Entering the Living Room

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

Over and out x

Bye Shadow