I spend more time than even before on writing. I spend more time than even before on time management. The day stares at me and reminds me of so many assignments that need to be completed, or started. Tasks. Tasks. Tasks. There’s never quiet enough in life! If it happens to be quiet enough, then I feel it is at the precious cost of something. Responsibilities, relationships come in all shapes and sizes – some are selections of our choice, others necessarily, or unnecessarily come our way. What’s to be managed… has to be managed. That is how I reflect on comparisons that are spelt out in terms of success versus failure, or disappointments versus fulfillments. I deliberately pause to invest good time and think about passed situations. The exercise is done to protect the future. In quality and in quantity, the surface similarities can differ from situations to situations.

Like most, for me, only by certain ways of ‘hard’ exposure, I have learnt the best lessons of life. Within their limits of fact, today, I have more self-understanding. I take a serious view of things in a serious way. I take a light view of things in a light way. Which means – I am not dominated by the bitterness of others, or the cunning circumstances which are beyond my control. At the same time, I am more alive to my falls and my mistakes. By an inner eye – I am told: if there’s never quiet enough in life, it’s a good sign.

Geeta Chhabra