The Last Supper - a fine Gujarati Thali @Samrat, Mumbai |
Another of the catalysts that primed me to
make this gigantic leveller of a trip was the shiver that shook me as one
evening I almost skipped back to my house from next door with a big Boden
delivery in my arms. I suddenly
remembered being a student and having to wear the same old clothes all the
time. I then remembered when I first
had a house and used to save up to buy occasional clothes, and then I realised
that in amongst all of the complexities I had going on at the time I was trying
to buy my happiness in the form of very lovely but somewhat over-priced clothes
…something was deeply out of balance.
By the time I reached the house, the box represented shame more than
happiness making me feel worse not better.
This rare gift of time and solitude has
helped me to correct that imbalance, to differentiate what really matters from
what needs to be done and what is a total waste of life. It’s so easy to get swept away by misguided
self-importance and to become consumed by nurturing an ego ahead of nurturing
the things that matter. I am not
suggesting for a minute that I am going to stop wearing the clothes I Iike or
allow my hair to grow down to my waist, maintaining yourself needs to be
done …but it isn’t what really matters when it comes to happiness. For me, what really matters now is a healthy
balance of these few things…
Nurturing my relationships with my family
and friends
Being fit and healthy
Working hard in the right kind of organisation
Contributing positively to society
Enjoying my hobbies and interests
On Wednesday I will step into the Living
Room that this Thinking Space has created for me to live in. As rooms go it is pretty similar to what was
there before only now it is perfectly furnished, the curtains are open and the
fire is on.
Thanks for reading
Bye Shadow |