In her rather heart-warming and oft read commencement address (full article) for Harvard’s Class of 2008, J K Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, says:
…many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are…
Said in a slightly different context, that is exactly what I chosen for me now. A choice that I have always wanted to make. A choice that I always managed to avoid. A choice that life has thrust on me.
When I returned from my journey across India, things had changed a lot more than I had thought. A lot more than anyone had thought. More so in my industry. As a result, my chair had caught fire and they had to throw it out to rescue the company. I wasn’t working there anymore. I am yet to go back and collect my stuff and return their credit card. I liked the place. I will miss it.
I also realized I was out of money. Since I assumed I will have a job and a salary packet at the end of the month, I wasn’t particularly careful while decreasing mileage or tipping the waiter or feeding the birds. Thank God for little things!
In about two weeks time, our lease on the house is getting over. Well with no money and no job, it seems rather natural that I won’t have the house too.
So there. That’s the story of the return.
But then I realised something. I wanted to do this for a long long time. I wanted to quit investment banking. That was the reason I went on this trip in the first place. To save myself. Now life is giving me a chance, why whine. So I took it with both my hands. It would have been nice if there was some money also in those hands but then you just take what life throws at you and go about your business.
I have been thinking about what to do next. A few things are doing the rounds. Somebody asked me why don’t I consider journalism. And I thought, well why not. I haven’t yet said yes though. I have asked some people to look for anything in the UN or an NGO doing some nice stuff. I don’t want too much money but I want to do something that is inspiring. If anyone reading this can think of something, please let me know.
In all of this, there is but one feeling that gives me comfort. I have been to the top of the world and back, there is nothing I cannot do. With a little help from my friends.
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