Board Exams Results: Crossing an Important Milestone and Career Life Lessons
CBSE results were announced yesterday and my beloved nephew got a score of 97%. I was obviously delighted; went online to shop for a gift for him, beating the ‘tyranny of distance’! This kid, the first to call me Maasi, has a special place in my heart. It seems as if it was yesterday when my grandmother and his great grandmother, Maaja, welcomed him at the entrance of our Jammu home in a winnow (called shup in Kashmiri). Don’t know why I penned this piece.Perhaps to give him something (on crossing an important milestone) which might serve him more than any gift that money can buy!
Dearest Sheebu,
Congratulations on crossing an important milestone !
Even as we rejoice in your achievement (97% in 12th Standard exams, no less) , filled with extreme joy and pride, just let the spotlight rest unabashedly on you. You have slogged for it and how!
Yes, there was a time when I was heartbroken to know that full time preparation for your ‘career’ has slowly, yet surely, edged out football and guitar from your life. Your appearances at family gatherings became fewer and far between and there was a time when asking about your participation in any family function was considered blasphemous!
Today you have come out, with the proverbial ‘flying colours’,relieved! Savour this moment before the pressure of getting admission into a ‘college of your liking’ makes an appearance.
As a kid you would never hesitate to ask me for anything. I still remember my old iPod Nano that you coveted. You were so delighted to have it, much to the chagrin of my dearest (impeccable as always) sister – your mom. Don’t know if she let you get away with the supposed ‘embarrassment’ caused by that incident! Seriously, I couldn’t care less and neither could you. I was so happy that my wonderful nephew had instinctively responded to my love.
You have turned into a fine young man. And very soon, all this gushing might make you squirm. The ‘cooler’ you become, the more distant we might get, unless you are smart enough to realise how cool your Maasi truly is!
So before I go online to look for a token of appreciation , more tangible than the effusive, non-stop ‘I am sooooo happy for you, sweetheart’ that you had to endure, here’s something, that I hope, will be of use to you as you chart a new course. Without further ado, here I am, with No Filters….
Best Day of My Life
‘Today is the best day of my life, till date’, is what I tell myself every day. And know what? The Divine never ceases to make it happen. Miracles keep happening every day. Some bring me joy and happiness. Others bring me learning and more consciousness. But today when I got up from my morning Pooja, I had no idea that my cup of happiness would be brimming and how!
More often than not, I simply delete the somewhat irritating ‘while you were away’ Twitter prompt. But not today, for, it alerted me about the first post of my latest series getting published by a new age media outfit. In the last 26 years, I have covered the distance from getting published by a regional daily to a well-respected website. It made me remember and thank my acquaintances, friends and well-wishers who directly or indirectly goaded, helped, encouraged and supported me in continuing with my writing, over the years.
I shared this news with your mum, who, in her trademark, nonchalant manner appended her congratulations with your splendid performance. I was over the moon and yes, went to town about it. If only we were in the same city, you would have seen my joy instead of just feeling it in my voice. So today, as you embark on a new phase of your life, my love for you makes me pen this down.
1. Your current achievement is a cause for celebration, of course! Nobody can take that away from you. However, it is not what defines you as an individual. The energy that you embody and emanate, will proclaim your persona, loud and clear to the world, more than the marks scored in the pursuit of a ‘degree’.
2. You are the main protagonist of the story of your life with complete freedom to write your own script. You are who you are, and not a label that people might bracket you under. Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.
3. You are here to know and fulfil your own life purpose. So find out what gives you joy and do that with all your heart.There might be times when people you count on, might seem to be letting you down. Don’t give up. Follow your heart and all will be well. Trust me! Been there, done that and lived to pen this note.
4. Good or bad is subjective. As long as you don’t harm or hurt anyone, advertently or inadvertently, you are free to follow your own North Star. You are the captain of your ship, remember!
5. If you can shun one thing in life, please shun judgement, for, not everything is as it seems to be. What is good today, may no longer fit your belief system tomorrow, and the one who seems quirky at present, might actually turn out to be a well-wisher later on. Your grandparents, who have put in a lot of efforts in raising you, would surely have told you about ‘Shabri ke ber’ episode from the Ramayana. Shabri offering her ‘jhoothe ber’ to Shri Rama might seem disrespectful at first glance, but once you delve deeper, you realise the depth of her devotion and affection towards him. If you get this fact right, you will be sorted, for life.
6. Stay Open to ideas, thoughts, cultures and people. You will end up richer than you could possibly imagine. ‘What you know about, is the only truth’, is the biggest fallacy ever. Stay clear of it and remain flexible to all that might be seemingly new and foreign. An open, accepting heart will let you find the one common thread that permeates it all and binds people at the fundamental level.
7. Stay informed.Ask questions. Read about your past. Be mindful and appreciative of the rich heritage that you have inherited from your ancestors. You will be amazed by what you discover. Try finding your own truth by digging into the source instead of going by what sounds true.
8. Love with all your heart, without discrimination, and see it come back to you, magnified beyond your imagination. Know it for a fact that your life will not be influenced or affected only by your blood relations. You will meet many people who will shape your life, all through. So be appreciative of and respectful towards everyone.
9. Make sure that your thoughts, words and deeds are all aligned. This conscious living will keep you in good stead, for sure. Raise your vibration and see the Universe bestow you with what is in your highest good.
Signing off with love and the tip to always use your free will to do what you feel guided to, provided, you are willing to take full responsibility for the same. You are all you have and you are all you truly need.
It would be amazing if you find this gift to be of some use; if not, we still have the other one, on its way, from Amazon!
Love
Maasi
This post by the author was first published at dimplehere.com.
Latest posts by Dimple Kaul (see all)
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