A Little Bit of That

If you have ever spent hours to prepare a dish you'll immediately know what I am going to talk about next. It's been a while since I cooked but I do remember spending hours trying to perfect a dish and eventually just adding a bit more of 'that' to get 'that' taste (feel free to fill in for the that'). The 'that' that comes to the rescue could be a bit more salt or it could be one of those exquisite Indian spices. Regardless the search for personal perfection is a continuous and tough job. A lot of times people have ended up with bitterness that follows a failure. Some claimed to have found perfection others have just faked it. In any case those who have continued to earnestly pursue the path have lived fulfilling and wonderful lives. For starters, this article is not about food.

Someone in a more philosophical mood than I am currently in, compared life to wandering around in darkness. A rather gloomy thought to consider lost under the dark sky with a few stars and perhaps a moon to light & guide. However in a way it kinda rings bell with a school of thought we sometimes believe in; especially if you have been feeling overworked and underpaid lately! Who am I? Why am I here? These are some questions that we share with Jason Bourne, but luckily this soul-searching is sans any people from a secret organization trying to kill us. This article is not going to help you in answer any of those questions nor is it going to help you learn anything new.

Why am I writing this article? Hey, I am a 'writer', duh! Primarily I wanted to write about two persons whom I have admired from time to time. They are perfect examples of those who pursue the search. The Search is tough, tiring and sometimes boring. And most of the times not appreciated by the peers. I wonder how many times Edison would have heard, 'dude, get real!' during his 999 failures. Or imagine a bored Einstein sitting in the patent office wondering 'I should get a life and stop worrying about speed of light'. Or just for a fancy imagine a very very (add as many as you can) old Rocky Balboa about to get the punch of his life wondering 'I should have retired when my son said to do so while in his took-a-crap-from-boss mood'. But these guys thought otherwise and kept on with the search.

Resilience & Dreams

Dev Anand

What makes them tick, I wonder sometimes. I don't know about their personal reasons but I can (in full humility) grasp some of the qualities that pushed them all the way. Recently, Dev Anand died after a six decades long career and over hundred films in Bollywood. He is called the evergreen hero of Indian cinema and actor Boman Irani even said the phrase 'Rest in Peace' is not for this guy. Dev Anand arduously pursued film making almost with a religious zeal despite films later in his career failing to attract the audience. But like a Rocky Balboa getting back on his feet after being punched down, he always came back with a new film! He never gave up on his dream to make films, resilience of will & faith in dreams kept him going for so many years.

Humility & Learning

Steve Jobs

Another great innovator, Steve Jobs died earlier this year. He had a pop-star like following in the masses. If ever there was a King of Pop-Technology it has to be him. But even his search was not easy. His biological sister, Mona Simpson, described him as a person who was willing to be misunderstood! She describes him as humble and someone who liked to keep learning. These are the qualities of a true learner, who can take risks and indulge time & money in things which may not work out. This process has to be iterated a number of times before someone can even imagine selling over 300 million iPods worldwide. I guess that's why it is said that failures (not failure) are stepping stones to success.

The End

Quickly wrapping up (before I lose your attention), search is inevitable and a process that needs to be enjoyed. These extraordinary men and women have shown the process to the masses. They are lamps of inspirations that can be used as guiding lights whenever we feel lost out there. This is my humble tribute to these lamps of inspiration.