Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Some Lessons from the Life

Posted : November 25, 2004 at 5:07 am [IST]

Life teaches us many lessons, if we want to learn. Life gives many an alarm in time, if we can understand. Some of these lessons may help others and they may escape the troubles, if they believe in it fully.

” Hygiene and health: We learn to go in ‘always in haste’ mode, as we grow. We don’t take the necessary hygienic precautions of cleaning the teeth twice properly and after the meals and get into dental problems. I was taught right early in life to brush the teeth before I can get something to eat. But perhaps my guardians never knew or thought it necessary to teach me the right way of brushing the teeth. I got into my professional life which absorbed me a little too much. By the time I learned it, it was already too late and I had lost some precious ones.
I took my job seriously. I was to establish perhaps that though I am from a remote village, but I am the best I started working very long hours forgetting every thing about my own health and never gave due importance for other family matters. After long hours in factory, when I used to return I always went for a walk around in the colony with my wife. Perhaps we were the only couple who kept that practice on even after the onslaught of TV after that historic Asiad that brought colour TV in India. But instead of walking for an exercise, it used to be slow pleasure walk. I would have avoided my heart surgery if I could have been waking at brisk pace. Today, 5 km a day of 35 km every week walking has become the necessary part of my life. When I start in the early morning my chest appears to me very heavy, but gradually it gets normal. I can only suggest that walking must be a part of every one’s life. I am recommending walking as other exercises, workouts, or yoga require stricter self-discipline.

” No substitute for hard work: Let me advise everyone who wish to take my advice. There is no substitute to hard work. Intelligence may have something to do with DNA, but no one can stop you from working hard in your profession. You do not get tired by hard work, if you start liking the work you do. I have worked for 12-14 hours for months and years without a break for Sundays, sleeping hardly 3-4 hours, attending my father in late hours who was sick for a long time either at home or in hospital in my campus, and working on my writings at early hours for an or hour or two every day. I enjoyed everything. Whatever, I could do or attain in my life may not be extraordinary, but it is only because I could work that hard and no one of my colleagues could do that.

” Saving for future: Though I was never in managing my finance, I tried to save and invest for future needs of mine. I might have inherited this from my maternal side. Very early in life, I started saving and it continued. I save by putting the coins in a container made for it that were and are easily available even today. I did that even during my foreign trips. You feel good and sometimes enjoy, when you spend for satisfying your near and dear ones. However, I feel bad after spending. Saving must be made a habit. You must have money; otherwise no one will respect you. Without money you can’t realize your dreams. And it is possible to save and save a good enough amount once you decide. But saving requires some amount of will power. You must not divulge your savings so often and so easily, otherwise it goes willingly or otherwise. Don’t bother even if you loose some. It will come in its own way. You should not to the extent of being called miser, it gives a miserable feeling. If you have helped some one financially and he has not returned, don’t bother and grumble too much, don’t have guilt. After all that was your duty to help someone in need.

” Manage family relations: Under all circumstances, you must find sufficient time for all the members of your family depending on the closeness of the relations. After all, we work and earn only to live a good family life. I feel guilty today that I didn’t spend sufficient time with my family and particularly children. I can’t reverse the time and I can’t get that experience now even if I go out of the way to get it. It is nearness that builds closeness of relation.

I have not made a big list of lessons. But all these have come from very much inside. You may take it or leave it. Decide yourself.

- Indra

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