Take On My Experiences In New Mode - 5

                    I tried to put a few perspectives in this space during the last few months on the travails experienced and the general happenings taking place around. Once again, since I am trying to find a way out of the maze, here goes another round of similar prose. There has been never this long gap of living away from the coziness of home. The last time when I stayed away from family is during my job training period few years back for about 6 months. This stay can be considered as home away from home since I am with friends and received excellent support from those around which aided me in successfully passing out of the phase. The next time is when I was out for 9 days to stay with children in a hostel. Though there is no big problem to stay away, it puts me in altogether different mode of lifestyle. There are several common threads which run through these ‘mission mode’ episodes.

1. Working hard abnormally becomes a common normal.
2. Staying away from a T.V. due to some propelling unknown desire.
3. Eating and distributing biscuits is another common task.
4. Living on my jacket to wither extreme temperatures – both inner and outer.
5. Struggling to settle my feet and mind. These pangs of suffering brings out philosophical writer in me without a drink.

                   Since I am away for more than 9 months, I am yet to come to terms as to what is really happening with me and because of me. Though these can be put up with, the uncommon element this time is the duration of the ordeal is never known. This individual living certainly teaches you few lessons as listed here and seems to prepare for the journey ahead.

1. Only when you come out and live on roads, you drive the motion of living.
2. The experience make you realize the fortune of simple, structured living with access to basic needs like food, shelter, job etc.
3. The experience also drives home the greater fortune and privilege of being in a position to drive and achieve significant tangible and intangible outcomes.
4. If you experience a blockade or setback, keep smiling and move on without a grudge or feeling of vengeance for those who created. This is how the extra-ordinary differentiates from the ordinary through persistence in keep on trying.
5. But is it all worth the cause. Are you doing good or bad; constructive or destructive? It is worth the cause when you harness the magnitude of effort in a right way.

                     A fragile person like me cannot simply live through this period without getting help from all those concerned – roommates, college, work etc. I need not mention about the sophistication and facilities of the place. This made it possible for a person with my background to make it thus far.

                    There is an established notion that East is for spirituality and West is for Wealth. You are in serious trouble if you are on purpose for money and do ‘Eastern’ activities in ‘Western’ nation. Assimilation in Western style is a must if the purpose has to be served. However, I had few qualms as to how the absorption happens. Though I am unaware of the picture in general, in my circles you are accepted and encouraged only if you do deeds of little value. It is a norm that it is incorrect if you don’t speak to opposite sex. You are rejected in social places and labelled with a ‘nothing man’. Is this the real difference between haves and have not’s? If this is the foundation for acceptance and prosperity then how strong will it be and how long will it stay? There is always respect for affluence but only when it is created with ethical means.

                      After living with me, a few of them made a remark ‘Are you thinking you are in India? Learn the manners here.’ I felt like ‘someone please make me more American for the sake of this person and to serve my purpose’. Though there are no indigenous Americans over here to dictate the manners of the land, there are prevalent norms which are few decades old. This means these norms are still evolving, has room for improvement and not yet final for sustainability. Considering this relative young age of the nation, it would be wise to seek the mercy and blessings of rest of the ‘older’ nations instead of bothering them with power and other high-handed gestures.

                      I have been preparing for my next step for some time which is working in a job and earning money. Though I find sufficiently equipped for a job in IT, this is not a case in reality. Apparently, my situation does not elicit an offer of employment. This is a revelation and I am still unsure if I am a misfit to work here. This made me realize the importance of working for your own good than for anyone else. Where has the driving and all the great ideals listed above gone? I had seen many a men who live every moment trying to help their own self. If I can take a bit of that desire for possessiveness and self-help, I might turn the tables.