Lessons In Life

Lessons in life are right in front of us every day, only if we could recognize and learn them.

I have decided to learn a few every day once I realized that there is a free tutorial on life.


I am listing some of them that I learnt the other day:

1: Love And Happiness


From HER. I learn unselfish love from her. The way she loves me and what I have given her back make me wonder at her unfailing strength to love. And, she has made me understand the importance of finding happiness even in a deluge of troubles.
She has taught me how important it is to be happy and smiling, because it is going to make the world around me a more pleasant one.

I cannot but agree with her.

2: Being Humble

The other day I watched Sachin Tendulkar score the first double hundred in the ODIs. I have watched him bat since I was 18. My profession of a sports journalist has given me opportunities to see and observe some other sports stars too. I am convinced that to be away from controversy and to be down-to-earth and to be humble in a career that has spanned over two decades are not easy.

If you are a sports buff you know how heady some stars can get. But here is a man who is with the stars far above us, but still is rooted firmly on earth.

Each time I feel like flaunting my little feats, I remember him, and shut up. Our talents may take us to dizzy heights but to stay there we have to be humble.

3. Being Organised

I am not organized, both at work and at home. I mess up things. I leave everything to the last minute. If I can push a deadline one more second, I will try to push it for two. Having spent all the days playfully, I sit through the last night to meet the deadline by the skin of my teeth.

But these days I am learning from my friend and CEO the virtues of being organized. He plans weeks ahead and puts his thoughts into Excel sheets.

I find it hard. I find it lacks the romance of life. I find it mechanical.
But then, I know it is important to organize and plan—maybe not to the letter, but them one needs to have an outline of things one is going to do. Some sketchy discipline at least.

4. Not Judgmental

We are quick to judge others. We look at other down our nose with a holier-than-thou sneer. We behave we are holy, sage, perfect and infallible. We are quick to gossip, and quicker to receive gossip.

We guffaw at Tiger Woods’ behaviour. We throw mud at him. We’ve enjoyed his public apology as if his wife was our sister.

But then, I stumble upon a few Biblical verses which warn me of judging others, throwing a stone only if I have never sinned and of the negative effects of gossips.
I know it is natural and easy to talk behind someone’s back, but it takes courage and a clean heart to look someone in the eye and speak out what I feel like.

I learn not to be judgemental. I learn not to gossip—active or passive.

5. Living Up

My editorial colleagues are young and raw, but talented. They look up to me for guidance, counsel and encouragement. But often I fail to live up to my present role.
But from their eagerness, I learn the importance of living up to others’ expectations of me, especially in my profession.

6. Giving

I have seen some Shylocks Scrooges in life. Parting with anything—not only material but even emotions—is a real challenge for some.

The other day my friend was recollecting a beggar’s soliloquy. When he was shooed away from one house after the other without being given not even a paisa, the beggar was wondering when the rich people would realize that they couldn’t take even a penny with them when they were to leave this world.

It is hard to give—not only money but also love.

But Christ has shown us that love means giving—selflessly—even life.

Give, just give.