Musings of a Working Professional

Life as a working professional is invigorating and draining at the same time. 5 days a week of corporate life is tough and yet there are good days of productivity and satisfaction. Of course, I am very grateful to God for my job and all the benefits it offers to me. But on the flip side, there are long working days, tight deadlines, and tiring commutes to work.

And before you know, you are sucked into the daily humdrum of life. Sometimes I am too busy to notice anything as I am keen to reach work on time. Or by the time I reach home after work, I would simply prefer to retire to bed.

But it’s in this busyness of life that I find the joy of slowing down and gaining a better perspective of the world around me. There are a couple of things I do to keep myself focused as a single working Christian.

Being Connected
No matter what folks feel about this, I have experienced the blessing of beginning every day with God. I know for me to do that means hitting the sack early so that I am refreshed and eager to meet God through His word and prayer. There are days when I am tired and my mind is heavy with other things. But the moment I begin reading His word, it helps to get my mind off myself (for once) and focus on the majesty and immensity of my God. It really helps to prepare for the day and pray for the things ahead of me.

Being Available
As a single working woman, I have the blessing of being available in church and to my family and friends. That means helping my family or friends in times of need. I remember many years of babysitting my friends’ kids over the weekends. Of course, I had the option of enjoying time with my single friends. But it was such a neat opportunity to serve and not be selfish with my time.

Being Fit
My work forces me to sit in front of the computer for hours. And what better way to break that sedentary life than to exercise! Exercise for me is either walking in the morning, or hitting the gym in the evening. And I add cycling and swimming to my list of activities.

Being Adventurous 
I have just started travelling to places and I cannot begin to tell you the benefits of it. I mean, if you are working so hard, it does help to unwind by visiting new places and experiencing life in a totally different manner. It has helped me to keep in touch with friends and I am able to appreciate the simple blessings of life.

Being Generous
I think it’s easy to fall into the temptation of being miserly with your time and money. I have struggled a bit when it came to being generous with my time with people. I am not very good with interruptions and lack flexibility in my schedules. But I have personally experienced the joy of meeting friends and spending time with them when I would have preferred to read a book at home. Same holds true for money. Experience the thrill of spending on others, whether it is paying for lunches or coffee or buying gifts. Trust me, life as a hoarder is no good!

These are some of the things I do to keep the balance of my work life. What are some of yours? I’d love to hear them.   

Of Change and Transitions

It’s been so long since I have posted something on my blog that I am scrambling for a topic to write. The last couple of months were full of changes and moving from one transition to another. I got a new job which meant new workplace, new colleagues, new commuting route, and new challenges. By the time, I got adjusted to this particular change; there was another set of changes that needed my immediate attention.

All I wanted at this point of juncture was something that was familiar, something that didn’t need too much of my attention. I am a creature of habit and I love things functioning in an orderly fashion.  Any sudden change or unwanted interruptions puts me on edge.

I had two options: first complain my heart out or face this change with courage. Thank God, for I chose the latter. As a Christian, I am called to do all things without complaining or grumbling. I need to remember that God in His Sovereignty has allowed these changes to surface for my good. I was afraid to face these changes thinking I would fail miserably trying to adapt for these very things. The words in the book of Joshua encouraged my heart.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

So here I am standing face to face with the new things in my life and I am not as stifled as I was before.

Coffee and Conversations

I have always noticed that conversations flow with ease around coffee. I wonder if there is any connection to it. Is it the caffeine that kicks in or just the environment surrounding it? 

I am not much of a talker. I like to observe and take in what I see. Talking takes effort and sometimes I feel we become vulnerable when we talk. But lately, I have come to appreciate conversations. Not superficial conversations, but real conversations that take place between friends,

between a parent and a child, between folks who are in love.

There is an exchange of thoughts and ideas. We get an insight into the life of the person we are engaged in a conversation with. In fact we spill a lot about ourselves with our words. 

Maybe that’s one of the reasons why sometimes I avoid long conversations. I am never comfortable with people getting an insight into me. But I guess, people figure out who you really are in the end. There’s no hiding in this world. So, I guess a cuppa coffee would be great!

The Beauty of Silence

All my life where I grew up I was accompanied by solitude and serenity. I quite naturally didn't

appreciate at all. As a kid, I always complained about my residence being very quiet. I complained about the fact that my home was far tucked away from the main city. Yes, I did complain how quiet it was and that the quietness at times drove me a wee bit crazy.

Fast forward to 2001, where after a whirlwind of situations, our family landed up in a residential locality in the heart of din and noise. Want a clue about where we lived? Close to a major IT park near Hadapsar. Well, well who knew it was the beginning of a long enduring nightmare.

Our flat faced a highway that had major trucks and buses plying nonstop. Before we could settle down, a big hospital began to crawl from the ground. Within a couple of years, a flyover appeared bang opposite our home. And before we could sigh, two major malls appeared in our vicinity.

We were constantly surrounded by the honking and the rattle of the vehicles. Sleep was a luxury for us. Oh how I craved a little bit of quietness. It was a tough lesson that I learned on how to really appreciate what I had in my life. How easy it was to take things like living in a quiet surrounding for granted.

Well, after 13 years of living a nightmare, our family finally shifted to a quieter residence. And even as I write this post, I am enjoying the serenity around me. I can hear my thoughts! But above all, I have learned an important lesson of gratefulness unto the One who wisely grants things in my life.

Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

My Favorite List—Movies

Top ten movies that I love to watch again and again:

1. Little Women
2. Dark Knight
3. LOTR (1,2,3)
4. While You were Sleeping
5. A Few Good Men
6. Iron Man (1,2,3)
7. Dil Chahta Hai
8. The Wedding Planner
9. Harry Potter Series
10. Avengers

 What about yours?

One of Those Days

Every once in a while I experience one of those days.

It happens when you least expect it or least want it, but it’s there.
One of those days...unexpected things, missed lunches, exhaustion....

Last Friday, our company celebrated Diwali. I was excited and looked forward to that day. What better way to end the week?

But on Thursday, I got a call from my senior saying that she would not be in office which meant I would be the one reviewing the completed task for one of the projects we were working on. Oh no! Am I heading for one of those days?

Yes, sure enough. Friday arrived and even as I tried to enjoy, I ended up running around and keeping tabs on the status of the project I was involved in. I barely managed to say hi to my colleagues at work, missed my lunch, and my feet were hurting from the constant running around.

By the time, I finished my task; the Diwali program was almost done. Yeah, rite! I managed to see the prize distribution.

When I got back home, I was exhausted and hungry. (Didn’t have lunch, remember?)
Whew! Some day huh? Yes, it was one of those days!

Downton Abbey

I came across this name a couple of times while checking blogs online. So I kept wondering, ‘What in the world is Downton Abbey? For starters, it’s a British period drama television series that was first aired in the year in 2010. It closely follows the lives of an aristocratic family called the Crawleys along with their dozen servants.

For some reason I was quite reluctant to watch these series. Who in the world wants to get entangled with the lives and happenings of the aristocrats? But entangled I did and now I am so much a part of their lives. It’s fun to watch the way things were in the last century and how people in that era responded to the rapid changes that took place.

It also makes me appreciate the things that I often I take for granted in my own life, like freedom, no class system, modern technology and so much more. But there are times when I wish I was born in that era. If only wishes were horses....

5 Reasons Why I Love to Exercise!

1. Discipline: It trains my mind and body to be disciplined and exercise self control.
2. Fitness: I can do a particular task with ease and use less energy to accomplish it.
3. Time: I am able to use my time effectively and reap rich benefits.
4. Denial: I have learned to give up something that I love to gain something better.
5. Reward: I have enjoyed the rich rewards that exercise brings every single day.

Things that make me smile!

There are so many things that immediately bring a smile on my face. Thought of listing them down:

Watching kids ride the bicycle

Every time I enter the cinema theatre

Listening to Christmas songs

When Friday draws near

When winter is near

When I hear from my friends

Reading the newspaper comics

Sunday lunch

Sharing chocolates with my sister

When my sister says ‘Good morning’

When I cook something for my family

Every time I eat potatoes..yeah!

Tea Breaks

My favorite time of the day at work is the tea break. Not the one where you have tea near the water cooler with your colleagues and chat. This is when you are in the middle of work and you sip hot tea all the while staring at your computer screen!

I don't know about you but the sheer joy of drinking tea in your favorite office cup and moving the mouse at the same time seems fun.

So, what about you? What's your favorite time at work?

Of Leeks and Chicken Soup

My first brush with leeks was in the book of Exodus (Bible) where the people of Israel craved for it from the land of Egypt. Ah there! I kept wondering what kind of vegetation it was that made them miss it so much.

Couple of days back, I had the privilege of setting my eyes on leeks. I needed it for a soup I was preparing for my family. Spicy chicken mushroom soup that needed a dash of leeks as a part of the recipe. It resembles the spring onions we know of.

The dish came out really well and I must confess the leeks did a good job in improving the flavors of the chicken soup on the whole.

Thank you Mr. Leeks!

Tomato Coriander Soup

What more to ask in this weather? Warm, flavorful, and delicious and not to mention a bowlful. A bit of tweaking with the ingredients to suit to your style and there you are...tomato coriander soup!...without the bread of course ;)

Absence

Just as the presence of someone in our lives can bring great change and significance, so also their absence can cause a unique transformation in us.

Let’s think of the people who’ve played an important role in our lives. Their friendships, their advice and the laughter shared are difficult to erase.But in their very absence, those memories shine brighter and seem to be etched in our hearts forever.

So, this is the question I pose. What is better, their presence or their absence? I have noticed that people and friends are better appreciated in their absence than in their presence. In their presence, we are unable to fathom their influence, how their lives intertwine with ours.

When distance makes its way in between those blessed friendships and relationships, realization dawns on the truth of how compelling their presence really was!

Of Transitions and Change

" Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." said the novelist, Arnold Bennett. I couldn’t agree more! There is something about ‘Change’ that makes me weary. I can see adjustments, lots of adjustments and so much to give up in the process of reaching that ‘Change’. 

Where am I going with this? I have just emerged from a lot of change in my work life.  Change in my office campus and new work timings–it all felt too hard to bear.  Initially, I felt strange to the new campus despite the buzz of being in a new office setup. And to top it all, the change in the work timings, which I must confess was a blessing in disguise. 

And, now that I have quite settled in the ‘Change’, I kinda like it. It was a bit tedious getting adjusted to a new place but now that this has been scaled, I am grateful to God for the change. Maybe, on second thoughts, change is not that bad as I imagined, because it was an adventure and deep down, I enjoyed it!! 

Like someone rightly said, "If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."        

Mercury Rising!

With the temperature soaring and beads of sweat hanging on my brow, I am compelled to write on summer glares!! Summer this year has been brutal or should I say lethal? Every week there is a rise in mercury causing people to collapse in the summer heat. Call it global warming or whatever, the hot air does make everyone 'swoon'. So, what can be done to bear this season of glare? Simple!! Stay indoors as much as possible and hydrate yourselves! Treat yourself with icecreams. What better season than this!

Less is More

Has it ever occurred to you that when you have less, you actually have more?? You are wondering what am I getting at? Ok. Let me try rephrasing this sentence, did you know that when you have less things (space to live, paltry wage.....) in your life, you actually have more?? Sounds crazy right, but it's true!!!

Think with me for a minute. Suppose you are earning peanuts in terms of a decent salary and you are looking at that neighbour who is drawing a great paycheck. What do you do? Mope around the house, crying over your misfortune? I will tell you a secret......People who have more things in their life, whatever it may be do not have one thing, that is the ability to enjoy!! Yes! It is true. Because of the presence of so many goods vying for their attention, they are at a loss what to do!

Let me give you a crisp example. Remember the good old days of Doordarshan. Ahh!! How eagerly we waited for Chitrahaar or for Disney Cartoons. We gave our complete attention and the best part, we were satisfied!! Fast Forward!!!!......20 years ahead...In an age of Dish TV with 100 and odd channels with flat screen and surround sound......Are we happy?? Ask your self? More fights over the channels. Everyone has their own favourite serials and not much to discuss in common. Whenever we sit down to watch TV, the initial half an hour is spent in browsing, trying to pick one channel to enjoy! It can be frustrating at times!

So the point I am trying to say is that when we possess few things in our lives, we are able to give our full attention to it and enjoy ourselves completely. Less is more!!!

Love this verse from the Bible where Jesus Christ said on one occasion, “ Take care, and be on guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

Different Strokes!

Lunch times are fun times! I get to interact with my colleagues during this time and chat on various topics. The topics vary every single day. In fact every time I sit down to eat, I ask myself, "Wonder what will be the topic today?"

Today as we were chatting away about exams and which board is good (for example)I just glanced at my colleagues and realised-Hey!! We are from different states. It was an amazing revelation to me!!. Right from Jammu to Assam, then West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka(me!!) and of course from Maharashtra....
It was interesting to note the variety present and yet we all sat together enjoying our meals and enjoying each other's company. Isn't that great? People from different strata of society, lifestyle, culture, upbringing, influence, education sitting together! I love this about my country!! 
Apart from the fact that lunch hour is for relaxing and eating, it is also a time of appreciating one another, their cuisine, their ideas and so much more!! It is easy to gloat about our culture and our own language and feel proud about it which in reality is foolish. What is the common thread then? God is the Maker of us all!!

Blessings..

My weekend was good as it was not too hectic. Got some time to relax and spend time with my friends. I am very grateful to God for the kind of friends I have at this phase of my life. Few but precious- really a gift from God.

The start of the week was not too bad either, which is a surprise. I guess my attitude's beginning to change as I realise it's a sheer blessing to work, so why grumble. My day's almost done and I will wrap within few minutes to leave. Contentment is a gift where you learn to be satisfied with what you have and not complain like the Israelites. Hahaha....That's all for today...Hope to write few posts in the coming days...Chow!!

Tired....

It's been a while I have blogged and there is nothing special to write. Been busy for quite some time....New writing assignments that are quite interesting.....The weather has been pleasant though which is a blessing

Guess, I'm kinda tired to pen down anything of worth, but hoping the next time I have something good to document.

Lunch times!!

Lunch times at workplace is fun! The conversations flow from one topic to another, say for example "What's the technique for getting the 'perfect' shape while making dosas?" Yes!! you got this one right for sure! Out pours expert advice from fellow colleagues where the poor victim (the one who asked the qs in the first place) listens with child-like attention. Then slowly the gear shifts to another topic-"The different upbringing each one had" .....Its really fun and yet very insightful.....

Today we were lamenting over the kind of serials that are aired on the telly. Everybody got nostalgic when serials like 'Buniyaad', 'Humlog', 'Nukkad', 'Fauji' were mentioned. C'mon guys we lived in the era where only Doordarshan was available. We watched whatever was telecast...How content we were in those days!!!

Not wanting to divert from the main thing......I have slowly realized the worth of having lunch together with friends, colleagues...people...They are fun times!!! Sharing meals as well as sharing thoughts brings in a sense of unity...This I have perceived......