What are we after?

The question in the title might look simple at first glance, but it is deeply philosophical in nature. It is a question that we ask ourselves at some point or the other during the course of our lives. The last few months have been challenging for a lot of people across the world with the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc and disrupting normal life in every way possible. This led people to rethink life and their priorities in life. But I am not going to dwell on all that. My focus today is the question in the title and how the answer to that changes with time.

The reason I bring this up now is because of a tweet from a person I’ve admired from afar. The tweet talked about how this lady, at 25 years of age, when asked about  how she sees herself at 35, replied that she expected herself to be making a mark in the corporate world and taking positive strides on her way to making it to the C-suite. But now, at 31, her answer to the same question would be that she sees herself as a housewife, taking care of her kid, and making time for herself every day to do the things she is passionate about like watching movies & soaps, reading books, and writing articles on them. She did not give any explanation as to why this change, but indicated that she would be happy if her current thought materializes in about 4 years’ time.  

The tweet struck me hard because it resonated with my thought over the past year or so. You enter into that phase where achievements in your professional/ corporate life seem immaterial. You need money, of course. But there is also the deeper need to have the heart to do what you do, day in and day out, with real passion. If that is not the case, then there is always something missing, no matter how happy you appear on the outside. This led me to the philosophical question in the title. What are we after, really? Is it money? Is it fame? Or is it a happy, healthy and a peaceful life?

Definitely, there will be arguments supporting the theory that money and fame will lead you to the ultimate goal of a happy, healthy and peaceful life. But ask the rich and the famous. Most of them might disagree. So what is it exactly that we are after? It is such a deep-rooted question with a philosophical meaning to it. It is quite spiritual too. But it is a question that is worth asking ourselves. Once you have asked the question, the journey to find the answer begins. Some find their answers quickly. Some take time. Some don’t find the answers at all. Nevertheless, ask yourselves this question. If you are convinced of the answer that you get, pursue the path that will lead you to the solution. Every journey is unique in its own way. Ask yourselves this question and start your journey. If you are one of the lucky ones who already knows the answer, congratulations! For the rest, let us keep chugging along the path that will lead to a solution.

This post is the outcome of some philosophical thoughts on a dull Sunday afternoon.

Cheers!

Random. Rambling. Revival.

Hello, there! Well that is one way of starting a post when you don’t have anything set in mind and the objective is just to ramble on. Life has seen its fair share of ups and downs since I last wrote a blog post with the real intention of writing one. The last 2 posts that you see in this blog, posted towards the fag end of 2018, were originally posted in Facebook and I posted the same here in order to avoid a blank in terms of the no. of blog posts in 2018.

I sit and wonder how our preferences change over the course of time. Our priorities change and things that were prominent once, no longer feature in the prioritized list of things to do. Certainly, opinions change too. With the boom of social media, I have learnt from personal experience that it’s best to keep our opinions to ourselves, as far as possible, rather than air them in social media.

One strong opinion that I had 2 years ago, crumbled over the past few months. If you remember this post, you would know how much I adored this city of Bombay, back then. A few people told me then that since I was living close to my place of work, I was saved from the brutal experience of travel in Bombay, especially during the monsoons. This year, the monsoon rains set a record and they certainly tested my patience on more than one occasion. I now strongly feel that it is not okay on the part of Mumbaikars to take everything in their stride and move on like nothing happened. The city certainly needs an infrastructural revamp to keep up with the growing needs of the exponentially growing population. Having said that, I should also acknowledge here that there are more infrastructural projects in the works in Bombay than in any other city in the country. The pace of the projects need to be improved.

Writing reviews for films is something that I started by chance. Over the course of the last 3-4 years, it is something that my friends and followers in Facebook have come to associate me with. I was surprised to know that some friends and family members, even in the US and the Middle East, decided on films based on my reviews. This cheered me up. At the same time, it also made me more responsible as it was important that I give out unbiased views. I try my best to see a film as a film. As a form of entertainment. I try to present my views as a layman would. I succeed and I also fail. In some cases, some biases do creep in, subconsciously. I am human, after all.

A sea change that has happened over the last 3-4 years is the transition from the big screen to the small screen. Here, I mean the transition from laptops to mobile phones. With the advancement in mobiles, I rarely use laptops outside of office, these days. Mobile gets every work done for me. But this also means increased risk of health issues like eye strain and neck pain.

One certain thing that mobile has done to me (and many like me) is that it has created enough distractions that my actual reading (non- screen reading) has dropped dramatically. This is something that I am ashamed of and I crave for the guy who used to sit with his books for hours together, completely forgetting the fact that there was a world outside. It helps that my wife reads every day, despite using the mobile extensively. This has kept me vigilant of the fact that I have many books waiting to be read. I hope it’s only a matter of time before I turn the corner on this front. Let’s see.

I think I have rambled enough for a post to revive a blog. I am not going to promise anything to myself or my readers, but I feel I should use this blog more frequently to ramble on about random stuff, if not for anything, but at least to keep the writer in me alive and kicking, outside of Facebook. That would do for now. In my next post, I wish to write about some interesting podcasts that I have been listening to, lately. Hope it materializes soon. Adios, amigos! (caught on to that bye-bye phrase, thanks to my new Boat Rockerz Bluetooth earphones which sign off that phrase when turned off).

A year end summary - as usual

Summing up a year is an exercise I quite enjoy doing. Biggest highlight of the year was, of course, getting married. 😊 It's been an enjoyable journey and have to say, by all means, this has been a good year, both personally and professionally.

In terms of my interests, I certainly could have done more - be it writing or watching movies or reading. But no regrets as I kept myself engaged, nevertheless.

Watched 38 movies this year - down from 61 last year, but that's ok. The following were the movies that I enjoyed the most this year (in no particular order):

1. Bohemian Rhapsody

2. 96 (Tamil)

3. Vada Chennai (Tamil)

4. Padman (Hindi)

5. 2 Point 0 (Tamil)

I did miss out on a few good movies and I hope to catch them soon. Prime amongst them were Pariyerum Perumal (Tamil) and Mahanati (Telugu).

Reading has certainly taken a backseat this year. I sincerely hope to correct this in 2019. Let's see.

Fitness goals were reached in the first half of the year (cue Wedding), and all the weight lost was regained in the 2nd half of the year. 😜 Anyway, this is one area for me to focus on this year.

The year had considerably less travel compared to the previous 2 years. The most memorable travel was the trip to Mauritius, post our wedding. Hope to travel to more (new) places in the coming year. Let's see.

One thing I ask myself at the end of every year is whether I have improved myself as a person (in all aspects) over the previous year. If the answer is yes, then that's progress. Happy that I've progressed this year. Hoping for the same to continue next year too.

Here's hoping for 2019 with all the things stated above and more. Cheers! 😊

Wish you all a very happy new year! 😊

The Extremities - A bit of Geography

The below post is based on an update I posted in Facebook, a month ago.

A bit of Geography:

I came across this question recently: What is the furthest that you have been in your country in terms of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates in all 4 directions?

Interesting question. After a wee bit of research using Google Maps, here's my answer:

North:

Northern-most point in India (within our control (LoC)) is Indira Col in Siachen Glacier - 35 deg 40 min N

Northern-most point accessible to civilians is Turtuk Village in Ladakh - 34 deg 51 min N

Northern-most point that I have been to - Nubra Valley in Ladakh - 34 deg 36 min N

South:

Southern-most point in India is Indira Point in Andaman & Nicobar Islands - 6 deg 47 min N

Southern-most point controlled by India if you consider our research stations in Antarctica is Maitri - 70 deg 32 min S

Another research station of ours in Antarctica is Dakshin Gangotri - 70 deg 12 min S

Southern-most point in mainland India and that I have been to is Kanyakumari - 8 deg 4 min N

West:

Western-most point in India is Guhar Moti village in Sir Creek (Narayan Sarovar district) in Gujarat - 68 deg 2 min E

Western-most point that I have been to is Ahmedabad - 72 deg 24 min E

East:

Eastern-most point in India is the town Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh - 97 deg 24 min E

Eastern-most point that I have been to is Kolkata - 88 deg E

When I expand the scope of this question to the whole world and not just India, I realized that the North and the East points remain the same for me. Western-most changes to Dubai (54 deg 56 min E) and the Southern-most changes to Mauritius (20 deg 30 min S).

Meanwhile, the highest point that I have been in (India or abroad) is Khardung La Top in Ladakh (5359 m high).

Fascinating, isn't it? I really love the fact that the Google Maps has started projecting the map in a globe form instead of Mercator projection.

On that note, I'll try to write about the cons of following the Mercator projection, sometime soon. Hopefully.

For now, let me part with cheers to Geography and to the awesome Geography teacher - Sujatha Ma'am, who taught us the subject in our school - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, RS Puram, Coimbatore - and instilled a love for the subject in us. Cheers, ma'am, if you ever stumble upon this post.

A year that got me ‘a dear’

It’s the end of the year and time for my end-of-the-year post. What surprises and saddens me at the same time is the fact that this is just my third post this year. I’ve been saying that I have to write more, but mere talking never helps in this case. It’s the action and not the words that count. Well, having given myself a tight slap with the previous sentence, let’s move on to other things.

The year has been good to me in more ways than one and despite the occasional lows, there’s very little cause for complaint. Let me break the big news to those few of you who don’t follow me in any social media platforms but here. I’m engaged. Yes, you read that right. That explains the title of this post. :-) I can shout and make it dramatic like Monica Geller, but let me leave that part to my fiancée, who, by the way, is called Monica. Well, not quite. She’s Moneeka, but yeah. It may seem like quite a coincidence for those of you who might have read my previous blog post. Well, that post was a figment of my imagination and quite rightly, my fiancée observed that the girl in that post was too idealistic to be true. Ha ha. No pressure, darling. Jokes apart, with that big news in tow, I guess I am allowed that bit of room for excuse for not keeping up with my promise, atleast on the writing front. I did write a small poem to break this news to the world. You can read it here. So, yeah. I have my excuse. ;-)

The year actually started with me taking up that challenge of watching and reviewing all Oscar – nominated films before the actual awards ceremony. I did win that challenge and that set me up for what could have been a more productive year, writing-wise. I did review quite a few films in Facebook. It is just that the intended blog posts didn’t happen. Also, I started off with a ‘Sports 50’ post to list out 50 sportspersons who have given me the greatest joy of watching/following sports. Even that series is stuck and is yet to move on from its second post. 

I happened to read the testimonials that my batchmates had written for me in my IIM Kashipur Yearbook. It throws some light on what I was and what my goals were a couple of years ago. Things have changed since then. And people change too. There is a very prominent mention of a book that I had promised to write, in most of those testimonials. Though always at the back of my mind, that book is yet to materialize. A person known to me challenged me to get that book out before a girl walks into my life. Though that seemed to be an interesting challenge then, now I have realized that I will not write something for the sake of writing. I know I will write, but it shall take its own sweet time.  The fact that my fiancée also reads and looks forward to my writing is a motivation in itself to write. So yeah, better some action than empty words.

Credit should be given, taken rather, for reviving the reader in me. Thanks to JK Rowling, I was able to read like I used to once –for hours together, lost in a world between those pages. I re-read the entire Harry Potter series in the hope that I’d start reading a lot again and that worked like magic. I’ve read some 14-15 books this year, apart from the HP series. This is quite an improvement from last year when the score was 3. 

I really do not know what else to write in this post, except to muse over the fact that I’ve finally written a post after long. There are quite a few things that I want to write, but in my quest to write a well-researched post, I’ve stopped musing or rambling with a personal touch. That’s what I’ve done here and that’s what I feel I should continue doing. Just start writing and muse over things in mind and voila, we have a post. That’s what we have here. 

To you, the reader, if you’ve patiently read thus far, I wish you a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year 2018. May all your wishes be fulfilled in the year ahead!

-Ashwin Murali

PS: Writing a blog helps in many ways. My fiancée and my in-laws-to-be learnt quite a lot about me through this blog. It probably helped them ‘okay’ me, I guess. :-) So the next time someone questions you on the merit of writing a blog and what good may come of it, show them this post script. ;-)

She

She’s opinionated. She has her own views on different things. But she’s not rigid. She lends her ear to listen to what the other person has to say too. She’s the undiplomatic foil to the diplomatic me. She takes a stand as she sees it right. She also helps me take one by presenting her view. But she doesn’t force me to take a side if I don’t see the point. She talks a lot and ensures that the introvert in me isn’t active. But she also listens when spoken to. She lets me see the fun side when I become too organized. She acts as Chandler to the ‘sometimes’ Monica in me. She’s definitely the Rachel to the Ross in me. 

She’s beautiful. Not merely in her physical appearance, but in the way she goes out of her way to help people. She reads a lot. She has read a lot. But she still stays by my side if I reread a Rowling for the umpteenth time. Tamil books aren’t her forte. But that won’t stop her from pestering me to read a Sujatha or an Indira Soundarrajan or a Kalki Krishnamurthy. She’s a foodie with an eclectic taste. But that doesn’t stop her from appreciating the food I cook, however good or bad it tastes. 

She’s a feminist like me. She helps me see the tempered, liberal side of things when I see the radical side of things at times. She likes movies. No wonder then that we argue so much about a Tarantino or a Christopher Nolan or a Mani Ratnam. She writes well. She likes what I write. But that doesn’t stop her from criticizing my work when she sees the need for it. She’s my first and my best critic. 

I don’t know if she genuinely likes football. But she sits by my side and supports Chelsea whenever a match is on. I think she likes Cristiano Ronaldo. But that hasn’t stopped her from appreciating the beauty of Messi’s game. She loves Rafael Nadal. But she also acknowledges and appreciates the magic in Federer’s game. She’s not much of a cricket fan. But she’ll still sit in front of the TV when Dhoni is batting. She loves music. I love the way she finds me videos of a Hamsadhwani being played, just because I told her that I like it. She’s a big fan of AR Rahman. But she’s always by my side when I get immersed into the beauty of an Ilayaraja. 

She’s spiritual. But she never imposes her views on spirituality and religion on others. She’s actively social and socially active. I love the way she secures her spot in the sofa like Sheldon. I love the way she imagines herself to be Snape whenever she gets to say ‘Always’. I love the way she teases me with her ‘backpacking in Western Europe’ story when she’s in the mood. ;-) I love the way she tells me that I know nothing, like Jon Snow. I love the way she makes me binge watch FRIENDS when she realizes that I’m a bit down and not my usual self.  I love the way she enjoys a walk by the seaside with winds for whisper and waves for music. I love the way she is, for she loves me the way I am. I love her for what she is. She is. She exists. In the corners of my heart. In the chambers of my brain. She exists. In my dreams. In a parallel universe. I hope to meet her in real, someday.

The above passage was written in response to an often-asked-of-late question. :-) I let my creative juices flow a bit. Nothing more. Nothing less. Don’t imagine things. :-)

Tales of a Teetotaler

**Insert a word that conveys the message that I am back again here**

Now that the ‘back again’ part has been taken care of, let me chide myself for my laziness. So many ideas had cropped up in my mind since my last blog post, but my laziness got the better of me. In the meantime, I started writing in Medium.com and successfully completed the challenge that I set for myself – to review all the Oscar nominated films before the Academy Awards ceremony. Since Facebook is my de facto platform for movie reviews, I plan to utilize Medium for other kinds of articles that I’ve been planning to write for quite a long time. Come whatsoever, this blog remains the closest to my heart for this is a platform where I open up and share stories with a personal touch. I’ll ensure that it continues to be that.

As for today’s post, I’ve been planning to write this for long but something or the other kept resisting me. It has finally materialized today.

Disclaimer/Note: This post is not a Moral Science Lecture. It’s just my take on some of the real experiences that I’ve encountered. Also, considering the contents of this post, no names have been taken and in some cases, I’ve tried to mask the situation/surroundings so as not to reveal anything more than what’s written. Please note that not everyone may be comfortable reading what’s written in this post. If you are one of them, please stay away from this post.

Teetotaller:

The first time I came across this word was during my college days. Someone used that word to describe me and that’s when I learnt what that word meant. A teetotaller is a person who doesn’t drink alcohol. In other words, he abstains from drinking. I was thrilled at having discovered a word that described me. It was only later that I realized that word was not something to flaunt. During college days (UG days), I witnessed many a non-drinker in my class turn first-time drinkers and later, I saw many of them turn heavy drinkers. Towards the end of my college days, there were hardly 4 or 5 guys in my class of 60+ students who continued to be teetotalers and I kinda felt good that I was one of them.

The reality and cultural difference:

As time wore on and I moved out of Coimbatore for the first time to work in Odisha, I got a taste of the world outside my shell. It was different, it was difficult, but it was the reality. I was living in a shell. I was living in my comfort zone in a confined society. With that exposure to reality, my perceptions changed; my thought process changed and my mind opened up. I was able to accept a lot of things around me better. But through it all, I had some firm beliefs and values of my own and I stuck to them. My two year PG stint further enabled me to witness stuff that I had only seen in shady Hollywood films. There are stuff that I’ve witnessed and cannot write about. But over time, I learnt not to be prejudiced and accept people for who they are. This way, I was at peace with myself and was able to be friends with a lot of people. 

The question why and a bit of humiliation:

Social drinking is a norm in today’s society. Resisting it is seen as an abnormality by some. The question why I don’t drink has been posed to me on numerous occasions. People have insisted that I drink on many an occasion. I’ve been subjected to lectures on why I should drink. I’ve been grilled many times as to why I don’t drink. A girl who also happens to be a good friend, challenged me that she’ll turn me into a drinker before I finished my PG. She failed in that challenge, obviously. A friend who turned drinker after years of resistance, argued with me for over an hour as to why I should drink. I could sense a bit of guilt in him for he had given up his resistance and would have probably felt that turning me into a drinker would have vindicated his decision to drink.

The question then arises as to why I don’t drink. Some friends have tried to find out the same. They have lectured me on how moral values should be kept flexible and why it’s a necessity to drink, atleast socially, in today’s world. What they fail to grasp is that I have my own right to exercise my choice and follow the same. It’s not a question of values. It’s a matter of choice. It’s my choice that I chose not to drink. I do not understand why some people had/have difficulty in accepting this. I have accepted them for who they are. The least I could expect from them in return is reciprocation. A friend once told me that I was normal in every sense except for the fact that I don’t drink. A lady who I was reporting to while I was interning during my PG stint asked me if I drink. When I answered in the negative, she called me a loser. Once while discussing our expectations of future spouses with friends, I was scorned upon when I expressed my desire that my partner should also be a teetotaler like me. There are many such instances of humiliation that I’ve endured/keep enduring because of what is clearly my choice. For every article that you find about the ill effects of drinking, you’ll be presented with 10 articles that list out the benefits of drinking. Over time, I’ve become quite used to this humiliation and stuff and have learnt to take it all in my stride and move along.

Company for drinking:

One thing that I learnt in my corporate career is that it is ok to be a teetotaler and still have fun in social parties. In Jharsuguda, I learnt to be in the company of friends in drinking parties. I have soft drinks in such parties and partake in the funny conversations that happen in such scenarios.  It may be true that a sober me may not be able to sink in those conversations amidst people who are getting high. But I do my best to gel in and respect the invite extended to me. It’s also true that I don’t get invited to a lot of such parties, but I have no cause for complaint. Truth be told, I am not very comfortable being amidst drinkers once they start to lose their senses. I quietly slip away from such scenes when I sense people getting a bit too high and losing their senses. It’s also a fact that I do get invited to such parties from time to time and I try to honour those invites more often than not. Over time, I’ve learnt to revel in the fun despite being sober. 

But not all such parties are fun and memorable. Some of them are awful and forgettable. One such after – party incident is clearly etched in my mind. The said incident was when I had to endure quite a bad experience in getting a colleague home after a company party once. The person in question had one drink too many, threw up and was out flat. The responsibility of taking him home fell on my shoulders, along with a couple of other colleagues. The person in question was a bulky fellow who weighed about 120 kgs. It was almost midnight. You can imagine the trouble we had to go through to get that guy home. This incident happened in a small town in an era when there was no Ola or Uber. Being the only sober one, I had to drive a bike with a sleeping person and another colleague holding him as pillion riders. Despite the empty roads, it was one of the most challenging drives that I had ever done so far. Not to mention the cop we had to ‘handle’ along the way. In the end, we somehow managed to get him back home safe and sound. The whole experience left me so distraught that since then, I have never taken responsibility of anyone in such parties, who I know is bound to lose control.

Drunken Driving:

To all my friends who drink, I never advise not to drink or give any sermons of that sort. All I say to them is to drink responsibly. Also, if your friend/ colleague/ any other acquaintance is a non – drinker, kindly respect his/her choice and never make the mistake of insisting them to have a drink. Also please bear in mind your surroundings and the people around, when you drink. Never over – drink in any social gathering. I might sound like a lecturer already with the above points, but the reason I am putting them down here is because of what I’ve witnessed and experienced with people around me. Drinking should not cause any trouble to people around. In so many cases that I’ve witnessed, it is not just the person but his/her family members who get affected the most because of the person’s irresponsible drinking behavior. This was a classic case that I witnessed 3years ago and it again left me disturbed. The one thing that I always tell everyone and insist on is NEVER TO DRINK AND DRIVE. I personally know of 3 people (friends and friends of friends) who have lost their lives to this malaise. So please take this seriously. It’s certainly not a thrill to get behind the wheel when you’re drunk for you’re not only endangering your life, but also the lives of so many others on the road.

I have written this post here in the hope that you, the reader, would understand what teetotalers like me go through in the so – called ‘social drinking is a necessity in today’s world’ society and I hope that you take it the right spirit. Cheers to you! 👍

With this post, I’ve given vent to some of the thoughts that I had bottled up within me over the years. This blog is a good platform to pour my angst or observations or whatever and writing this here has certainly made me feel light. I take leave in the hope that I get to write more often here. Ciao.

- Ashwin Murali

Dear Ashwin, X years ago…

Hello there. As always, it’s been a while. I keep wishing that I needn’t say that. Hasn’t happened. Let’s see.

Coming to this post, I was inspired to write this about a year ago when I read this post of Uttara’s. She in turn, was inspired by this video. Ever since I read that post, the thought of writing a similar post has been at the back of my mind.  I turned 28 last week and the post came back to me. Felt that the time can’t be better to address my own self over the years. Let me just rack my brains and see what I would want to say to a younger Ashwin. Read on, if interested. Might be of interest to you too; if you wish to address your younger self, that is.

For my own convenience, I am imagining that I am travelling back in time to November 21^st (my birthday) every year in the reverse chronological order. Let’s begin the journey.

Nov 21^st, 2015 (27 years old):

Dear Ashwin, I know you’re having fun, but don’t lose sight of some of your goals - both personal and professional. Take utmost care of what you eat lest you end up in hospital one day. Don’t just pretend, but start work on the book that you’ve been wanting to write. You may not find as much time later. And please, take care of your savings. They’re there for a reason. Don’t touch them.

Nov 21^st, 2014 (26 years old):

Dear Ashwin, you’ve been overworking yourself. Enough. Just take it easy and enjoy your last few months in IIM Kashipur. Go out. Travel. There are a lot of serene locations nearby. You may not get such a chance and time later. It’s good to be an optimist, but also be more realistic and less diplomatic. 

Nov 21^st, 2013 (25 years old):

Dear Ashwin, you’ve been floating in the clouds ever since you came to Kashipur 4 months ago. Calm down and come back to earth. Focus on the things that matter. Abandon those trivial pursuits. You know what I mean. And by the way, please pay more attention in those Finance classes. They will come in handy in the future.

Nov 21^st, 2012 (24 years old):

Dear Ashwin, you’ve given your CAT. Now don’t worry about the results. Things will happen if they’re meant to. You’ve been having a great time with your friends at TIME. Cherish these moments for you won’t get them back again. It’s not such a bad idea to take some time off for yourself. Will help you set your priorities right. Go on long drives. You’ll miss having your car with you in the coming years.

Nov 21^st, 2011 (23 years old):

Dear Ashwin, looks like you’ve finally taken to the plant life in Jharsuguda. But don’t get too comfortable for things are about to change and you won’t be in Odisha for long. A lot of things will happen in the next few months. You’ll be required to take some bold decisions. Don’t shy away from them if you want your dreams realized. And yeah, don’t lose hope on Chelsea yet. Something extraordinary will happen at the end of the season. 😉

Nov 21^st, 2010 (22 years old):

Dear Ashwin, I know you’re having a hard time adapting to the plant life in this place called Jharsuguda in Odisha. Trust me. You’ll adapt well. I know you’ve been binge-watching FRIENDS. Please do so without any regret. You’ll re-watch the whole series again. And again. And again. It will comfort you and bring a smile to your face like nothing else. Do hang out more. Don’t stay locked up in your room with your laptop all the time. There are some interesting people around. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but ‘that’ girl has been smiling at you every time you go past her. 😉 Won’t hurt you to say “Hello!” and talk to her. 😉 Let language not deter you in any way. You’ll learn Hindi soon. And you’ll pick up bits of Odiya too. 

Nov 21^st, 2009 (21 years old):

Dear Ashwin, You’ve done pretty well in engineering so far. Kudos! Your mini project was great. That success will make you attempt a very ambitious main project. Don’t. The project that you have in mind would require a bigger investment and will not succeed with the budget that you have in mind. Think of something less ambitious. And enjoy your time at home to the fullest. Very soon, you’ll land yourself a job that will take you away. 

Nov 21^st, 2006 (18 years old):

Dear Ashwin, congrats on turning 18. While you apply for the driving license, do apply for that voter ID too. Else, you’ll find yourself without one, even after 10 years. Don’t fret about missing out on IIT. Trust me. You’ll do well with what you have. No matter what anyone says, don’t you ever think about giving up quizzing. It is something that will bring you laurels and give you an identity in the years to come. Looks like you’ve discovered that you can write as well. Great. Now take that advice of Chandru’s and start writing a blog soon. Writing is something that will again earn you an identity in the years to come.

Nov 21^st, 2004 (16 years old):

Dear Ashwin, please give this IIT business a break and concentrate on school studies. Don’t ask anything more.

Nov 21^st, 2001 (13 years old):

Dear Ashwin, looks like you really enjoyed the four Harry Potter books that Advaith lent you. Cherish them. There are three more books that will come and you’ll read them all again and again, multiple times. Also, look for more books to read. Ask mom. She’ll never say no to a book. Watching cartoons is fine, but books are better.

Nov 21^st, 2000 (12 years old):

Dear Ashwin, it’s ok if you have not got the first rank. It’s not a big deal. You’ll get it one day. You will also fail one day. So don’t worry about these small things. Just enjoy yourself to the maximum. You’ve taken a liking to playing badminton, haven’t you? Or is it table tennis? Whatever be the game, spend an extra hour playing it. Playing a sport is something that will give you great joy and help you learn a lot.

Nov 21^st, 1998 (10 years old):

Dear Ashwin, looks like you’ve started taking music lessons and are learning to play the veena. Looks like you have an interest in learning the keyboard too. Great. Please don’t give up on them. Music is something that will be your constant companion, both in times of joy and despair. There will come a day when you will regret not being able to produce some beautiful music with your own fingers. Don’t give that day a chance. Learn to play the instruments. You’ll love them in times to come.

Nov 21^st, 1993 (5 years old):

Dear Ashwin, I can see that you’re very excited. You’re happy that you’ve welcomed a baby brother into this world. Take good care of him. You both will have lots of fun and will have lots of stories to tell in times to come. 

Nov 21^st, 1988 (0 years old):

Dear little one, welcome to this world. You have wonderful parents and excellent people around you. Say ‘hi’ to them. You’re in for a great journey in this beautiful world. Yes. It’s a beautiful world. Don’t you let yourself be swayed from that view, no matter what people say. It’s a beautiful world and you’re going to have a wonderful life. Remember that. Always.

There you go. That’s it. Now let’s get back to the future.

Nov 21^st, 2016 (28 years old):

Dear Ashwin, hi there. I am you. Just a week ahead in time. But this week has given me the time to introspect and tell you a few things that you must know and bear in mind as you move ahead. First and foremost, get out of your comfort zone. Nothing great ever came out of persons who sat in their zones of comfort. I know it’s nice and cozy but if you wish to progress and do the things you want to do, get out of that comfort zone. Write. And write more often. It’s not okay if you have thought about the story in your mind. It will take shape only when you put pen to paper. Only then will that book of yours will ever come out. Lately, you’ve been writing those film reviews on Facebook. The feedback has been positive too. Continue doing that. Also, there’s so much hate on social media these days. Don’t let that affect you. It’s not wise to be drawn into meaningless debates and trying to defend your point of view. Focus on some of the works that you’ve been wanting to do. That reminds me that your keyboard is lying idle for quite some time. It’s not a showcase material. Take it out and play it a little, every day. You haven’t solved the 4X4X4 Rubik’s cube yet. Do that. And please read more. When was the last time you sat with a book in your hand for hours together? Set some clear, achievable goals for the year ahead and work towards them. I am sure you will succeed. That’s all that I have to say.

So there you go. That ends my journey towards addressing self. 

To you, the reader, I wish a similar journey back in time. But please remember this. We can’t change the past. We can only learn from it and take the lessons forward towards a better future. Let’s progress towards that. 

Till we meet again. Ciao

-Ashwin Murali 

PS: Thank you, Uttara, for inspiring me to write this post.