November Letter

Have you come across the branch of philosophy called absurdism?

If not, I highly recommend jumping into this rabbit hole.

Here’s how dictionary.com explains it: “A philosophy based on the belief that the universe is irrational and meaningless and that the search for order brings the individual into conflict with the universe.”

The state of the world, and the path that humanity continues to choose for itself as its collective operating system, used to terrify me. We are an interdependent, interconnected species that century after century finds ways to self-organize.?

Into...what?

Can we please self-organize…

Into something other than…

Stone cold bitterness?

Last month, I got on a plane and flew to Nashville for a conference. The airline lost my luggage. Going through the experience, I decided to embrace it all as a learning experience.

I will not let my material attachments derail my commitment to the incredible learning and professional growth experience that awaits.

Airlines lose luggage. Then they track it down and ship it to you.? It happens. But truth be told, I wanted my hair conditioner, pajamas, flat iron, choice of 3 pairs of shoes, and outfits galore…

I was worried that I wouldn’t be wearing the right outfit for the scenario that I’d be navigating.

You know what didn’t matter?

Any of it.

My 6 days in Nashville passed quickly—as did the 48 hours without all my stuff. But you know what didn’t pass by so fast and what will be forever-etched in my brain as one of my favorite memories?

The moments of laughter. Getting to know my colleagues. Seeing the team’s collective hard work, vision, planning, and work come to fruition. Talking to people about life at work. Realizing that one day, when I look back on it all—after life passes me by—the experience I had will have defined the trajectory of who I became, forever.

That’s the keyword. Life.

It’s a privilege and an adventure.

It’s even better with a team, surrounded by a sense of belonging, knowing that there’s no other way through than together.?

Maybe one day, all 8 billion of us will recognize that we are a team among many interconnected experiences of life on Earth—that forces of nature have created conditions for everything to exist in the first place, and that’s something that we cannot nor should not take for granted.?

Read more of my writing: https://ritika.is/insights/leadership-letter-november-2024