Learnings for life.

Some incidents of past stay with you forever. Learnings for life.
Just happened to recollect one of them and thought it was worth to pen it.
20 years back, my dad's job required him to do a lot of touring all across India. And everytime he came back from a trip, it was fun time for us, as he would definitely get some goodies for us, even if they were those free chocs given on the flight.
This particular trip of his was to Delhi which was initially scheduled for 2 weeks. We gave him a small shopping list before he left and I had asked for a digital dislay "Disco watch". I was eagerly waiting for him to come back with my watch , dreaming day and night about it. And the trip kept getting prolonged to a month and a half. Delhi to chandigarh to Jaipur to God knows where else he travelled back then in that one trip. He came back home after a 36 hr long tiring train journey. I was not at home when he arrived and later when I came back from play, mom announced Dad is back and he is taking rest. I went running to him , woke him up and he was ready to hug me, when the most insensitive me ignored his stretched hands and just asked "Dad, where's my watch? "!!! He was disappointed for sure, but he did his best to conceal it. He unpacked and gave me my watch and other goodies he got for me. I was too happy about the new stuff and went to show them off to my friends. Later, mom called me aside and asked me "Did you ask dad how his trip was? Did you tell him how much you missed him in the past month and a half and did you just sit and talk to him? He was waiting to meet you and all you asked for was the watch". It then hit me that dad was waiting to meet me and I just completely ignored him. I had never felt more guilty. I then went to dad , asked him how his trip was, told him about my school unit tests but no matter what I did, I dont know if it healed his hurt, it never healed mine. It was such a big learning for life, that till date am still making up for it. I make sure that no matter how anxious I am about the gift am going to receive from anyone, the people are far more important, and the precious moments need to be treasured and not the gifts!

But the goodies never actually hurt much ;-)

Go Away!

Did you ever feel disconnected from the world around you? Wanted to be left alone with your thoughts but still felt lonely? Confused state of mind.
One of the rare phases of life am going through for no solid reason. May be just a mood swing lingering around longer. Whatever it is, it is not helping me at all. Lot of frustration, lot of unknowns, lot of questions with no answers. It's just taking too much to have a clear thought process and convince myself that what am thinking or doing is the right thing.
My own thoughts are taking me by surprise, in retrospection. Something that I thought for someone, did to someone making me feel extremely guilty now. So bad that am not even able to get myself admit it.
Any easy way of getting rid of guilt and cheer up?

Cought Behind!

Just how tough can it be to behave like a thorough professinal, work-a-holic in office atleast during the performance review times? I just somehow end up making the most easy tasks seem like next to impossible.
The other day at office, I was getting extremely bored going through a mandatoy training audio. Please note that our managers have been kind enough not to provide us with internet, so that at work, its supposed to be only work. But we always find our ways to keep us entertained. My friend and me have this new found interest.. Pictionary! Brings the best creative talents out of people who play! So with the training audio on, my friend and me started playing pictionary and she drew some animal and asked me to guess what it was! I started guessing it as a Rat, Lizard, crocodile with a bouncy tail, dog, donkey and .. Horse! A voice said from behind! We turned back in horror to find who it was! We were so engrossed in guessing and giggling that we never realised when our big boss came and stood right behind us watching all our buffoonery!
We gave him back a sheepish grin, trying to hide our drawing pad but it was just too too late! He just remarked "Looks like there is not much work to keep you guys busy...Haffun" and till date I have not returned home before 8 PM :(

P.S: His guess was right by the way.. She wanted to depict Trojan Horse!

Jo and hunger wait for none!

Just how many times does your boss think you are worthy of solving his work related problems? Last wednesday, I dont know why, My boss called me to fix some problem he was facing in setting up his workspace. This time of the year esp when the performance reviews are on full heat, ths opportunity seemed golden! I had to by hook or crook solve his problem..(Whatever made him think I coudl!) !
Unfortunately it was my evening snacking time when he called me. It wouldve been mighty stupid to tell him "Wait.. let me first save myself from hunger death then I will look in to your issues!".Snacks can wait for the boss!
I went to his cubicle and was seriously trouble shooting the issue and then just after ten minutes, my first hunger warning bell vroom. I ignored it and continued doing what I was supposed to do. Then after ten more minutes the warning bell was a little stronger, and I fidgeted a little uncomfortably in my chair. and then... the inevitable.. a grumbling sound came out loud and clear!! I was hoping against hope that only I could hear it and not my boss. As usual, there was neve a saving grace for me.. Boss confirmed my doubts by saying this " Do you want to take a break.. we can look in to this later!!" Ughhhhhhhhhhhh!! Thanks so much for your kindnes boss!!! Jo's hunger waits for none.. not even her boss!