The Comfort Zone

As I was browsing through old files and material searching for a presentation made a longtime ago, I got a poem I had saved somewhere.

You may probably have gone through it , but is still worth a read

The Comfort Zone.
By: Unknown

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busy work were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with things inside my zone,But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.
I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.

I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.
If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile;
Success is there for you!

I guess each one of us are in that phase sometime or the other , and the sooner we get out of it the better

The Black Waters

I have traveled through the length and breath of India, and there is probably no state in India that I have not been to.

Going to these places not as a tourist but on work has its advantages; you almost see it in a very different light and go beyond the “must see” destinations. Each and every place has a character of its own, which reflects in the place, the food, and the people there.

A fortnight back, I had the opportunity to visit the Andamans, a place in India, but not quite in India. The experience, exhilarating !!

The place so scenic that no words can describe the joy you get by seeing the still black waters. The water truly looks black from a distance, though it is crystal clear when you hold it in your palms. No wonder, they call it KALA PANI or Black Waters.

The Cellular Jail is an architectural marvel, and each every cell in the jail tells a tale of the horrors our freedom fighters went through. It actually seems to bring back history alive. A visit to the Coral Reef was a stark contrast to the one at Cellular Jail. Watching the corals and fishes deep down below, while snorkeling is mind blowing.

The streets though well maintained are along the sea and during a high tide, the water throws itself above the walls, and drenches you completely, Wow, what joy!!

But more importantly the people there are warm and friendly. They come from different parts of India. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with a few of them who stayed with me during a brief stop over in Chennai and traveled back to Port Blair with me.

Their grandparents would have probably settled there, most of them brought to the Andamans as labourers and supervisors while constructing the Cellular Jail or to manage the freedom fighters jailed there. However, they all live as one big family there celebrating all festivals and enjoying themselves as a happy family. Maybe all of us in India can take a lesson in true national integrity from them.

It is one of those places; I would recommend you go to, before thinking of the next trip to Switzerland or Bangkok maybe !!

A joy like none other

I am passionate about books….I can read anything under the sun, just for the joy of reading.

Technology has grown leaps and bounds and in a matter of a decade, things one never envisaged became a reality. E-books, audio books are probably the norm now. But, I somehow cannot still relate myself to reading an e-book or listen to an audio one.

The joy of holding a book in your hands, the flipping of each page, the hope that a good book just does not end, fast reading a book that you do not like , cannot possibly be replaced by an e-book.

Not that I have never tried reading one, but something seems to be missing !! It’s just not the same.

I finished reading White Tiger by Aarvind Adiga yesterday. The Booker prized only made me pick it up before a long list of “wanna reads” I had.

When I started reading the book, I felt that it was just another book which talks about the poverty in India, or the “darkness” as Adiga puts it. A surefire topic to win brownie points and awards in the West.

But as I read through, I agreed with the author. India inspite of its globalization, IT boom , still remains a land in darkness. A good read through and through , but did any of the others deserved the Booker more than this one , and the topic made the judges biased , can’t say

Waiting to pick up the next book and get back to a different world …..