Ideas, immigration and introspection

What is an idea worth really? For several centuries, and even the present one, it isn't worth a lot until put to execution.

Years back, I had this wish of testing my ability to work for Big 4 accounting firms. Now, I have worked for 3 of those 4 firms. I was branded as a specialist in two of those, and by the time I joined the third Big 4 firm, I was branded as a good-for-something generalist. It was my experience that got me most of these jobs. I wouldn't have had the chance to quote my experience, hadn't it been for my idea to specialize in something specific. 

Now, when I look back, even immigrating to a foreign country was an idea. An idea of trying to test our worth in getting a permanent resident visa in a western, developed nation - away from our own native land. To try and secure a cleaner, unbiased future for our daughter. To make the leap away from the basic living problems of clean air, water, women safety and achieve greater proximity to better colleges. This idea has now materialized into us living in Canada for about an year now. It has been a struggle and a humbling experience. Putting this idea to execution used up our guts, our monetary investment and also tested our ability to work with lesser experienced professionals. Being a parent by sacrificing our comfort zone, our years of familiarity with Bengaluru (India) and leaving our family behind.

It is true that immigration makes us take chances. Just like ideas test entrepreneurs, they also test the ability of immigrants. In fact, immigration is just like giving birth for the first time. The changes are not always pleasant, there is a lot of re-learning and un-learning and there are new rules that you are supposed to follow. Just like entrepreneurs believe strongly in the efficiency of their idea, immigrants are meant to believe that they can make it work in an alien land based off their hard work and perseverance. 

Change

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. 

Those words of a great scholar caught my eye. Transience, as a matter of fact, has perturbed my mind too often. It is a feeling so trivial and phenomenal at the same time because of recurrence every now and then, that I hardly recollect the mind's reaction to change. Good or bad, changes happen. The lingering of good or bad feelings followed by those are somethings beyond my control. Sometimes these thoughts/feelings over power the intellect causing unnecessary worries, dissatisfaction and delusion into inability to accept life as it comes.

I wonder, if this were the case with the mind, then how does the body react to changes that happen everyday within us. It's a thought to which little attention is paid unless we look ourselves closely in the mirror.  Thoreau was right when he said " Things do not change, we change".

The Mad Ones

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!” ~ "On the Road - Jack Kerouac"

 

Madness for me, is a synonym for passion, for excellence, for being.

There are days when I search for people to understand me - the way I am, like the mad ones, as Kerouac mentions.

I find myself being part of a lot of situations, places and people. I consider myself to being their own, madly passionate to understand things inside and around me. I nurture a belonging to those realities.

 

Is such madness suited to our world?

Which worse is better?

I wonder .....

Having good friends or being lonely?
Love marriage or arranged marriage?
Having a boyfriend or not having one?
Being married or being single?
Having kids or being the 'woman' without kids?
Doing hard work or having no work?
Being loyal to family or being carefree?
Speaking the truth or wrapping the truth?
Being a fast learner or being ignorant?
Bearing pain or ignoring it?
Realizing things or being lazy?
Being cheerful yet unhappy or being only unhappy?
Being alive or being dead?
Knowing God or Being Materialistic?

Writing all of this or deleting it??
The last choice remained the only one I could positively make...

Higher Ground - State of my present self

Every hour of every day I'm learning more
The more I learn, the less I know about before
The less I know, the more I want to look around
Digging deep for clues on higher ground

Moon and stars sit way up high
Earth and trees beneath them lie
The wind blows fragant lullaby
To cool the night for you and I

On the wind the birds fly free
Leviathan tames angry sea
The flower waits for honeybee
The sunrise wakes new life in me

Every hour of every day I'm learning more
The more I learn, the less I know about before
The less I know, the more I want to look around
Digging deep for clues on higher ground

The fishes swim while rivers run
Through fields to feast my eyes upon
Intoxicated drinking from
The loving cup of burning sun

In dreams I'll crave familiar taste
Of whispered rain on weary face
Of kisses sweet and warm embrace
Another time another place

And every hour of every day I'm learning more
The more I learn, the less I know about before
The less I know, the more I want to look around
Digging deep for clues on higher ground

Courtesy: UB40 Higher Ground Lyrics

Compromises

The story of marriage is always an interesting one but with the usual cliches and quotes that it carries from yesteryear. Nonetheless, this story remains the same, even in the modern age of high-end technology and emancipation of women or whatever high-sounding words one can think of.

The story this time is of a young couple discussing pros and cons of shifting to a new city because the man of the house has been asked to do so by his company. It is inevitable to conclude that the woman should follow suit. She should be able to find a new job in the new city or relocate to the branch office of the current company she is employed with. All this is okay but what about the woman who keeps shifting wherever her husband goes. Even if, she does not have a job. What are her choices in either cases? She is regarded as arrogant in the case where she persists to stay in the present city because of her job. Else, she is asked to make a compromise - against her personal wish, to move out of the city to be with her husband.

Although women liberation and independence are catchwords of many political party agendas, there is no independence for many women in reality. Questioning decisions, going against those and stating personal choices are deemed as selfish motives in the society. The woman gets a praise if she does not indulge into this much thinking. Wonder if compromising women themselves, are thinking about this in the least?

"Recession" quote of the day

"The best condition in life is not to be so rich as to be envied nor so poor as to be damned."

-- Josh Billings