Passion…unbridled

(On World Tourism Day)

To gawk at a painting considered world-famous

While trying to understand all the fuss

Surrounding it; standing in long queues to be

Satisfied that the Mona Lisa you’ve been able to see

Braving throngs of people, being constantly vigilant about

Pickpockets on the streets is stressful, no doubt

You barely have time to click pictures few..

Admiring architecture and art is what you thought you would do

Instead long tours throughout the day leave you drained

You console yourself- at least a new experience you have gained..

The beauty of this place is unparalleled, it’s true

But it is overrun by tourists leaving behind litter too

You were hoping for breathtaking vistas which you do not get

You feel a bit cheated, you’re trying not to get upset…

*

You spend time and money to be a tourist in places well-known

When you really want to be is a traveler exploring places unknown

Each year after your big annual trip you make a resolution

That next year you would avoid a popular destination

And go off the beaten path to be a traveler true

But when you start planning, logistics hinder you

Trips to major tourist destinations are easier to plan, therefore

You end up being a tourist, unknown places you never explore…

It is not a small ask from me

I cannot expect you to trust me blindly..

*

We have met when you are in a vulnerable situation

Not enough time has been spent to build a relation

Between you as the patient and me as your physician

But I have to state the unvarnished truth in my position

I know the extent of your illness has not yet

Been able to sink in, you are understandably upset

When I recommend a life-altering treatment option to you

You are skeptical- in your shoes I would be too

*

I wish we had time to build stronger bridges, develop more trust

But your illness necessitates acting promptly, therefore I must

Explain everything clearly and create a plan for treatment

Reassure you I am there for you and my only intent

Is to provide for you the best possible care

But building trust takes time, I am aware..

*

Though this is our first meeting, I hope I appear

Sincere and empathetic, hope I can allay your fear

I hope over time you would come to trust me

We are in partnership for your disease, you see…

I just read an article in a women’s magazine advising women to be more decisive at workplace. I totally agree- quick decision-making is a life-changing skill at work (and in life).

I thought I was knowledgeable and well-read

I had reasonably good ideas in my head

I should have been able to put my knowledge to use..

I knew that I did not have a credible excuse

For my performance not being up to the mark

Between theory and practice, there was a difference stark

*

I was struggling then in a male-dominated workplace

In my first job, I felt like an imposter taking up space

That I did not deserve, I suffered from lack of confidence

I could not perform well under stress intense

*

I had to find why I was falling behind

As I analyzed my performance in my mind

And compared it to that of successful colleagues in my organization

One thing stood out in stark realization-

I was indecisive and vacillated a lot

Before making a final decision, tormented by the thought

That I could be completely wrong, and this trait

Made me appear incompetent, made execution of projects late

*

I began to work painstakingly on my indecisiveness

Letting go of the fear of being wrong was a slow process

I realized my decisions did not always have to be perfect

But making a decision was crucial to starting a project

I discovered that an early start also gave me

The deftness to change course as the need happened to be

*

I’ve not scaled any major heights, but I must say

That I’ve earned recognition for quick decision-making today

The imposter syndrome still lurks in the background

But fades away when I make a decision sound..

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