A dose of philo

It’s been an eventful week. Had gone for a week to Mumbai, in an attempt to combine work with fun, or was it the other way round?! Managed successfully too, when I look back at it. Work entailed attending a presentation skills workshop, seems inane at this age, but after having to sit through a video recording of myself doing a presentation, I changed my mind – it was a desperately required session! And it turned out to be fun too, a group of 11 of us. These kind of sessions usually make me muse over how human beings interact in various settings. It’s interesting how in just 2 days you can manage to connect on some level, need not be to any lasting effect, but connect nevertheless, to almost everybody in the group. How, many of us tend to be our own worst critics, sometimes to our own detriment. And how generous in praise and tolerant we can all be of others’ mistakes when there is no “pressure” on us. And if lucky enough, find people who also share your passion for certain beliefs/interests.

As for the fun part, things didn’t go as planned. Maybe the secret to fun is not to plan it or expect everybody else to share your enthusiasm. Met up with some old friends, met some who started as colleagues and became good friends instead, couldn’t spend enough time with some due to logistics issues that Bby throws up (or other reasons that I can’t delve into, for my own sanity!). Of course that’s a convenient excuse– we have all used it on occasion, unfortunately I also confess to the crime, and therefore now accept it from other people.

All in all, a good trip. Despite the realization that life and people can move on, and oh so dismayingly fast. A city and a life you spent 7 years in, can suddenly feel alien while at the same time achingly familiar. I go through that every time, and have become better at handling the emotions over time. The trip served to finally bid goodbye to one phase of life – may return to Bombay sometime, but that would be a new chapter, no turning back the pages. But then, (I comfort myself) for someone who has lived in various different cities, I have the advantage and the opportunity of being able to pick the good things the city has to offer which unconsciously stay with me always and am lucky to leave behind not-so-good aspects.

What are those, you might want to ask – I shall reveal. Sometime…