dhum pichak dhum

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” -- Buddha

if you have read a few of my previous posts you will notice the repetition of the word "eventful". I look at every phase of my life to be eventful, call it my naïveté. It works wonders for me.
So this summer has been, just that, eventful.

Imagine being absorbed in your work so much that it doesn't leave any time to question your existence, and so you strategically avoid all existential crises (and thus the process of growing up, that's another thing). Done?

Now imagine absolutely loving that work that you do all day. Something else, innit?

The economy is in recession and I could have gotten a moolah paying, sort of soul-selling job this summer, instead, I did what my dad calls 'crazy'. I am volunteering for the Health Systems Lab at the Earth Institute, Columbia University. It's the 2nd smartest thing I have done in my 21 years of existence(First, being declaring a Economics major, 4th year into engineering). This stint is giving me the validation to what I merely 'guessed' was my passion. I like to believe I have a knack of creating win-win situations. So here I am, sitting and creating a whole road-map for what a health system in a sub-Saharan country should be like, drawing successful examples from the world, criticizing the failed ones, and drawing win-win situations!



Read this. Idealistic. But there is truth in it. Yes, you can turn on your cynical radar and spew your criticism all over it.

I was telling a half Indian-half American friend about what I think Indian mentality is like..."we Indians we look around a little, if it seems ok, we take up a job and then learn to love it, likewise, we look around a little, if it seems ok, we get into a marriage and then learn to love the spouse." She found it comical, but agreed and said, "its a very western idea to 'seek out for your passion', the western culture doesn't care about financial security or stability contrary to the eastern counterparts".

But I have grown up seeing people ask for more. Some friends I have will not settle for non-gratifying jobs. Sure, they have difficulties of shunning custom, so they start companies and work after coming home from a 9 to 5 job, and then they leap when they have seen their brainchildren grow to give them that financial security or stability.

It is a 'movement'.

If you are not part of it then you are missing out. Imagine being a college student in 1968 and not being a Sechziger (60er). Not knowing what revolution is. Not knowing what rebellion is. Not knowing what it is to be part of a protest.

Dont miss out on this movement!