LIFE & WORK – FIND THE BALANCE

It was an early morning, as I was just entering home returning from out of town,  I heard the voice ‘Hey Manoj! How are you?’

 

When I turned around, I saw a senior colleague of mine who had just retired a couple of months ago.  We started talking and I asked him how is his life after retirement? He said it is relaxing and peaceful. Those were his words. He said he is looking forward to enjoying his retired life and received his first pension just a few days before. We chatted for a while and I wished him a happy retired life, then he left.

 

In my tenure of two years working with him, what I saw was that he used to spend most of his time at work. He would always show up an hour or so before office hours started and most of the time would be the last person to leave. He was a mentor for many newcomers including me. He was a very senior person who retired with 41 years of service.

 

Back in the 1970s, he was appointed under my grandfather who was a Staff Inspector in Railways then. My grandfather had initiated his service register in Railways and coincidentally, he initiated mine. Despite, more than 35 years of age difference between us, we had become good friends. During our tea break, he used to tell me about his early days at work and how difficult were simple things back then. Always used to guide everyone at work. A person who left his mark in many youngsters' life. Being a widower, he didn’t discuss much about his family but had lots of love and dreams for his only child.

  

I was very happy to see him that morning. He was leading a happy retired life. It was probably the only time we didn’t discuss work.

 

A week later, I got a call from a friend of mine who said “Aren’t you coming?”  

 

“Where?”, I asked.

 

“Don’t you know? Our senior passed away. His funeral is in a while.”

 

I was shocked. It was the same person I had met less than a week ago. I felt very sad. It’s been more than 5 years now and I still remember his happy face from the last time I met him. He had great plans for his retired life but fate said otherwise.

 

I have come across so many people who say that they will live happily when they are retired and settled. In fact, many of my friends of my age often say that they will work as hard as possible and earn as much as possible and take early retirement to travel the world and enjoy life. Everyone thinks happiness is in the future. But the truth is that happiness can only be in the present.

 

Who knows what may happen tomorrow, right? But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for the future nor spending everything we have today.

 

We all have plans for our future. We must and should. But, in the pressure of fulfilling our plans for the future, we often forget to live in the present. How often do you think of living in the present and enjoy the things that you already have in life? Most of us don’t even think of it, let alone doing it.  

 

No doubt, always work hard and commit yourself in what you do but, don’t forget to balance the scale between work & life and present & future. True love, family, and best friends make life worth living for. Spend time with your loved ones.

 

It doesn’t matter how much you earn; hundreds or millions, always appreciate all the wonderful things you already have in life no matter how small they are. Your family will love you to spend time with them rather than at working late hours every day earning that extra pay or promotion. Of course, you may be doing it for them but, what good is it if you don’t get time to enjoy the time with them.

 

Work hard but, also live your life. Don’t forget to find the balance.


Wish you happiness in life.

Don't forget to share, if you liked it.

Till next time... Ciao... 



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Comments

  1. Shaju A. FrancisJune 20, 2020 at 7:36 PM

    If you dont find happiness now, ie with what you are,with what you have, etc ,you will never find it in future either

    ReplyDelete

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