How does it feel after the first retirement ? - an 18 month journey through mountains, lakes, secluded beaches, rural India, history-rich cities across 19 countries. I left my well-paid job to figure out " what I am born to do rather than what I am trained to do". Did I figure it out?
There is no straight answer. Yes, I figured out what I am born to do. I am born to travel at shoe string budget like locals in countries where people even do not understand my languages. Yes I am born to trek from one section of Himalayas to another without being tired (being madly in love with heavenly views and feelings). Yes, I can completely wipe out my past and feel fresh like a student learning from Nature, the best teacher. I am at peace spending time with students in rural areas of India away from the concrete jungle and teach them better lessons of life. Yes, I can feel homely away from home and look at life with deeper perspectives.
But what next? NO IDEA and that is the beauty of life!! I am not sorry that I have not figured or chalked out my life completely. Bigger question in my mind is " if you find peace and tranquility, why will you come back to the noisy,demanding and chaotic version of the life?"
Is it because of the bonding with humans I used to know in my past?
Is it because I miss my technical self time to time?
Is it because I miss the feeling of power when I earn according to my qualifications?
Is it because I am scared that my himalayan romance may not last long when we are always close?
The transition from work to travel was easier. It started like an extended holiday, then slowly I moved into a zone of my own. After a year, I can not remember the person who used to work in technical field.
The transition from travel to work is not easy. While I was travelling for 18 months, I never thought what will I happen at the end of it. People kept bugging me what did you get? What will you do now?
The simple answer I can give for now - I am a combination of many selves with some coexisting peacefully and some fighting with each other (all the time!!).
Namely,
The Family Guy - the one who cares for family members and does justice to responsibilities
The Good Friend (social guy) - surrounded by close friends and the one who tries to bring smiles
The Introvert - who wants to stay in his own zone without being disturbed
The Humanist Self - the one who believes in uplifting the disadvantaged section of society
The Adventurer - who loves adrenaline rush and tries to explore new things via trekking
The Nature Lover - who is at peace with nature be it serene mountains or secluded ocean beach
The Learner - who experiments and learns for new realizations or adaptability
The Teacher - the one who loves to open new doors in people s minds
The Philosopher - the one who asks questions that make everyone more confused but provides the guiding light in darker days
The Philosopher - the one who asks questions that make everyone more confused but provides the guiding light in darker days
& finally,
The Technical Self - who uses the brain the maximum to meet practical and earthly requirements to make all other selves happy.
Different times, different part wins and the guy writing this blog is just a manager trying to maintain some kind of balance.
When things goes crazy, I take executive decisions. When some part gets suffocated, I give complete freedom. When the other parts get sad, I change the priorities.
When things goes crazy, I take executive decisions. When some part gets suffocated, I give complete freedom. When the other parts get sad, I change the priorities.
True I can not do complete justice to all but I wont let the fire die in any one of them!! I am still discovering new things and the inner conflicts will continue. It may be stressful time to time, but the journey is enjoyable in most parts.
The bigger the group gets, the manager needs to be smarter to get the best out of the coexistence !! That is all :-)
Definitely the mountain (nature) lover (from the eyes of a fellow trekker)
