Life, love and dancing raindrops

@KeepUpWithKaustubh

 The road not taken in HR corridors

“Mausam Hai Barish Ka Aur Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai,

Barish Ke Har Qatre Se Awaz Tumhari Aati Hai.

Badal Jab Garajte Hain, Dil Ki Dharkan Badh Jati Hai,

Dil Ki Har Ek Dharkan Se Awaz Tumhari Aati Hai.

Jab Tez Hawayein Chalti Hai To Jaan Hamari Jati Hai,

Mausam Hai Barish Ka Aur Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai.”

– Unknown

The monsoons create magic. As we welcome the first showers, we can’t help but steal a private moment and allow our minds to wander. The brooding darkness, the soft earthy smell and the dipping mercury awaken the romantic in each of us.

 I sit in my office and stare out of the huge glass panes,

As the blazing roads turn to glistening streams of grey,

As the parched leaves droop in submission to the sparkling drops of rain,

And the stark building facades soak in the glorious showers.

I instantly get reminded of a beautiful couplet by Hasrat Mohani:

barsāt ke aate hī tauba na rahī baaqī

bādal jo nazar aa.e badlī merī nīyat bhī

The rains do that to us. The first showers wash away all the unpleasantness and remind us of the simple and beautiful aspects of life. It cradles us in the lap of nature, it soothes the senses and gives us perspective.

Deadlines seem less sinister. New ideas seem easier to realise. Creativity seems to flow. Life becomes uncomplicated once again. The child in us awakens and shows us the intuitive way around our lives and problems. Just as the rains opens up a whole new world of games that are impossible in any other season - like floating paper boats, or throwing stones in puddles, problems seem to have whole new simple solutions.

 Those dancing droplets of rain can move mountains. In that moment, when the rains seem to wash entire roads clean, and the skies seem to burst with passion – everything seems beautiful, energetic and fresh. It makes us realise how important it is to seize the moment. To live every moment and make the most of it. What seemed scorched, dry and motionless yesterday, seems alive and kicking today. And, we have absolutely no idea of what tomorrow brings. Think of life and we realise that it’s just the same. Yesterday has already happened, and today is the best chance we have of making our lives worth living, of spending time with those who we care for, of building the team of our dreams, and of bringing alive that idea that will change the world! Changing the world takes a lifetime, the rains teach us how to derive pleasures from the little moments that whizz past us if we don’t stop in our tracks and steal the moment.

Aaj halki halki baarish hai, aaj sard hawa ka raqs bhi hai,

Aaj phool bhi nikhre nikhre hai, aaj un main tumhara aks bhi hai.

-   Unknown

More poignant words have never been spoken. The rains make us pensive…and wise. It takes us back, makes us reflect on what’s really important. It reminds us of relationships that make life worth living, of people who have made us what we are today. When children play in the rains without a care in the world, it reminds us of our childhood friendships. When the rains lash out, they soak us in joy and gratitude. When gusts of wind mess up our hair, we are strangely empowered with a sense of reckless abandon. It awakens in us that carefree, vibrant younger side of ourselves. The side that dreams, and knows that we have it in us to realise those dreams; that side of us that wants to change things for the better, that wants to reach out to people and make a difference. When the flowers bloom and glisten in the rain, the smell and colours open up our senses and give us a brighter perspective of the future.

So as I step away from those glass panes in office,

I realise I had lost track of time, though only for a few minutes.

But what I gained in those fleeting minutes of reflection are all the lessons of my lifetime.

That I should love, but never get possessive

That I should dream, but always be ready to act on those dreams

That I should show my gratitude, before it’s too late

That I should build, but have a plan all along

And that today, speed holds more water than size.

So while we sit back and watch the rains soak the sun-kissed streets, let us reflect on where we are and where we’ve been. But above all that, let us really understand what today means to us. The relationships we hold, the dreams we see along with our teams, the hopes we hold for ourselves and those we care about. I found these lines that perfectly describe the flood of emotions that the rains bring:

Dharti se sawan ki bundein milne jab bhi aati hain,

Uski shikayat karti hain kuchh apna dard sunati hain.

Kuchh rishte naye banati ehsaas naya de jati hain,

Har ek kali ko phool baag ko gulshan kar jati hain.

Chahat nayi si hoti hai armaan naya de jati hain,

Kuchh khushi ke pal kuchh muskan nayi de jati hain.