It
has been a strange period, the last 8-9 months. It has been marked by some of
the most significant milestones of my life; the occasions much sought after, and
the memories to be cherished forever. At the same time it has also taught me an
important lesson, not a new one, but one whose extent and intensity I have felt
like never before, in this time period. The bottom line of the lesson is that “Life is what happens while you are busy
making other plans” (Allen Saunders/John Lennon).
To
explain briefly, numerous plans directly affecting me, my immediate family
members, or both, have converted themselves into either sheer nothingness or
disappointments or even complete trauma. It is quite amazing how in each case
the circumstances have shaped up: from being simply unfortunate to infuriating to
downright unimaginable. As a person who is almost obsessed with planning and lists
and ‘being in control’; it has been absolutely terrifying. Suddenly now, any
plan, big or small, that I make, comes with the default understanding that all
that can go wrong, probably will! You always have got to be prepared for the
worst.
There
are three specific realizations that have stemmed from this extremely frustrating
and stressful phase:
1. Planning is very important but
it is equally important to be prepared (at least mentally, if not more
practically) for the best of plans to go wrong.
2. Let go. It’s impossible to hold
on to every snippet of a phase in your life no matter how dear it is. Sometimes
the best bet is to say goodbye and start afresh.
3. Minimalism, at least to a
certain extent, is the best policy. Keep your life, surroundings and mind,
clutter free. Let go of what isn’t necessary and probably never will be.
Recycle. Give away, donate. Refrain from impulsive and needless purchasing and hoarding.
This post probably reads like a sermon by now,
but it summarizes things learnt personally, and by the hard way. These are
words of advice I would give myself (or anyone else) to prevent and deal with
future heartbreaks.
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