Moments of life…

I have grown up hearing my elders say “try to live every moment of your life” but never understood what it meant. Since childhood my life has been very carefree. My parents too were very lenient towards me and my brother. Though I was never a bright student but had not let my parents down at any point in life. Apart from studies extra-curricular activities like sports, drama, painting, music and clay modelling has always been my favourite pastime. Someone rightly pointed out to me “why does your life always revolve around you?” But I am what I am. How can I change after so many years of existence following the same life style? May be I can change but only with time. Oh! Before I deviate let me get back on track.

Extra-curricular activity I was talking about. My first stage performance in my school annual day function and I was in Kindergarten-I. My act was that of a clown whose role was to make people laugh. But I couldn’t make people laugh until my cap started falling off and I kept picking it up and placing it on my head. People burst into laughter. Now I realise that sometimes people make others laugh by accident but they are thought to be geniuses. That was Kindergarten-I and a budding actor I was. But I had never given up acting till the day I won the best acting award in school. This time I was in high school and you won’t believe there was not a single individual who didn’t come up and congratulate me for my acting skills. That’s me! So life has to revolve around me.

Anyway I had grown up in age and my activities narrowed into two things studies and sports. By this time I was mature a young man just into college. I played cricket, basketball and football (soccer as it is called across the globe). Cricket was passion and why not? After all it is followed like a religion in my country. But unfortunately I couldn’t make much progress in the game remained a local or gully cricket player. My brother excelled in the game. He played for his college and went on to play for the University. He was also selected for the State level preparatory camp but had to leave playing the game and went on to do his masters in business administration.

And I on the other hand stayed in touch with the game but as a cricket umpire. But all this time I fared well in studies so my friends liked me. As a cricket umpire I officiated in all my college matches. Appreciation poured from all quarters for my umpiring decisions and neutrality. Believe me like a true Libran I was on the top of the world. That’s me! So life has to revolve around me.

Appreciation also came for my studies. I secured the ninth position in graduation in my batch. That was a real achievement isn’t it? So now this was the transition from college to University. Post-graduation degree not a very easy task, but here again my association with some brilliant teachers helped. The Vice Chancellor of University who also was the Dean of Delhi University (a Professor of English Literature) knew me personally for my participation in both academic and extra-curricular activities. He even appreciated my talent as a budding journalist when I started working for the print media. Still life got stuck to work and sports. This time sports came as part of my profession. I was given the responsibility to do sports reporting which I enjoyed every bit it. That’s me! So life has to revolve around me.

Life revolved around my parents, brother and work. Friends, I can never forget them. I thank God for having given me such loving and supportive friends (touchwood). But my dream for living in a bigger city made me explore beyond the boundaries of the place where I grew. This brought me to the city of New Delhi. A dreamland for every young and aspiring Indian. I and my brother who had completed his masters in business administration rented a flat and started living in one of the upmarket locality of the city. New job and different environment, I realised for the first time that life is so different far away from the comfort zone of home sweet home. But gradually things improved. My brother and I were so engrossed in work that we never had time for anything else. My travel time to office and back home was almost four and half hours daily and that too on my own mode of transport. Weekends went in washing clothes and taking rest after the tiring weekdays. One job to another yet things did not improve. Parents shifted since Dad was transferred in his official position to Delhi office. But life was not the same anymore.

Sitting and penning down my thoughts going down the memory lane it reminds me of one thing “try to live every moment of your life.” I have my parents with me. I am in touch with my old friends. I have all luxuries in life. But am I living every moment of my life now? Or was I living every moment of my life when I was a young boy? But again who am I to judge? It is the almighty to decide what next? Because I am a strong believer in God.

The Beginning…