Business to the Buddha

Tag: gratitude

  • No water!

    During this lockdown, there were a few instances that taught me some lessons and reminded incidents. In past those incidents did mean little, however, during the lockdown, there were some learnings that emerged. This small incident happened recently which reminded me of two lessons. Lesson one, it is better to be calm when dealing with people or situations. Once again, my recent experience reinforced this lesson. Lesson two, of Hindi class during school. There is a Doha by a saint Rahim, which uses water giving a wonderful message. The message is “water is most important, without water, there is no pearl (shine in pearl), person (respect of person) or lime (use-ability of lime)”. The author uses “water” in different contexts (in Shlesh alankar – Pun decking).

    रहिमन पानी राखिये बिन पानी सब सून

    पानी गए न ऊबरे मोती मानुष चून

    https://business2buddha.com/2015/01/reaction-and-response/

    I have written a lot of blogs on water, be it on economics, meditation, rainwater harvesting, current affairs, or others. You can read the different flavors can be read here.

    No water

    Last week, we woke up to know that there is no water in our wing of the building. Recently we read the news that due to lockdown water usage in Mumbai reduced. It was a surprise how it is possible that we don’t have water?

    drop-meets-ocean

    I was not upset, probably because there are more pressures of work these days than water crisis. Probably, I was unmoved because I did not have to rush to the office. Or probably I reasoned out in my mind better – I quickly accepted the situation. “Ok there is no water, now what?” Actually it was case number three. I went down, spoke with security, and came to know that there is a new fellow on duty. He was unaware of switching on the water pump. Result? this whole trouble.

    It was a revelation – once again – to me when I was talking to him. We take things so much for granted that when we do not have it, only at that time we notice them exist. We never care for who made it possible for that thing to reach us. Water in this instance. It is stored somewhere. We receive water when an unknown BMC employee timely switching on and off of the switches. It is one of the largest supply systems in the world. It traverses the distribution line put in place by god knows who and when. We never think about these people who were the foundation for making our water tank full every morning or for that matter who made our water tank in the first place. Forget about being mindful of the security guard of our building who switches on the button daily. We take the availability of water for granted these days especially in the cities like Mumbai that we don’t realize those who make it possible actually exist!

    Lessons

    These are some important things that come to my mind with the incident

    • Be grateful

    Every individual makes some contribution to our life, we should be thankful to them for this. Yes, if today this security person is not there someone else will be, but his being there today made you feel safe at home. So for that at least – be thankful.

    • Be compassionate / considerate

    There are possible reasons for mistakes so try to look at correcting situations and not criticizing people. You may not know what a person must be going through. Or it is possible that he is new to the system and genuinely unaware of his all responsibilities. A leader must inform his team members about the end results or the basic responsibilities.

    • Own your mindfulness

    If someone loses mind the overall surroundings become tensed. If I am not mindful, it may cause harm not only to me but also to the people around me. Also, if I am mindful I can better handle the situation isn’t it? If you lose your calm the situations are going to get worst.

    These lessons are useful irrespective of personal or professional life. One has to be grateful plus considerate to people, and mindful of self, isn’t it? These factors help a person retain (water) respect – पानी गए न ऊबरे मोती मानुष चून! According to Rahim – No water is no respect too.

  • Gratitude – clap your hands

    A few weeks back I had a chance to meet an Art of Living faculty. During his discussion with us, he said to be grateful. Be grateful to what you have and life will be full of abundance. There were wonderful examples and stories he shared with us. It was fascinating to listen to him. I remembered this discussion on gratitude and Prime Minister Mr. Modi’s suggestions for clapping and applauding many unknown people in healthcare or essential services sector who are selflessly working day in and day out. Show your gratitude – clap your hands.

    Have you ever thought of those who pick up your dustbean everyday morning. The sweeper, the cleaner or for that matter the car washing young man of your society. Many of us may not even know the names of these people whom we pass-by every morning. However, bad is the status of cleaning in Mumbai – compared to Indore, my home town – but it works at its own level of efficiency. Is not it? Should not I be grateful to this cleaning system too? Yes there is room for improvement, yet grateful to the existing levels of cleaning.

    http://business2buddha.com/2015/07/12/gratitude-by-coincidence/

    Gratitude – an example

    Last week, I went for a haircut to a nearby saloon with my father. Since, I was with him, it was nearby and finding parking was difficult I took two wheeler. While returning, my hair were oily, we lived nearby so I took it for granted and did not wear helmet. Murphy’s law kicked in. Police was challaning, I was charged INR 500/- (roughly $70) for not wearing helmet.

    This is another story that I paid the challan outstanding within 15 mins on Mumbai Traffic Police App, ICICI Bank has cut the amount from my account and yet Mumbai Traffic Police App shows the challan is unpaid. On a lighter note a lesson – do not use the app to make challan payment.

    Coming back to the story, I told the police sir I live nearby – literally 300 meters from here, I am coming after a haircut and my hair are oily. So I did not wear the helmet, it is in my dickey. He replied – it is for your safety, you should have worn it. He didnt budge, completed the process. I asked now can I go without helmet it is just 300 meter! He replied what is more important – your head, you and your fathers safety or helmet getting oily? You can go you be a better judge, no one is ahead to cut another challan for you.

    http://business2buddha.com/2018/02/06/driving-in-india/

    I was upset, my father told me he was right. My father always wear helmet (it was even when there was no one wearing it about two decades back). He continued – you should have worn helmet. I made payment on the app instantly and gave it a thought later on. That policeman was not wrong, he was doing his duty, he could have done his job and let me go. However he was kind enough to politely remind me – what is more important “your safety”. This lesson costed me 500 rupees. Though I am rarely that careless, in last 24 years challaned second time. Once for stopping ahead of stop line on signal which where stop-line was barely visible. I felt bad but grateful later on for the policeman – I even wonder if I would see him back in life (I would not want to too :)). Small cautious act can go a long way. In current times it is home quarantine during Coronavirus spread. This small act of individuals can go a long way for the whole society.

    Gratitude – clap your hands – be grateful to the unknown

    Gratitude

    Today is the day when we have to be grateful to the healthcare and essential services professionals. Prime Minister Mr. Modi has said that we have to clap for these people whom we have not seen, not known. They are doing their best to help us fight the biggest challenge our generation is seeing. The graveness of Coronavirus cannot be ignored – especially when there is no known vaccine or medication for that. It is immaterial whether we are sick or healthy, rich or poor, youngster or senior citizen. We must be thankful to these professionals.

    We miss-out on thinking about so many people working on so many things on a daily basis. Some are directly associated with us many are not – be it the local trains of Mumbai or bus or Metro trains services across many cities. If you work in a stockbroking company, you may be taking a local train to the office. Your boss or the owner of the company is not. But to come to work in the owner’s company the employee needs to take the local train. Unknowingly or indirectly the local train driver is adding value to the stockbroking company’s owner. Many a time’s people do not consider this list for gratitude.

    Be grateful

    There is a good amount of research on this – check Harvard articles. Gratitude is a virtue, one must inculcate it. You are alive, be happy about it. Someone told me a couple of days back, you woke up you are fortunate, respect that you have got time and today to live. Especially we must be happy, restrained and grateful at this tough time when the world is facing the pandemic of Coronavirus.

    Be happy today; be grateful for so many known and unknown people and things in your life. Take care and do not forget to Show your gratitude – clap your hands on 22nd March 2020 at 5 PM for 5 minutes.

  • Gratitude by coincidence







    I had to make a decision, however stupid it sounds while reading, but these small decisions in Mumbai’s roads full of traffic are key decisions. The decision was – should I take Mahim or Sion route? I was in Dadar west, traveling on my nondescript two-wheeler to Tilak Nagar, while driving back home from South Mumbai. This kind of decision making happens every day with many people in Mumbai; I’m sure it must be happening daily with many people in many cities across the world.

    You know, if one has to travel only 12 km (~8 miles) and it takes more than 45 mins – these small decisions of taking one road over the other can help you save about 10-15 min. These small decisions also save the headache of braking, accelerating and abusing few people on your left, right and ahead. So, I decided to take Mahim route instead of Matunga-Sion road. At first it sounds ok what is so great in this? This decision resulted in a small incident which taught me a lesson on gratitude.

    Mahim Sion roadSo, I took the road and was at a junction waiting for our signal. A boy in a school uniform reached me and asked “Uncle can you please drop me at Dharavi depot?” I said why not. He sat on the pillion seat.

    Since the kid was in uniform so I asked him – “which class you study in and in which school?” He said he is in 10th. For a class 10 student he looked too young. I initially thought he must have been in standard 7 or 8 when I offered him lift. Anyways. For school he said – “I study in SSRVM, Dharavi.” I know SSRVM school (why read it here), but he felt I might not be aware so he said its – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir, Dharavi. I told him that I know the school. I asked him who is your teacher? He said “Renu Deva”. I dropped this kid near Dharavi Depot. The kid thanked me. He went on his way, I on mine, yet my mind was traversing the decision of taking Mahim route.

    I never thought that this may happen. I never thought that I would offer a lift to a kid. Let alone he being a student of SSRVM and on top of all this – the kid being a student of Renu Didi. When I shifted to Tilak Nagar I started going to weekly follow-up of art of living in Chembur where Renud Didi is a regular teacher. Renu Di is  a teacher in SSRVM too. It was a big coincidence for me.

    I was moving towards my home, my mind was not willing to move on. I was feeling a great sense of gratitude. How and why of the emergence of this gratitude in beyond me. The kid was thanking me, however I thought I should have thanked him. He might have got lift from someone else, but I reached there. We started a conversation which ended up in me thinking about Guruji (Sri Sri). Sometimes some things are beyond explanation. If you understand the feeling of gratitude for the kid and for the master (Sri Sri), you know what I am saying.

    The master sees it all. Many a times the “Thank yous” are meant for the other side – that is perhaps gratitude!

  • Gratitude







    This blog is dedicated to my adopted uncle – Mr Ramana Rajgopaul. Actually, he is kind enough to adopt me as RR-at-weddinghis nephew. Uncleji writes daily on his blog website – www.rummuser.com

    I got connected with uncleji in 2011, when inadvertently I reached his blog site, read blogs and read “about me” section. We started communication through mails and later over phone. I met him the same year and of course have been seeing him often. He has been a go to person for anything in my life starting 2011. I have requested for his guidance in personal, professional and virtual life (Facebook/twitter/blog). I think I had deleted a Facebook comment when he suggested negatively on the same.

    Our communication started with his about me sentence – “I stopped doing a long time ago.” and I asked him – this sounds like Ashtavakra Geeta and kind of meditation et al. So, we started talking about spirituality and in his humors he added every aspect of life – from sex to super-consciousness. He can turn any serious topic (life & death) to a joke and vice versa. I had been awestruck when he answered one of my questions with a Sanskrit Verse from some Veda! He did that occasionally. What surprises me is this – Remembering meanings of somethings, remembering context of few things and remembering many verse of Vedas and referring to it at right occasions (that too in the language) is unique. [actually he has good command on a lot of languages – starting English, Tamil to Sanskrit.]

    The most interesting thing about him is “everything”! He is playful, he is serious, he is well read and most interestingly he enjoys his life to the fullest. I am changed from 2011 to now. My friends and colleagues know me as “no nonsense guy”, however starting 2011 when I started meeting girls for my (arrange) marriage couple of girls told me that I have “good sense of humor” and I am “interesting”! I was shocked when I heard this for the first time. Later on when I heard this from a couple of other girls I said ok! there are two possibilities

    1. either that is a joke or
    2. I have, at last, learnt the trick 😉

    Generally, 2nd had been the case and credit goes to uncleji. In relation with marriage, most of my Lingayat bashing was shared with him, before it came on blogs. He was (and has been always) a great support during that time too. I bothered him a lot on (apparently) “my community”, where I don’t belong anyways.

    Once I wrote to him this – earlier I didnt understand you because you were humorous and witty (used to take lot of time to understand the jokes) now you are talking more profound that I can understand. Though, I follow the “art of living” and Guruji says God loves fun, I am learning it with uncleji.