Joy In Little Things

Recently we received a note from our resident association informing us that garbage segregation has been made mandatory by the Government and that we had to adhere to the new process. As soon as I saw the elaborate note and the list of items to be segregated I became sceptical. I said to myself, “This is lot of work; no one is going to adhere to such stringent segregation process.” I justified my resistance to the segregation process with the thought that even in the most advanced countries; such stringent and elaborate segregation is not practiced. Fortunately I checked myself and decided to look at the end objective of the whole exercise . . . I realised it was to protect our environment and create a better world for all of us. Being a nature lover helped and with no housekeeper (that is another story) I decided to attempt the segregation process myself. It was complex; the traditional agency that collected all our garbage said that henceforth they would only collect food waste, leaves and twigs from the garden. That too the conventional black bag in which we packed it would not be taken! Paper, Plastic and glass items were to be picked up by another agency once a week. They wanted paper, plastic/ glass and electronic waste to be segregated.

As I got down to the task, the first activity was to ensure that we had four different garbage bins in the kitchen. The traditional one for the food waste, a green bag for plastic & glass, a white bag for paper and a red bag for Electronic waste like printer cartridges, batteries, floppy discs etc. Next came the education of our maids on what they can throw where. Even with the elaborate list of what goes where, often we had to pause and think which bin was the right one for a certain item. For instance a tooth brush cover we realised could not go straight into any bin as the top was plastic and the bottom was made of cardboard paper. So we had to rip it apart to put the plastic in the green bag and cardboard in the white bag. The luxury of throwing out take away food cans also got axed with the new process. Often when we ordered food home on the maid’s day off, the best thing about it was that we did not have to wash any dishes other than the plates we ate in. The plastic cans were thrown away with the remnants of the dish. The new process required us to clean it and put it in the green bag. Cleaning was required since that garbage was taken once a week and even a little bit of food would raise a stink. Ditto for yoghurt, Jam, butter, cheese and all other disposable food containers. We also had to rethink about the usefulness of the garbage bins in our 3 bedrooms and study. After some thinking we decided to retain them for paper waste and walk up to the kitchen for banana peels, other food waste or plastic wrappers etc.

The first two weeks were alot of work but soon discipline took over and the segregation process kicked in beautifully. Few days later when I saw the self appointed garbage inspectors checking our garbage hold area, I felt rewarded for compliance and getting it right. I experienced the Joy of a job well done. That was not the end of it; soon I saw the real benefits of the process . . .

Our garbage came down to a fraction of what we use to pack every day in the black bags. Soon the truth hit home, if we and others practiced the stringent segregation norm, there would be very little garbage that need to be disposed off on a daily basis. The rest were all stuff that can be recycled. In a city that is reeling under the weight of garbage the new process is bound to do good all around. I rejoice that I did not give in to the initial scepticism and gave it my all to put the process in place and experience the Joy even in this mundane activity!

The Culture Of Greed

The current ‘Occupy Wall Street’ agitation has put a focus on Greed. As we look around we see the trend in many products and services that we use. . Take the case of the dwindling newspaper circulation in many developed countries . . . You may argue that technology and 24 hours News channels are killing the Newspaper Industry. I personally feel that Greed had a key role to play in the fall in circulation. During my stay overseas, being a hardened Newspaper fan that needs the morning papers with his cup of Tea, I find ways to get hold of a Newspaper every morning. Most of the time I am left disappointed with the quantum of News in those papers, advertisements seem to be pushing News out. Weekend is another story altogether, the newspaper is so bulky that it won’t fit into the mail box and is thrown on the lawn. I love reading and the very first time I saw that sight, I was excited thinking there was plenty of reading material in that bulky volume.. How disappointed I was for most of the pages were devoted to advertisements! My overseas friends tell me that they buy the Newspapers only in the weekend and that too for discount coupons printed in it!

Unfortunately the trend is catching on in my country too. For example the 16 page local news edition pull out of our newspaper last weekend had only 2500 or so words of local news; rest was devoted to a plethora of advertisements! Week days too, news coverage has sunk and it is almost like they have changed their Mission statement. from “ Reporting news, worthy of your attention, on time, in full” To “ Keeping you informed of the shopping choices that you have in terms of clothes, houses, Cars, food, drinks, holidays etc.”

We have stopped viewing many of the popular T V Channels because the frequent commercial breaks. We found out to our horror that a movie of two hours actually took three hours to view on a particular channel. No wonder that many people run away from their Television sets or switch channels as soon as the ‘short commercial break’ is announced.

There are similar examples in fast moving consumer goods segment, luxury goods segment etc of of how Greed pushes the supplier to forget their primary customer’s interest and push for bigger profits. The customers are no fools, as the value comes down they shift to another brand or alternative arrangements to meet their requirements. This wipes out a particular market or a service provider.

Before we put all the blame on the corporate for Greed, let us recognise that the issue of Greed is one of culture and it originates from us as individuals. Our ego need, to outdo others, often makes us go beyond where we should have stopped. In the name of performance, achievement and, living well, we as individuals and organisations sacrifice sleep, family life, health and happiness to be the No.1 in the team, organisation or in the market. Some make it, some fall by the way side. Those who make it are hailed as heroes and they go on to set even bigger goals and pursue it even though they have enough wealth to last their life time... No one thinks of them as Greedy! So with social approval the game continues . . .

Picketing Wall Street creates awareness on Greed but to make a dent in the Greed Culture, we as individuals have to make life style changes. Don’t get carried away with the promise of Blissful life that almost all products and services convey through their advertisements. Use your purchasing power wisely. Make your personal happiness and family happiness priority no. one. Find Joy in little things. Stop chasing dreams which only brings emptiness. Above all live your life. Doesn’t matter what the Jones are up to.

There is Life After Christmas & New Year !

Ken my son pointed out to me that the Season of Joy is over and that I should change my status message in Google chat “Looking forward to the Season of Joy!" I had put that message in the beginning of December in anticipation of all the good times to come in the month. Yes the Season of Joy is over and it is back to work and the routine.

We took out the Christmas decorations and dismantled the tree over the weekend and boxed it away. The house does look a little dull having been stripped of all the Red and Green Christmas deco along with the tinsel.

After a month of great food, fun, bonding activities with family and friends at home and in church, suddenly life too may look a little dull. Most people who celebrate Christmas and New Year go through this feeling of emptiness or even sense of depression after the first day or two of the New Year. Some bounce back quickly others struggle through till they reach the starting of another exciting event like a Holiday plan or a weekend do etc. Having gone through the emptiness spell post Christmas and New Year in the past, I thought I would share with you some thoughts to keep the excitement alive in life regardless of which month it is . . .

To start with focus on the Gift of the New Year that you have been given. Plan on what you will do with it, both on the Professional and Personal front. Next break down your plan into activities and events spread over the 12 months of the New Year. Remember that you have been given a new canvass and it is an appropriate time to kick off a lot of change, find new ways of doing things, Look for smart solutions, take risks and achieve lofty Goals! Once you have a robust plan in place, throw yourself into it and get busy to make it happen.

Ideally the plans should be made before the New Year just after Christmas, so that you have something to look forward to post the New Year day but it is never too late to get on the planning mode even now. Mundane plans and activities will not excite you and so make sure to attempt something really big in the New Year. It could be in the area of finding an exciting new job, skilling up for it, or using your talents to make significant difference to those who are not that privileged or it could even be kicking off a personal transformation journey to be a light to all those around you!

In addition to your exciting New Year plan, work on events or activities that will bring back the excitement through good times, the fun times, the family times and personal times on a weekly basis. For me personally, even though I have been married to Bina for 28 years, Fridays are very special as I have a date with Bina every Friday evening and I look forward to it. Saturday morning is personal time and I indulge in some of the things I love to do (see my earlier post on things I love to do) Sunday is family time at church and home and we enjoy the fellowship over lunch at home with the extended family.

When the weekend is over I never feel sad for I have an exciting plan to pursue come Monday morning at work! So a combination of weekend plans and your exciting New Year plan can take the empty feeling away and keep the excitement alive for you. Try it!

Cooked with Love!

I love food and enjoy a delicious meal eaten in leisure with family and friends around the table. We do this every Sunday afternoon when our family and the extended family get-together at our home after church. Most of us look forward to this time of the week when we can relax and enjoy the food and fellowship. What makes the Sunday Lunch a success is the amazing ability the lover of my life has, to rustle out mouth watering dishes in a jiffy! Being a busy professional, she normally has no time to cook but in the weekends and when we have guests, Bina takes over the kitchen from the housekeeper and waves her magic wand!

During the week the house keeper uses Bina's recipes to feed us but it never comes out like Bina's signature dishes. Often when Bina is home, our children request her to do a makeover of what the housekeeper has produced. Being a very kind hearted soul, she never says 'No'. Even after a hard day’s work when such requests come she breezes into the kitchen chops some onions, cuts a couple of green chillies and gets to work with whatever other magic ingredients she uses to create those 'Wow' dishes.

Recently our housekeeper took off for a week and Bina took over the kitchen as she had a break from her tight schedule. I just loved it, for every meal that she cooked and served us was a delight! After a week of this Tasty, appetising, Scrumptious, Yummy, luscious, delectable, mouth-watering offerings I asked my love, what her secret was and she responded with a smile, "It is Cooked with Love!" Suddenly it dawned on me that yes, it is indeed cooked with love and that is what gave her the edge. Beside the talent, when she gets into the kitchen she puts her whole heart and mind to create something extraordinary for her loved ones. For her there is nothing called 'just another dish' in her vocabulary . . . she strives to make everyone of her creation, finger licking good for her Raj and our three precious children.

The lesson for me from that conversation was the fact that if we put our heart and mind into everything that we do, we are bound to delight our Customers. Total dedication and commitment is what produces excellence!

I praise and Thank God for Bina and for her many talents. We are fortunate to have her and We Rejoice!

My Treasure Chests

It all depends how you define treasure, if it is to do with Gold, Silver, Precious Stones or Money, you will be disappointed with this post. For me treasure is what money can't buy . . . I treasure many memories that are priceless from the time I was a little child. I hold on to those memories or special moments because it touched me and shaped me. In addition it also brings back the Joy I experienced at that point of time.

These memories cover my growing years with my family, extended family, friends, Schools, Colleges, vacations, festivals and even at work. At times some of these memories get triggered by an incident or when I get together with people who co-created those memories. I also revisit these memories by design and come away refreshed and rejoicing. The process is simple . . . from a very early age I collected and preserved some physical item related to a particular memory. These are stored in boxes and all that I needed to do is to open a box to visit the memory! Of late the boxes are overflowing and I am in the process of finding bigger quarters for the memory objects also called ‘Raj's treasures’!

There are photographs, badges, letters, books, cards, plates, souvenirs, paper fans, Menus, Match Box etc. There is also a very special shirt which one of my teams gave me in recognition of the value I added to them. Another one is a Prefect's badge belonging to a school prefect- The girl I fell in love with and eventually made her my life partner. The badge takes me down the rich memory lane of our getting to know each other and falling in love forever.

Visiting the memories also reminds me of what determination and prayer can achieve. There were enumerable times when I set out on some really impossible Goals wondering if I was taking on more than I can bite but in the end Success was mine even if it was through failures!

My heart goes out to those who gave me these memory treasures or co created it with me and I have begun to ask, "Am I creating great memories for others so that they too may enjoy visiting them in times to come?” If we can create memorable occasions for others, it will be a great tribute to those who gave us such priceless treasure of memories.

Objects Of Beauty!

As I travel around the world, I get excited to see how mundane day to day utility items from the past and even present has been preserved and exhibited so creatively. The wagon in this visual displayed in Haandorf village, near Adelaide, South Australia is one example. I also found a small old car in one of the traffic islands in Sydney used as a plant stand. The car minus the engine and bonnet has been preserved well and colourful flowering plants grow out of where the engine once resided. Across the world there are many more examples of such creative and beautiful display of things that touch your heart and are a feast to the eye. Every time I see such a display I rejoice that in our busy world there are people who still think outside the box and delight fellow citizens or the tourists. My heart fills with gratitude to the people behind the initiative . . . The idea person who thought of it first, the team of people who actually installed it and finally the caretaker who lovingly looks after it and takes special care day after day to preserve it. Unfortunately these are unsung heroes who do not get any recognition and yet they toil on with their mission.

One might be tempted to dismiss them with the thought that it is their job or they are paid for it etc. Even if they are employees in the rolls of the city council I strongly feel that just doing their job would not result in an object of beauty. I have also seen in some cities various displays that just stand there with an apology either because it is poorly executed piece of work or has been forgotten by its caretakers and is grounded in dirt. Such exhibits clearly tell you that it is the handiwork of those with 'I just work here' attitude.

That brings me to the thought that every output of ours is a show piece, be it a financial statement, a project report, a dish, a product, service offering etc. It is meant for the delight of someone and that person who uses our output will only be delighted if we create it passionately with all our heart. I believe that our purpose in life is to use our talents to create show pieces or offerings that add value to our customers and delight them.

I have started taking a call on what I do, to make sure that I am not just meeting deadlines and creating outputs that meet the minimum requirement of utility. I want to make sure, what I create are Objects Of Beauty!

The Joy Of A New Day !

Are you excited when you wake up in the morning? I for one love waking up and realising that I have been given the gift of another day. . . A full day to touch lives, add value and fulfil the purpose of my life. Not only that with every new day, we get another opportunity to be different, to mend our ways and make this world a better place to live in!

The rut sets in when we take each day for granted and believe that there is an unlimited supply of days in our life. Having something in abundance is always a problem as we either get bored with it or look for other attractions that we think can bring us more excitement. It is true that given the life expectancy of at least 70 years for a healthy person, you should have 25, 550 new days in your life! Now that is a lot but the tragedy is that the supply runs out fast and many only becomes conscious of the gift of a new day in their golden years waiting to meet their maker. Others start appreciating this gift when they come to know that all of the 25550 days was not meant for them because of some deadly decease that they have been diagnosed with.

Fortunately for me I have been conscious of the 'Present' that I get every morning as I wake up. I tell myself “Wow it is a new day" and get all excited about the immense possibilities that the new day brings. Each day is precious and waking up is a Joy! On week days I have trained myself to jump out of the bed as soon as I wake up. Having got a gift I want to unravel it and not stay in bed merely looking at it. After the morning cup of tea, quiet time and the other rituals I am ready for work by 8 AM and all excited to use my gift. Having started well, my day goes well. I do face challenges and pressures that can derail my day but I don't allow my negative thoughts to turn into feelings of hurt and act in a manner that I regret later or wreck my gift.

Over the years my audience in the various forums, where I speak have challenged me to tell them how anyone can appreciate a new day, if they have nothing to look forward to or if they are stuck in a coercive relationship, boring job etc. My response has always been about changing our mindset. Surely we need to find things to do that we love and are passionate about and have relationships that rock, but the key is to focus on our purpose in this world. Self centred activity will bloat the ego but selfless pursuit to add value to others or make this world a better place to live will fill you with Joy and make you look forward to every day.

Who knows, with the change of mindset the Joy that fills your heart from selfless activities may soon transform your relationships and your uninteresting jobs! So rejoice that the sun rises every day and we get the gift of a new day!