Home sweet home

” Mid pleasures and palaces though we roam but it ever be so humble there is no place like home”

I had read this line somewhere long time back and it touched my heart. Right since I was born I have been staying in one single home for my entire lifetime. This simple one bedroom apartment is my whole world.I learnt to walk holding the walls of this house as a support,this house has witnessed my journey,my happiness, my sorrows,my victories and my failures.It provided the necessary comfort and support during my difficult times and a place to celebrate during happy times.

Over a period of times this house has witnessed lot many transitions in the interiors but still the feeling of warmth and comfort it provides is the same. Even though I am away from my home now still when I close my eyes and think about old memories all the happy times spent in this house cloud my mind. Images of the happy as well as sad events in this house flash before my eyes and fill them with tears of joy and pain both.

Just a few months back I moved to Miami and started searching for a room for myself to stay.Since childhood I had a dream of staying in a duplex house and coincidentally while searching on internet for a room found one in duplex house. Scared of staying with strangers in two minds and with the fear of scams I moved into this house.Room which I got was completely empty with no furniture slowly purchased things as needed and filled this Room.

Only few months in this house I saw lot many transitions and ups and downs in life.I experienced the pain,lonliness, saw the people whom I have known for ages suddenly change their behaviour and show their true colors but I also met a nice and a loving roommate in this house who not only helped me in settling in this new place but also helped me gain back my confidence. This house which was just a shared accommodation for me soon became second home for me.Whenever I felt low I knew I had a place to return to where I will find the necessary support and when I was happy and wanted to celebrate my joy this was the place.

Only in short span of five months this place has carved a permanent impression on my mind and the thought of leaving this place soon brings tears to my eyes😥😥.With tons of memories I will soon move out of this place and may never get to see this place again. Whenever I close my eyes and think about my home the images of this home with all the happy memories will flash before my eyes.I hope the new room where I will be shifting also gives me the same feeling and changes from room to my third home…😊

All that glitters is not gold

Long time back I had read a novel “Dollar Bahu” which closely captures the life of people settled is USA and shows underneath the mask of successful and wealthy life everyone has their own issues and is fighting their own daemons. It ultimately makes us aware of the fact that “Grass is always greener on the other side”.

As like any Indian Software professional I also had a dream of coming onsite once to take that experience. Finally after a long wait I reached USA few months back.Before coming over here I heard a lot of stories from my friends who had travelled before me.All these stories highlighted more on reaching here as sign ultimate success and once you cross this mark there is no looking back. I even met people whose ultimate dream was to make it to here.

Listening to all this I had a very rosy picture of the life over here but little did I realise that everything comes with a price tag.Almost a decade back I started my career in IT in a small company as developer with a very meagre salary.Back then I did not have much income not even to support my basic expenses, but was still enthusiastic and happy.After a day’s hardwork I could come home and sleep peacefully without any worries.Back then also I had a dream of working for a big company take that experience. After more than a year my dream was fulfilled I got a new job with almost three times salary,which even though was not a big amount but I was very happy with this increase.

I started with my second job and was learning many new things technically which was still easy, real challenge was how to save yourself from office politics. Fortunately I got a few good colleagues who not only guided me in work but also in how to save myself from politics.After spending few days in that company one of my colleague told me now you maybe happy with the initial salary hike that you got but this happiness is short lived.Slowly over a period of time the dissatisfaction,competition started growing in mind and peace of mind started vanishing.

Finally I left this job and joined some other company ready to face the new challenge in life.Slowly settled in this company changed from a shy and reserved person who was scared to talk to people to a confident individual highly trusted by the customer.In admidst all politics not only managed to survive but also rise to the rank of top 20% performers.But as I said everything comes with price tag, good hearted and the contented person inside me was getting killed daily fighting all the politics,somewhere deep down inside I was knowing that people who seem to be very nice to me may have some different motives everyone here is with a mask.Also learnt a lesson that there is nothing that you can do about it, life is not fair but still you cannot give up.

After I reached USA meet new people over here and closely observed their struggles I realised that each one has a story to tell.I saw people struggling for a job and to meet expenses,lonely people who have to keep pets for company to avoid lonliness,homeless people and people struggling with lot many different issues but still have to live with a smile on the face.Over a period of years I met few people who questioned me about my income and then reacted “ohh you have such a good income” but little did they know about all the struggles I had to undergo to reach this stage and still there is a long way to go.

Only four months in USA taught me a very important lesson that there is a vast difference between the outside image and the inner reel of people’s life.Now when I look at people more successful than me I really wonder are they really happy with the price they paid to reach here? But then if you leave opportunities because of the price tag associated with it then sometimes the regret of not trying is also more hurting than pain of all the struggle you have to undergo.

Life is a big dilemma and each person has to find his way out of it, hiding his personal daemons behind a smiling face.I am also struggling to find my happiness……hope I will be successful🙂🙂

 

 

Life-Lesson

I had read this line somewhere “Life is a difficult teacher it gives you the test first and lesson afterwards”

Over a span of life I had to go through few experiences which  taught me an important lesson in life which I am sharing here for my readers.

When I was very young I used to love playing on swings but there was a huge queue for the same. One day I was waiting in the queue the other children who were playing before me brought their other friends breaking the queue and asked if they could take extra turns and I did not know how to say “No” so I agreed. They kept on enjoying and I just kept waiting finally it grew dark and I got my turn but for only few minutes. This small incident taught me two important lessons

1. Learn to say “No”.

2. If you don’t fight for what you want then you will only get what is leftover after you take.

Second incident was learning swimming, I am very fond of any kind of water activities and so wanted to learn swimming but after spending months trying to learn I was not able to make much progress and everyone advised me to give up.But I wanted to learn it was my passion and finally one day when I was pushed into water I could swim. This was a moment of great joy for me.This taught me an important lesson

3. Don’t give up-If you persistently try to do something with your whole heart then one day you will get what you want.

When I was in my final year of Engineering I had to complete a project which is mostly done by students in a group. I was very reserved person and did not have any friends so nobody to work with me. Finally I started working alone on project and completed it. At the time of Viva (oral examination) I was very tense that I am alone how will I manage what if the examiner asks me something I don’t know. And top of that I got difficult examiner who interviewed me for more than half an hour.Finally when the results were out I got very good marks for the project. This taught me one more lesson

4. You have to fight your battles alone.

About an year back I was about to travel to USA everything was going perfect I was at the top of my career greatly appreciated by everyone. Just few days before the planned date of my travel I feel sick, still I was about to go ahead with travel as planned. Just one day before I went to doctor for checkup in morning he said nothing to worry about just get few test done but you can travel no issues with that. After that in spite of not feeling well I went for shopping and was happy that tommorow I will fly to USA a long waited dream to come true. In the night I went to doctor with reports he said no you cannot travel complete bed rest till I advise.In a blink of eye all my dreams collapsed. I had to lay in bed for months and those people who used to constantly appreciate me and make me feel valued found a new resource for their project and post that did not even once on humanity grounds bothered to check if I am alive or dead.This taught me two lessons

5.Life can change in blink of eye, so do not wait for any special occasion do what you want to do immediately as you may or may not get chance later.

6.Some people are not loyal to you they are loyal to their need for you.

After I got well I was again onboarded on same project, I completed all my tasks to my level best and moved out. In spite of learning the lesson above I again went to work for the same people.Till these people wanted some work from me they were nice,once I completed my project and moved out. These people showed their true colors to me and taught me again the same lesson 6 above.I feel I had not learnt the lesson properly so life tested me once again.

Life is full of such lessons each time you make a mistake it is a chance to learn a new lesson.After meeting new people I come to know each person you meet has different experiences and has gone through different tests in life and learnt different lessons.

Life is not fair but still you have to go on with a smile and face all the challenges and emerge out as Victor. More and more difficulties you face more strong you become.And finally life spent making mistakes is far more valuable than life spent doing nothing. 🤗🤗🤗