December EDITION

It’s hard to believe that the year is ending already! As we enter December, it’s always a good opportunity to look back and ponder over the past year. And what a year it has been, a never-ending race to the finish line. At the cost of sounding like a cynic, we have all reached a stage, where we have forgotten to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. We are not just scared of failure but of success too… Working is stress, shopping is stress, kids are a hindrance, in-laws are a liability, and even going out on a Friday night with friends is being done like a chore. What clothes to wear? Which place to reserve? How bad is the traffic? What to add and tag on Instagram? Phew, so much for a fun, quiet night-out. Life has become a race, where we swear while driving, barely stop for pedestrians on the road and rarely have any family time, yes after we are done with our chockablock calendar on weekends, maybe. It took me three weeks of vacation in Australia to realise how we have alienated ourselves from the simple pleasures of life and a good week to attune myself to the ‘well-behaved’ crowd. People stop at the zebra crossing and warmly smile at you while you do so. People follow traffic rules (almost emotionally overwhelming for us cosmopolitans) and what’s more, every minute post 5:00 pm is family time. The entire country shuts down and heads home to spend time with family and pets. The icing on the cake, the government encourages you to have three kids and more, they even offer free education and other benefits if you do so. Australia is about the outdoors, trails, hikes, family, pets and most importantly barbecue. Just watching people tend and prune their gardens on weekends is a delight. Back home in India, everything begins to feel like a race. The simple ability to walk, communicate, love, and have freedom is something that we are taking for granted. We have forgotten what it is to be laid back or the art of doing nothing. We need to stop, take a breath and appreciate the simple things, even if it is something as simple as watering our plants in the evening. Life is too short to regret and whine all the time. Simple pleasures add up to the big things. Now is a great time to take the New Year’s pledge. Let’s take control, let’s be optimistic, let’s be happy doing nothing and most importantly remember it’s all about the simple things! To new beginnings!