22 Jan 2012

The Best Thing In Life Is...

FREE! Yes, the best thing in life is FREE! Your family! The family that brings you into this world, nurtures and nourishes you, teaches you values which steer your life, stands you up on your feet and then supports you for the rest of your life. This family includes your parents, grandparents, wife and maybe children.

But there is a price we pay for sustaining this family and maintaining its strength; the price of sacrifice, hard work, time, thought and effort. It’s a price we all gladly pay. Every individual has to do her/his bit to ensure the family functions smoothly (I know ‘functions’ sounds a little crude word, but you get the idea, right?). True, there are bad times, but as we have to remember what William Shakespeare says – “This, too, shall pass!”

Today’s manic world demands a lot of our time. So much time that we spend a lot more time with friends, colleagues, work buddies, etc. than with our families. I had talked here about how we youngsters have started focussing more on materialistic things. Technology, elite goods, fast food, movies, trash TV programmes, etc. now take up a lot of our time which we otherwise could have spent with family. More time spent with work colleagues than with a significant other is one reason for the spurt in extra marital affairs. We’re gradually being pulled away from our roots and being plunged into the culture followed in the West, something we prided on avoiding earlier.
File photo of my family some 2 decades ago


Our relatives, I believe, don’t make a part of the core family. More often than not, our parents end up doing more than expected for them. Or maybe, we have to, on the insistence of our parents. I’ve heard lots of stories where doing for relatives has drained a family of effort and money, and when it was time to give back, the relatives have backed off, leaving families to fend for themselves. That is saddening. Also, we nowadays see more children abandoning their parents. It was theatrically depicted in movies like Baghban. These are not reflections of what parents have taught their children. Sometimes the children turn out to be rotten apples and there is little that can be done to fix it. That’s why I’ve not included children as part of the family that’s most cherished all lifelong. Conversely, it could also be due to parents not dedicating enough time to their children or setting a bad example; something the children follow.

The key lies in following what Harish Rajagopalachari of PwC says – “It helps to step back and introspect every once in a while.” He was talking about entrepreneurship, but this philosophy can be applied to real life also. We should pull away from useless temptations and focus on what really matters more. Family is the most important aspect here. So let us reduce talking on the cell phone, obsessively checking e-mails and BBMs, staying connected to the net 24x7, watching meaningless TV shows and spend time talking to our family members. Asking them how was the day, what are they up to, whether we can do some chores, etc. Take them to dinner more regularly, on a vacation, have dinner together on the dining table without the TV on, are some things. You already know so much more that you can do. This will also help us to break the shackles of the loneliness that might grip us as we keep spending time online. Connect more with real people, especially family, and watch your personal life improve considerably. Cheers!

14 comments :

  1. lovely lovely lovely POST bro !
    i enjoyed every word of it..
    you made a magnetic word as POST title...
    we must connect and involve and immerse ourselves with people who wants us and loves us..

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    1. Thanks Deepak, for the kind and inspiring words... :)

      Hopefully I'll keep coming up with posts u like in future too... :)

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  2. Wonderful article...!!

    You make a very valid point in saying that we should all take a breather from our busy lives to introspect and put things into perspective.

    It will help us realize and value things/people that matter to us more and help us take time away from pointless/meaningless activities..that we all engage in on a daily basis!!

    Very well written Vishal !! :) And the pic is sweet..! :P

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  3. So true Vishal, We get carried away in our daily routines, chores, responsibilities and what not! I do follow this “It helps to step back and introspect every once in a while.” theory and it helps cleanse the system...

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    1. True indeed, Chintan. We need more people to follow that advice to bring about some sanity and stability in families.

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  4. Wow, how did you click a copy of this picture. And nice post, all I could read from it, though, was, 'take your family out for more dinners' :P

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  5. Very nice post. I realsied this mistake a few years back. I am trying my best spend time with others.

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  6. It's nice you are attempting to correct the matter, sir. Many of us fail to even address it.

    Sneha, hint taken. Let's go to dinner... :)

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  7. I think its because we take our family for granted..we think that they'll always be there no matter what and we tend to pay attention to insecure relationships..

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  8. so so true ...life is made of small moments and they really do matter the most

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  9. We really need reminders like this every now and then. Good one.

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  10. Fantastic post bro and a great family pic too!! Home is where the heart is - they say. I say, they are right!!

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  11. Totally agree! Nice post, Vishal.. : )

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