Two days ago, someone asked me what my dream is, what is it that I want to achieve in my life? Her was to succeed at her job, get recognition and then get married to someone wonderful and have a life that Bollywood movies profess is possible. But more important question is, what did I say mine was?
I have single stock reaction to any question- confusion. I rarely ever know anything, be it work or life. So I was puzzled. What were my convictions? What did I want to do with my life? And above all, how the hell has everyone else figured out what their callings are? Why am I so jarringly stupid?
That got me thinking. One friend of mine is leaving for US to pursue PhD. Two others have started their own start-ups. A few others are trying to leave the current company for greener pastures. And finally, the girl in question above, wants a great husband. Why can't I decide for something like that?
The only thing I have done with conviction in past few months is to make my Eurotrip happen (like that requires a lot of it!). Around 4 months ago, I was struck by this idea- of roaming the world. I decided my first stop was going to be southern Europe. I must confess that I am a terrible doer. I plan a lot of things, maybe I even can do a lot of things, but I rarely ever do anything. I am incredibly lazy. A lot of people have told me to 'do something', in different emotions too- from derision ('What a waste!') to encouragement ('You can do anything!'). But almost always, I have failed to do anything.
But this idea stuck. I was charged up! I was going to make it happen! I asked a few people, if they wanted to come. It's not Bhandup, of course nobody said yes. But it was OK. The Visa procedure was long and painful. But it was OK. It was going to cost a lot of money. But it was OK. Family would have needed some convincing. But it was OK. Would require a lot of leaves. But it was OK. For some reason, this time I didnt give up after 2 or 3 days. I got Visa, took leave, planned everything, booked everything and soon enough, I was on the plane.
To describe even a hint of the excitement would be impossible. The childlike enthusiasm of being in a foreign country, the pinch of nervousness for being alone there and the rush of discovering new places and people, these all concocted to become such a potent mix of emotions that made memories I will cherish forever. As I write this, sitting in my small apartment in Mumbai, I am transported back to the moment when I first came out of the Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station of Paris, soaked its atmosphere and walked on its streets for the first time. All that time, I had exactly one thought in my head- 'Oh my God! I am actually here!'. I want to have those emotions, I want to have that feeling and I want to have that thought- again and again. This is the 'something' that I must do 'with my life'.
There are problems, just like there were earlier. It will always require money, but thankfully I think I might just be able to have that. Family would ask questions, but I am sure they would understand. I might leave for US, but that probably will only enable me more. I might get alone at some places (like 'The great depression' in Switzerland the last time), but that soon subsides. Now that I have done it once, these problems feel tiny, almost negligible in their magnitude, in front of possibilities and frontiers that await.
So there it is. Someone will have her dream husband, someone his dream job, someone will have her dream house, someone his dream car, someone would be the CEO of his company, someone would own it. And then there will be me, with my intangible dream. What I will have, will be memories, of places visited and people met, of experiences felt and emotions soaked, of wonders seen and life lived. All I want from my life is, as I lay breathing my last breath, I will have no regrets, and the life that will flash in front of my eyes, would be as joyous and wonderful as I dreamt.
And if I ever have a companion on this journey, all I will want from her is to dream the same dream. In the immortal words of Alladin-
I have single stock reaction to any question- confusion. I rarely ever know anything, be it work or life. So I was puzzled. What were my convictions? What did I want to do with my life? And above all, how the hell has everyone else figured out what their callings are? Why am I so jarringly stupid?
That got me thinking. One friend of mine is leaving for US to pursue PhD. Two others have started their own start-ups. A few others are trying to leave the current company for greener pastures. And finally, the girl in question above, wants a great husband. Why can't I decide for something like that?
The only thing I have done with conviction in past few months is to make my Eurotrip happen (like that requires a lot of it!). Around 4 months ago, I was struck by this idea- of roaming the world. I decided my first stop was going to be southern Europe. I must confess that I am a terrible doer. I plan a lot of things, maybe I even can do a lot of things, but I rarely ever do anything. I am incredibly lazy. A lot of people have told me to 'do something', in different emotions too- from derision ('What a waste!') to encouragement ('You can do anything!'). But almost always, I have failed to do anything.
But this idea stuck. I was charged up! I was going to make it happen! I asked a few people, if they wanted to come. It's not Bhandup, of course nobody said yes. But it was OK. The Visa procedure was long and painful. But it was OK. It was going to cost a lot of money. But it was OK. Family would have needed some convincing. But it was OK. Would require a lot of leaves. But it was OK. For some reason, this time I didnt give up after 2 or 3 days. I got Visa, took leave, planned everything, booked everything and soon enough, I was on the plane.
To describe even a hint of the excitement would be impossible. The childlike enthusiasm of being in a foreign country, the pinch of nervousness for being alone there and the rush of discovering new places and people, these all concocted to become such a potent mix of emotions that made memories I will cherish forever. As I write this, sitting in my small apartment in Mumbai, I am transported back to the moment when I first came out of the Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station of Paris, soaked its atmosphere and walked on its streets for the first time. All that time, I had exactly one thought in my head- 'Oh my God! I am actually here!'. I want to have those emotions, I want to have that feeling and I want to have that thought- again and again. This is the 'something' that I must do 'with my life'.
There are problems, just like there were earlier. It will always require money, but thankfully I think I might just be able to have that. Family would ask questions, but I am sure they would understand. I might leave for US, but that probably will only enable me more. I might get alone at some places (like 'The great depression' in Switzerland the last time), but that soon subsides. Now that I have done it once, these problems feel tiny, almost negligible in their magnitude, in front of possibilities and frontiers that await.
So there it is. Someone will have her dream husband, someone his dream job, someone will have her dream house, someone his dream car, someone would be the CEO of his company, someone would own it. And then there will be me, with my intangible dream. What I will have, will be memories, of places visited and people met, of experiences felt and emotions soaked, of wonders seen and life lived. All I want from my life is, as I lay breathing my last breath, I will have no regrets, and the life that will flash in front of my eyes, would be as joyous and wonderful as I dreamt.
And if I ever have a companion on this journey, all I will want from her is to dream the same dream. In the immortal words of Alladin-
A new fantastic point of view,
No one to tell us no or where to go,
Or say we are only dreaming......
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/then-vivek-met-salman-modis-red-carpet-was-more-fun-than-filmfare-1544597.html?utm_source=ref_article
