Something to wake up to
I remember the day when I completed
my last semester’s exam of Engineering. There was a void. I did not have anything
to do at all – no assignments, no projects, no examinations and no deadlines
for submissions. The fact that I did not have a job offer in hand also helped. Unlike
many of you, I am someone who enjoys doing nothing. I am not someone who has to
have something or the other to occupy myself with. Inspite of this, I did not
enjoy the void that I felt on that day.
We all complain about our hectic
schedules. We all fret about how our lives have become a never ending pursuit
of deadlines. But what do we do when have some surplus of time with us? I
happened to think about this a couple of months back. I shifted to a place
which is closer to my office and suddenly, I got about 3 hours a day which I
did not know how to handle!
I think we land up in this
situation due to the fact that we let ourselves be consumed by a single facet
of life that is work. It is important that we respect work , understand how it
gives us a sense of purpose to live with and of course how it contributes
towards our sustenance. But equally important is the realization that work will
come to an end one day. The day wok comes to an end, all of us might feel the
void that I mentioned above, I know atleast I will for sure.
I have heard people say quite often
that if you choose something you love doing , you won’t feel like working at
all. Somehow, I cannot find truth in this statement. At best, I can imagine one
not hating the fact that one has to go to office when one likes what he/she is
doing. But the awareness that it is work afterall will be there at the back of
one’s mind constantly is what I feel. Thus falling in love with one’s work is a
difficult proposition especially when all of us have managers J.
We should cultivate and develop
interests beyond work. It can be nurturing relationships with loved ones,
friends or extended family. It can be some hobby or interest. It can be a
creative endeavour. It can be sports, arts or craft too. But there should be
something which should help one disconnect from work. Also, having something of
this sort help us get in touch with the larger purpose of life. If it is not a
passive interest, one might end up creating something for posterity!
Sooner or later, a day will come in
all of our lives where we don’t have much to do. In days like those, having an
interest or passion of some sort will gift us with the feeling that you have something
to wake up to. In our busy to breathe lives, we often forget the fact that dusks
are longer than the dawns or so we perceive them to be. When we slip in to
those dusks, it will be comforting to know that you have something to wake up
to.
Arun Babu
Beautifully said, Arun! We all need something to cling on in life. A life, in later years, based only entertainment or work could make old age monotonous. We all look for variety and a healthy distraction from work based life will be very nourishing. I envy many youngsters like you, who seem to have a very balanced view of life. Best wishes. T N Neelakantan www.neel48.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteagreed that we should cultivate engagements other than our profession.It relaxes you
ReplyDelete