My favourite quote is Robert Frost’s “And I have miles to go before I sleep…”. The inner meaning of which I may not thought through completely. When my computer crashed, I had plenty of time to stare at my spotless cream walls and ponder about absolutely everything.
Why do I miss India so much? Is it because many of my friends and family are there? On second thought, did I really? All (except a handful) are busy chasing the carrot tied to the donkey – the never ending goal that consumes and burns away every minute of our lives. But isn’t this my favourite quotes’ inner meaning?
Unfortunately, I too am a victim stuck in search of indefinite happiness and success that may probably exist.In the last six months of my life in the US, I have met and spent more time with family and friends than I did in India. How much sense and sensibility I can make of it? I am still quite unsure, but I do know for a fact that some or many of you reading this will think – ‘But you are a housewife and have all the time in the world, so how would you know the value of time?’ – I understand and am not offended.
Perhaps the abundance of well wishers back home and knowing that one always has someone to lean on has led to relationships being taken for granted. In the US, the lack of it thereof has caused people to hold on to what’s left, thus creating tighter knit communities/links and relationships. A couple make the time to sit and talk to each other, friends make it a point to visit each other on weekends, cousins and families run to each other to experience the feeling of home. The basis of the whole set-up maybe wrong, but the result has worked out well.
In the blind pursuit of a high flying career, comfort, money and thus luxury (all of which I love too …no arguments there) we somehow get sucked into the vacuum of emptiness forgetting what makes us truly happy. Work satisfaction, no doubt gives an untold joy but can never be the pinnacle. Some of us are consumed by this vacuum that we have forgotten what brings a smile on our faces and more importantly joy in our hearts.
I know it sounds cliché, but have we forgotten our roots? It is surprising to know that a practice as good as Yoga is far more prevalent in the US while unhealthy western fried food takes over our “well balanced” Indian meal. We often convince ourselves that we are modernizing, but aren’t we moving backward instead?
Even today India is known to be the land of mythology, faith, values and discipline, a country that possesses the raw charm that westerners want to imitate. Unfortunately all that is being sucked away by us – giant mechanical robots programmed to pursue perfection in every aspect.
Well, maybe it’s time we reprogrammed some part of our coding?
Time to pick up the phone and make some plans (not the meetings or the deadlines)!
Time to go for that long drive that you always intended to?
Or if you choose, let your hair down and dance away into the night. Whatever you do, don’t forget to have fun and be truly happy.
Really nice post Preethi :)
ReplyDeleteNot to discount what you're feeling, but I'm not sure if this is limited to the US. Speaking for myself, I experienced the very same thing just by moving from Mumbai to Chennai. And for the the fact that I'm an introvert who takes time making new connections just made the whole thing a lot worse.
I understand what you are saying though-irrespective of whether we are at home or away, its always far far better yo acknowledge and reach out to those we love :)
Hey thanks a lot :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed reading it. I guess its definitely not limited to the US, any place away from home like you mentioned is always a little more difficult. But I do hope you manage to make a lot of friends in Chennai too :) And true, keeping in touch is an art :)