, I was surrounded by innumerable possibilities. After all, if P can head the domain of ‘philosophy’, it can dominate anything and everything. I love this letter for giving us ‘parents’ and ‘people’- two essential elements of life. And, how can I possibly forget - for giving us ‘pizza’!

   

    On a personal level, letter ‘P’ formed an instant bond by leading my elder sister's name, marking a spot for permanent affection since childhood. But, expressing the worth of this shining P is not the primary aim of the article.

   When I look at ‘P’, I always think about the aspect of ‘personalized approach’. Each one of us is totally different, while walking over our unique paths to reach the destination. Personalized approach- more or less represents the identity of a person, making him/her unique, yet one in the society. We all have our own desires, when we think of what we want in our lives.

    No two individuals can be alike in their course of life. Living as someone’s puppet or following someone’s advice to the ‘T’ will only transform us into unhappy performances on stage. Everything looks glamorous as long as we dance as per the expectations of those around. But, once the sound of claps recede and the lights go off, the performance has to cease.

    If I make an attempt to extrapolate this aspect in my life journey, I realize it is essential to think about our own course under an independent light. It does not stand for selfishness or loneliness. But instead it encourages an independent form of thinking for our own good. An extremely thin line stands between ‘self-help’ and ‘selfish’, making it necessary to spot the difference and work towards the goal of happiness. At times, you must learn to shut the outside noise in order to trust your own beliefs. So-called notions of ideal life can be traded for the raw taste of hard work and happiness.

  To help me in this thought of ‘self’ over ‘people’ or ‘personal belief’ over ‘popular opinion’ are four pillars – priorities, perspective, principles and passion. If you stop for a while and reflect over their meanings, you will realize that each of these four aspects are individual-based. Priorities, perspective, principles and passions are as personal as your identity, making it impossible to copy from others.

   Every now and then, these aspects may occupy certain common areas. For example, we receive the same stock of principles from our parents and teachers or our perspective may be universally blinded by certain unavoidable influences. But at the end of it all, such common areas are extremely rare or last for a short while.

    Each one of us must learn to place these elements above everything else. Unless, we frame our priorities, choose our perspective, stand by our principles and work towards our passion – we cannot expect the joy of a fulfilling life. If you give away any of these aspects for peer pressure or to be a 'people-pleaser', you will always find yourself drowned in a pool of disappointment. As much as it is essential to help others, it is also essential to help yourself. The greatest form of self-help is to be happy and that can only come from the inner self.

  Words of contemplation are useless unless laced with a frill of practicality. This brings me to the next section of my article -  a practical guide to achieve each of these four P’s.

1.       Priorities

Every person has a different set of these. It changes as per age, but at every step along the ladder, it touches our life in the strongest way. At some point, we all are guilty of standardizing these priorities based on the acceptable norms of society. We all tend to have standard calculation for our timeline, inviting comparison and analysis with others of our age. It is good to motivate ourselves towards next stages of life, but it is incorrect to do so against our desires or under force.

-          Frame your goals

-          Supplement it with a time frame

-          Identify the resources needed for their completion

-          Rank these priorities based on your capability, purpose and output

-          Make realistic short-term goals and plans  

-          Evaluate your performance at timely intervals to gauge your progress

-          As long as you know it is good for your own life, there is no point in justifying it to others. Pleasing everyone is not part of your agenda, but fulfilling your dream definitely is.

2.       Perspective

It stands for how you look at the world or how you perceive things. Simply put, it is the lens that guides your vision. I cannot resist but quote the classic example of ‘glass half-empty or half-full’. Our perspective leads us through the maze of uncertainties. We always have the option of looking at failure and crying over it or using it an opportunity to help ourselves. Perspective is unique to our beliefs and experiences. We cannot enforce them over others, neither can we borrow them from people for a guaranteed output.

-          Adopt a practical perspective

-          If the experience is good, draw happiness, celebrate and move on

-          If the experience is undesirable, spot the errors and stay away from those along the next time

-          Train your mind to find something good in every situation

-          Quit the ‘I am hurt’ attitude but accept the ‘I have learned’ mentality

3.       Principles

These are your ‘moral education’ lessons put to test. As kids we have learned them at school. While at home, they reached us in the form of good manners and habits. It is easy to stick to those principles as a carefree child because elders do all the work. One mistake and you are instantly reminded about it, leaving no scope for irreversible damage. But the real challenge lies in following those principles at a later stage of life, when we are on our own as responsible adults.  

-          Stand by your words

-          Practice what you preach

-          There is no room for biasness or partiality when it comes to principles

             Have the courage to follow them

-          Do not violate your principles as per the audience

-        

4.       Passion

It is all about your interest, ambition, dream and desire. No one can help you in your hunt for passion. Family, friends and folks may be able to assist with their guidance, experiences and advice, but they cannot possibly gift us a passion. Passion cannot be transferred from one generation to another as a family heirloom. Neither can it be imitated from someone else. It may not be possible to succeed in your passion right from day 1. You can always work on it as a side activity, before making it your full-time job.

-          Passion is linked to joy, hence find your calling

-          Once the passion is identified, study about its practicality

-          Make efforts to go closer to it day by day

-          Be ready to take a risk – passion is never easy

-          Gain skills to convert your passion to reality

-          Look at ways to improve, upgrade and bring some changes to grow with time

        Place these P’s at the center of your course and see the difference. It is impossible to prove yourself to every person around because we all use different yardsticks for measurement. Talking about someone and doubting their passion is always easy because we tend to ace at pointing fingers. But standing firm over our priorities, perspective, principles and passion is the real task at hand.

 

P.S: This starts with a ‘P’ too! Anyways, there is no prize for counting the number of P’s in this article, even if you are as tempted as I am to do so right away!