Passion…unbridled

Achieving goals at young age is celebrated

“Under 30” and “under 40” achievers are felicitated

By organizations, the not-so-subtle message being given

Is that youngsters should be ambitious and driven

To climb up the traditional ladder of success

To get to the pinnacle of their career by forty or less..

*

Some of us are early bloomers, but many of us miss the boat

On achieving, caught as we are in just trying to stay afloat

While juggling careers and parenting challenges simultaneously

Personal growth takes a backseat, unfortunately

*

In forties, fifties and beyond, people often find

More time and space in their lives and their minds

For some it is time for second innings and they

Resurrect their careers in an admirable way

Since time has already “run out” late bloomers do not fear

The pressure to achieve certain goals by a certain year..

*

The question that I pose, therefore

Is why don’t we recognize them more?

Why don’t we applaud the homemaker who

Becomes an entrepreneur in her fifties too

Why don’t we celebrate people who overcome

Under-confidence and technical challenges to become

Wildly successful in their later lives

In their twilight years, they continue to thrive

*

While “thirty under thirty” grabs your attention

To ensure we see “fifty over fifty” lists is my intention

As a mass of humanity, we continue to grow

At an unprecedented pace, sometimes we do not know

How to best allocate resources for which we all compete

Many resources are finite, and we continue to deplete

Them faster than ever as our needs expand

Placing undue pressure on habitable land

Crowded cities with skyscrapers and traffic congestion everywhere

Are increasing, there is no availability of land spare..

*

So far we have solved issues facing a growing population

By traditional methods focused on continued exploitation

Of natural resources that are now dwindling fast

In order to build a future that can last

We have to look at ways more creative

To sustainability more thought we need to give

*

My humble opinion therefore is that we must

Teach our children to think of sustainability first

As they learn and sharpen problem-solving skills

Judicious and just use of resources is a value we should instill

In them, so that they have a sustainable future ahead

With enough to keep each denizen of the planet well-fed

*

I must ensure I do as I say, not just talk the talk

Towards a sustainable future, my child shall walk

I hope he shall grow up to solve problems grave

And find solutions that shall this fragile planet save

A hummed melody not searchable on the internet

The extra ingredient in a recipe that’s a family secret

The half-remembered lyrics of an old song

The heirloom jewelry that has for generations belonged

To the family- notes fragmented from a storied past

Inveigle their way into a new life, relics that outlast

Their replacement- staying stubbornly alive

Through the process of cultural transformation, bits and pieces survive

Woven into the fabric of each family’s lore

A way to build bridges some more

Between generations of immigrants

The past lives on, in remembered fragments

I came across the title of a post that said

You’re looking to get angry when you browse the internet

As I recalled all the content I had consumed that day

I realized much of it had stirred my emotions in a way

That I felt annoyed, outraged, perturbed, or plain angry

There were strong opinions with which I did not agree

With equally forceful language I wanted to retaliate

I was planning my rebuttals, my opinions I too wanted to state

But I was short on time and had enough insight

To not engage further in meaningless fights

I was able to move on after my initial reaction

I was thankful for not having taken any action

*

The title of that piece was eye-opening to read

Browsing the internet had made me angry indeed

That anger did not change anything, it was futile

It just robbed me of mental peace for a while..

This has given the strongest boost to my intention

To reduce my internet and social media consumption

In a world hyper-focused on self-expression

Being ordinary gives a negative impression

Whether you are meeting new people or writing a résumé

Something unique about yourself you are expected to say

An unusual interest, hobby or achievement

Something extraordinary that makes a statement

A stable life, working a regular job and raising a family

Make you boring, average, cloaked in invisibility…

If you do something exciting, you can grab

At least fleeting attention from others, and brag

About that one thing that distinguishes you

It is a booster for your self-esteem too..

*

The emphasis on being exceptional and unique

Embeds in us a narcissistic streak

Even participation in a community event

Is a way to broadcast our achievements

But many “ordinary” people work behind the scenes

Contributing to their communities, remaining unseen…

*

Without contribution from ordinary people doing work mundane

The exceptional cannot achieve the heights they aim to attain

There is merit in being exceptional, but equal merit lies

In being ordinary, when viewed through a different set of eyes

Stacks of envelopes I retrieve from the mail

Wondering why I receive paper communication on this scale

Too many organizations vie for my purse-strings

But I’ve set up online payments for the most important things

At the end of an exhausting work day

Sifting through snail-mail seems a ridiculous way

To spend my evening, besides, mental capacity I lack

To read through each letter in this huge stack

So my mind burdened by an overload of information

Lets me take the easy way out in resignation

And I end up discarding summarily

Almost everything, unless my eyes happen to see

Something I should keep, to scan at a later date

Otherwise being shredded is my paper-mail’s fate…

*

Since most mail is inconsequential, my audacity

At throwing everything away is challenged infrequently

Every once in a while I miss a crucial payment

Or I miss the deadline for something imminent

For the next few days diligently through all mail I go

Before reverting to my usual habit of “ignore and throw”

I know none other than Confucius did say

If you love your job, you wouldn’t have to work a single day

Millions of people have taken this quote to heart, they try

To find jobs that they love, so they can apply

Their skills such that work does not feel like work indeed

It is engaging, interesting and fulfills a higher need..

*

In reality, though you may love your job holistically

Work is work after all, and can often be

Mundane, repetitive, uninspiring, or feel like a noose

Around your neck, test your patience or make you lose

Sight of your purpose temporarily, leave you feeling frustrated

Until an acute situation has resolved and the stress has abated

All jobs come with their rules and restrictions

Professional dealings are often marked by friction

Then work feels like work, tiring and burdensome

And an end to the workday is especially welcome..

*

I love my work most of the time, most days

But various stressors I face along the way

I can deal with them, but most definitely

Work feels like WORK, not leisurely activity…

(In many places around the world, curricula in history for schoolchildren are being “modified”. This poem reflects my take on this issue..)

It starts with an innocuous substitution

Or with a seemingly irrelevant omission

The language keeps changing in a manner insidious

With each iteration, until it becomes obvious

That the interpretation has changed dramatically

It means the opposite of what it should be

History in textbooks has been altered in a way

That the narrative is what those in power want to portray

These words are for impressionable minds intended

Far-reaching are the consequences of history books amended…

*

Just a few words can alter perception

Distort historical facts, replace them with fiction

We owe it to our children to let them learn what is true

To keep children away from sectarian agenda is what we need to do

Let me start by saying that I had no option but to choose

It was a hard choice, I knew I would lose

One thing or the other, and the choice I made

Reflected my priorities at the time, therefore I stayed

With my newborn child, put my promising career on hold

Working part-time from home would exclude me, I was told

From any possibility of future promotions or rise

In my career, why was I willing to compromise

Something to which I had devoted much time and effort

(Insinuations that I was taking away from “deserving” men did hurt)

Why did I not hire full-time help or rely

On grandparents, why did I not give it a try..

*

I do not think I need to explain how I prioritized

My child over my career, I am not surprised

That my choice would make people decide I was not

As committed to my career as they had thought

Sometimes I too wondered the same

In placing my career on hold, was I to blame?

Then I would look at my angel, and be reassured anew

That placing him above my career was the right thing to do

*

Now my child has grown, and I am ready to rejoin the workforce

I am prepared for re-training and tough questions, of course

I do understand when managers feel I should not be

In preference to those working without breaks, given an opportunity

Except, I am the same ambitious and sincere worker as before

Truth be told, after this break, I am motivated even more

As a mother, a different set of skills I have acquired

That can be applied to the workplace, in fact such skills are highly desired

*

I know my situation is not at all unique

There are many women out there who seek

To rejoin the workforce after needed breaks

To care for their children, as a society we need to make

Conditions conducive for motivated women for re-entry

Into the workforce, to give mothers this opportunity

So many have fought and found

A seat at the table, it is an accomplishment profound

Women, people of color, persons with disabilities

Are all supposed to find at crucial tables, seats with ease

Then why does representation still fall short?

Why are they missing more often than not?

There is a table to which they have a right

But is it accessible without a fight?

To enter rooms where such tables exist

Poses barriers too numerous to list

Getting a theoretical seat at the table does not ensure

That discrimination one would not have to endure..

*

There is a seat at the table proverbial

But in order to make adequate representation real

Let the voices of minorities make their way

Into the chambers of decision-makers today

Let the tables around which people deliberate

Be accessible to all, let them accommodate

Those who identify as minorities

Let the table have diverse voices, please..

Is happiness a person, a thing or a place?

Or an abstract concept that exists in mythical space?

Or an elixir in the depths of my consciousness

Should I dive deep within myself to find happiness?

*

How, I wonder, should happiness be defined?

Is it a state of contentment of the mind

A mind in a stable equilibrium between

The visible external world and the inner world unseen

With the ability to withstand both joy and sadness

Without losing stability in the process

*

As I pen these lines, I simultaneously try to evaluate

How I am feeling, how to describe my emotional state

I am not at complete peace though I cannot say

That I am bothered in any particular way..

*

Maybe the notion of happiness is arbitrary

Let me decide right now that I am happy

Instead of happiness being an abstract notion

It is now a palpable, tangible emotion!

(This poem started as my reaction to a news segment on Greek wildfires that have claimed the lives of some asylum seekers.)

No one likes to let outsiders in

And that is where the argument begins

Against immigration, an issue that evokes

Strong reactions, often provokes

Resentment, anger, marked division

Among citizens in terms of their opinion..

*

Yet migration is a way of life natural

How can arbitrary borders limit the fight for survival

For many immigrants fearful for their lives

Immigration is their only hope to survive

Facing untold perils to immigrate

Is a measure taken by those truly desperate

Granting political asylum to those in need

Is essentially a humanitarian deed

*

Some immigrants migrate not out of necessity

But because of the dearth of opportunities

In their parent countries, they immigrate

Based on merit, and integrate

Into communities in new nations

Doesn’t everyone benefit from such immigration?

*

I am an immigrant, and all I can say

I am grateful for the opportunities that have come my way

In my adopted country- my success I owe

To both the countries that have let me grow

I hold myself responsible to never let

My adopted country down, to never give anyone reason to regret

Opening the doors to let me in, let me acquire

Citizenship, to let me pursue the goals I desire