Life!

These have been the days of days for contemplation and meditation. Days when I found myself drowned in the materialistic pleasures that this civilization can throw onto us and yet I found myself asking some deeper inner questions amidst this state of plenty.

Most of us sleep walk through life.

Now some people may take offense at this statement, but if we look closely, then one does realize that most of our responses to life’s deeper questions have been “automatic”. We plan for business outcomes, projects and even money making schemes. We plan for annual priorities or goals at office, in essence we plan for everything - yet how many of us plan for life?

During younger days, the thirst for newer experiences takes us places and when we get a little older the fascination towards nature decreases in intensity and we turn towards the very real and practical problems of getting by both financially and otherwise – through the quagmire that is life…

I often remember the fascination I held for the celestial bodies (naw… I am not referring to those originating in Bollywood or Hollywood) – often looking at them through home made telescopes and wondering if there is anyone out there. Flights of imagination, fancy produced fantastic creatures which lived in oceans of Venus and of exotic creatures from Mars… Alas the illusion is broken when one gets older. The world of elders is much more practical

There are more practical things to worry about – the EMI for the house, buying things which we don’t need to impress people we don’t know or even if knew – wouldn’t like to be associated with… and the innocence is lost. We no longer question whether anyone lives on the moon or planets or if there is life “elsewhere”. We even stop planning long term.

I remember during my childhood – of dreams of becoming a scientist, an astronaut, explorer, writer – all at the same time. And now that 20 years have gone by… the dreams are no longer so vivid.

But as we age, our focus shifts. Planning for life is a tough thing. Have you ever asked yourself some really deep questions?

For example, I have tried to enumerate some of them…

• What is your deepest desire
• What would one like to accomplish in one’s life?
• What would one like to accomplish this year?
• Where would one like to be in 5 years?
• Where would one like to be in 20 years?
• What is one really good at?

Obviously there are deeper questions still, such as:

• What would one do if one had enough money not to work ever again?
• What were one’s dreams when one was younger?
• What does one think is impossible for one to do?
• What would one do if one won a million dollars?
• What would one do if this was the last day of one’s life?
• What would one do if one couldn't fail?
• What are one’s strengths and talents?
• Does one has a wish but doesn’t know how to fulfill it?
• What does one admire most about others?
• What would one’s ideal lifestyle look like?
• What does success mean for one?
• What makes one really happy?
• Is there anything that needs to be invented?
• What does a perfect day look like for one?
• What would one do if there were no restrictions?
• What really excites one?
• What would one be honored and recognized for?
• Where does one see one’s life in ten years?
• If one were immortal, what would one do with one’s life?
• What needs to change to make this a better world?
• What would one do if one were Superman?
• What is one proud of?
• What would one do if one were the President?
• What would one like to accomplish this year?
• What would one do differently if one could start over again?

To be able to answer such questions, one needs to do a lot more than spend an evening with oneself… it is a journey to one’s inner self… of self-discovery…

How many have undertaken it?