Leisure

These past couple of days have been incredibly hectic. I haven’t had time to sit back and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. It’s during times like these; I get reminded of one of my favourite poems called “Leisure” by William H. Davies

Now before you think I am a connoisseur of poetry, let me assure you that poetry isn’t my forte. I’m more a lover of prose I suppose.

However, there are a select few poems that have stuck with me through the years.

‘Leisure’ being one of them.            

I like poems that are simple and germane, yet speak volumes, perhaps because of their simplicity. Those are the poems that stay with you forever.

So if you haven’t read it before, here’s the poem for you to enjoy. 

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Validation

Validation. The need to know that you are doing a good job, that you are good enough.

Our lives seem to revolve around the fact that we need constant approval from our friends, family, a mere acquaintance or even a complete stranger.

Yes, I’m not saying that wanting to receive a pat on the back for a job well done is a bad thing. In fact, it is mere human nature to want to be appreciated and accepted.

But we, in our digital age, may have taken things way too far. To judge a person by the number of likes they get on their posts on social media websites like Facebook and Instagram. Or to feel insecure about ourselves when our posts don’t receive as many likes as we would like them to.  We start doubting ourselves and whether we are at par with our fellow colleagues or friends.

That’s the downside of seeking validation. When we don’t get appreciated for what we do, we start doubting ourselves and our ability to perform. It also doesn’t help that the world is filled with critics. Let’s face it. It’s a dog eat dog world out there.

Criticism is thrown at anything and everything. And this inhibits us in nurturing some of our abilities to their true potential. I admit, I’m not a saint who’s immune to all the criticism.

I have let go of dozens of opportunities in life, thinking I may not be good enough, so why bother? Today, those are the things I regret the most. Not having the guts to do the things I could have done, had I not feared criticism.

Looking back at myself, of who I was as a kid; I realized that we, as kids, grew up with a billion hopes and dreams of who we would be when we grew up. We thought of ourselves as being capable of infinite possibilities. But as we grew up, we have constricted ourselves more and more; fearing criticism, doubting ourselves, and telling ourselves that it wasn’t meant to be.

When did we stop being that child who believed that anything is possible in life, as long as we work hard and believe with all our soul.

We are still the same individuals. We just need to stop worrying about validation from others. We need to start believing in ourselves. For, if you don’t believe in yourself, you can never persuade someone else to believe in you.

So to whoever is reading this, go out there, be yourself. Live like no one’s watching. Do something that you’ve always wanted, but have never had the courage to do. This world would have never have improved if Edison hadn’t had the courage to pursue inventing the light bulb. Who knows what you could achieve if you give it your best? The sky's the limit!

Life Comes Around In Circles

            Well, that seems be the thought for the day, or rather, for the past couple of days actually.

Who knew that I had started a blog 5 years ago, and had in fact, made a couple of entries.

Well I certainly didn’t remember.

            I had recently discovered that I had started blogging 5 years back, when I started my undergraduate degree in dentistry. I was a naïve, sparkly-eyed, newly turned teenager-to-adult back then, with a truck load of hopes and dreams.  I vowed to write fervently in my blog and document my journey through my college, and life’s endless adventures.

            But then, I got drawn into the roller coaster ride of life, and I didn’t keep any of my promises of being a serious blogger.
            And now, 5 years down the lane, I have now become a dentist. Society views me as an adult now (though I have still retained all the craziness that makes me unique). I may have let life change me a bit. I must admit I’m no longer that sparkly eyed teenager. I may have become more realistic and cynical; but I do still possess a truck load of hopes and dreams, and no matter what hurdles life may throw at me, I plan to accomplish all of them.

            And that’s when the whole circle thing came into play. For, I had decided that in order to start a journey, a difficult one at that, one must go back to one’s roots.
And by realising who are, can we truly we achieve what we can become.
For, it is the past that makes us who we are.

And so, to all you readers out there, may you be one or many, I decided to start with a clean slate, a fresh new blog where I intend to ramble on things that are on my mind, for I truly love writing.  I may not write every single day, but I do intend to post as often as I can.