April 2018
I started 'Life at the Quarter' when I was 25, at the quarter. And this was my very first post. Utterly confused and disappointed with life, unclear about the direction I was headed in and especially disheartened about the fact of not having found my right person, this blog served as a platform to talk about my personal melodrama. Now at 3 months to hit the 30 milestone, I want to review and reflect upon everything that has happened or been happening.
I have taken this one-month break between jobs. So with plenty of time on hands, I, quite ambitiously, drafted out for myself a huge list of 'Things to do' in April. No pressure. One told me I should travel, another told me I should take some classes and someone else told me I should seriously consider writing that book. I wanted to fit in my own personal agenda too - (i) Get a tattoo (a small minuscule one will do) (ii) Get a second ear piercing and (iii) Learn dancing. Three weeks in and towards the fag end of April with one last weekend of my break remaining, I would like to proudly declare that I have successfully accomplished nothing on the 'list' and that I have been completely and callously unproductive. And surprisingly enough, I couldn't be more glad about this turn of events. In contrast, I did a lot of seemingly unproductive activities like shopping, reading, cooking, cleaning, sleeping-in and repeat. I met and reconnected with many long lost friends. I spent my days carefree. I did a lot of pondering and thinking. And I realized, sometimes we need to do 'unproductive' things to actually find and get in touch with ourselves. Taking my time and cooking slow meals, shopping for each ingredient, meticulously preparing a meal from scratch with the recipe, curling on the bed with a book re-reading my favorite bits again and again, taking notes, thinking about the past and letting myself cry, comforting myself, taking care of myself, taking an entire day to do one activity, feeding and befriending a stray cat, getting back in touch with friends who used to be close, getting accustomed to the taste of white wine, watching shows and movies that I generally don't, getting to know someone at snail's pace... April has been amazing, though it has been slow and sluggish, I liked how I had nothing to do except plan, wait and hope things would just unfold. It gave me the right amount of time to retrospect on life and everything that has changed.
When 2018 started off, the pastor at my favorite local church taught us how this year was 'The year of Jubilee' - He said prayers that weren't answered for a long time will be answered this year. I don't know yet about unanswered prayers, but I have been on a streak of professional success from the beginning of this year. The beginning of this streak was somewhere in the middle of 2017. But everything started materializing this year. Things worked out, so many opportunities came knocking on my door and just plain good things started happening one after the other, and so fast that I couldn't keep up, things I wouldn't even dream of. I don't know how it all happened, but it happened. I can't even confidently confirm if I deserve it all. 2018 has been incredibly successful professionally. Especially, looking back from where I started - the time I googled the meaning of the word 'cog' , fighting back tears, after a performance appraisal that didn't go well, wherein my boss declared that 'I was not a useful cog in the team' - I can proudly say I have come far. And I feel truly blessed too, because I know, it was not just all hard work. God has been gracious and gracious.
Now as I clasp my hands tightly, kneeling on my bedside, even as I thank Him for his incredible mercy, grace and favor, I have still one unanswered prayer on my lips. And I am sure, God is preparing me and making me wait until His time is right and there is no hurry in my heart.
Gallery:
I have taken this one-month break between jobs. So with plenty of time on hands, I, quite ambitiously, drafted out for myself a huge list of 'Things to do' in April. No pressure. One told me I should travel, another told me I should take some classes and someone else told me I should seriously consider writing that book. I wanted to fit in my own personal agenda too - (i) Get a tattoo (a small minuscule one will do) (ii) Get a second ear piercing and (iii) Learn dancing. Three weeks in and towards the fag end of April with one last weekend of my break remaining, I would like to proudly declare that I have successfully accomplished nothing on the 'list' and that I have been completely and callously unproductive. And surprisingly enough, I couldn't be more glad about this turn of events. In contrast, I did a lot of seemingly unproductive activities like shopping, reading, cooking, cleaning, sleeping-in and repeat. I met and reconnected with many long lost friends. I spent my days carefree. I did a lot of pondering and thinking. And I realized, sometimes we need to do 'unproductive' things to actually find and get in touch with ourselves. Taking my time and cooking slow meals, shopping for each ingredient, meticulously preparing a meal from scratch with the recipe, curling on the bed with a book re-reading my favorite bits again and again, taking notes, thinking about the past and letting myself cry, comforting myself, taking care of myself, taking an entire day to do one activity, feeding and befriending a stray cat, getting back in touch with friends who used to be close, getting accustomed to the taste of white wine, watching shows and movies that I generally don't, getting to know someone at snail's pace... April has been amazing, though it has been slow and sluggish, I liked how I had nothing to do except plan, wait and hope things would just unfold. It gave me the right amount of time to retrospect on life and everything that has changed.
When 2018 started off, the pastor at my favorite local church taught us how this year was 'The year of Jubilee' - He said prayers that weren't answered for a long time will be answered this year. I don't know yet about unanswered prayers, but I have been on a streak of professional success from the beginning of this year. The beginning of this streak was somewhere in the middle of 2017. But everything started materializing this year. Things worked out, so many opportunities came knocking on my door and just plain good things started happening one after the other, and so fast that I couldn't keep up, things I wouldn't even dream of. I don't know how it all happened, but it happened. I can't even confidently confirm if I deserve it all. 2018 has been incredibly successful professionally. Especially, looking back from where I started - the time I googled the meaning of the word 'cog' , fighting back tears, after a performance appraisal that didn't go well, wherein my boss declared that 'I was not a useful cog in the team' - I can proudly say I have come far. And I feel truly blessed too, because I know, it was not just all hard work. God has been gracious and gracious.
Now as I clasp my hands tightly, kneeling on my bedside, even as I thank Him for his incredible mercy, grace and favor, I have still one unanswered prayer on my lips. And I am sure, God is preparing me and making me wait until His time is right and there is no hurry in my heart.
Gallery:
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| That's 'Kalli' my new cat friend, she's always in time for food :) |
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