You meet new people every now and then. Each one is unique and each one has something to offer. This reminds me of the beautiful meaning behind namaste - the divine in me greats the divine in you.
I recently met some one who definitely made me stop and look at life through a different lens. I have to confess I often find my self in the rat race or at least watching one closely. I am often surrounded by people discussing acquisitions, new starts-ups, latest technologies, highest paychecks, expensive cars, success-money-fame. We all seem to be clouded by one want, desire or another.
I got a whiff of fresh air when I first met K. He was allotted space next to my desk at work. I looked at him and instantaneously knew what kind of guy he was. There are people who are humble and as down to earth as can be. They have no ambitions and are happy and content with whatever they get in life. I looked at him, smiled and then got back to my work.
For the next few days it was hard not to observe the activities going on in the cube beside mine. Everyone seemed to like this guy. He said yes to whatever work came his way. Every time he met some one he smiled as if he had just met him/her for the first time; so cheerful, excited and eager to meet them. Imagine some one like that meeting you. It is hard not to smile. Makes me wonder, how can one be so cheerful all the time? But it is this simple act we all forget: to smile and greet and be genuinely happy to meet.
There is something unique to learn from everyone, everyone has knowledge and skills that you are not even aware of - including the janitor, the cook, the server. You may be the most knowledgeable person, but you cannot possibly have all the knowledge any one other person has, regardless of who he/she may be. They all are interesting and you can learn a lot from each one of them. Greet each one as if each one is special. Wait for a second, don't rush in to ask just for your work and then haste back to your life.
Stop. Smile. Greet. Appreciate. Respect.
Ever went to a restaurant and the food was on the house for you? I witnessed this only once when I went out for dinner with K. But it happens to him so often that it seems surreal. He eats out almost all the time, trying different places and cuisines. He often gets free meals, even at places he has never been before. I asked him why he thinks this happens? He replied that his ancestors must have a done a lot of good deeds and it is all that good karma coming back to him. The analytical side of me reasons otherwise: Why would it not happen? Imagine taking orders and serving people all day long. Once in a while you see those forced smiles, you smile back forcibly and then move to the next customer, waiting for the day to end and then to rush back home. Imagine some one stopping by, with the biggest genuine smile on his face, cheerfully greeting you, interested in the food as if it is the best thing he is going to have in his entire day and then tipping you heartily. I would give him food for free!
I once went out with K for a walk and we stopped by an ice cream shop. I asked for 2 samples of ice cream I had not tried before. I pondered on which one to take and then ended up going for one I had not sampled but thought would be a safer bet. He walked in, didn't ask for any sample. Looked at which one enticed him most and just went ahead and ordered. It took him only few seconds to make a call whereas it took me I'd say at least a minute. I tasted his ice cream and to me it tasted like bubblegum/cough syrup. But he enjoyed every spoon of it. By then I understood that it didn't matter what he took, he would have still appreciated and savored every bit of it.
It didn't surprise me when I found out that he wasn't very high up the ladder at work and was getting paid almost half the value of his skills. I asked if that bothered him and it didn't. He said what he was getting was satisfactory and that he was content. I thought in my mind, he has what most of us don't have - he had 'enough'.
I recently met some one who definitely made me stop and look at life through a different lens. I have to confess I often find my self in the rat race or at least watching one closely. I am often surrounded by people discussing acquisitions, new starts-ups, latest technologies, highest paychecks, expensive cars, success-money-fame. We all seem to be clouded by one want, desire or another.
I got a whiff of fresh air when I first met K. He was allotted space next to my desk at work. I looked at him and instantaneously knew what kind of guy he was. There are people who are humble and as down to earth as can be. They have no ambitions and are happy and content with whatever they get in life. I looked at him, smiled and then got back to my work.
For the next few days it was hard not to observe the activities going on in the cube beside mine. Everyone seemed to like this guy. He said yes to whatever work came his way. Every time he met some one he smiled as if he had just met him/her for the first time; so cheerful, excited and eager to meet them. Imagine some one like that meeting you. It is hard not to smile. Makes me wonder, how can one be so cheerful all the time? But it is this simple act we all forget: to smile and greet and be genuinely happy to meet.
There is something unique to learn from everyone, everyone has knowledge and skills that you are not even aware of - including the janitor, the cook, the server. You may be the most knowledgeable person, but you cannot possibly have all the knowledge any one other person has, regardless of who he/she may be. They all are interesting and you can learn a lot from each one of them. Greet each one as if each one is special. Wait for a second, don't rush in to ask just for your work and then haste back to your life.
Stop. Smile. Greet. Appreciate. Respect.
Ever went to a restaurant and the food was on the house for you? I witnessed this only once when I went out for dinner with K. But it happens to him so often that it seems surreal. He eats out almost all the time, trying different places and cuisines. He often gets free meals, even at places he has never been before. I asked him why he thinks this happens? He replied that his ancestors must have a done a lot of good deeds and it is all that good karma coming back to him. The analytical side of me reasons otherwise: Why would it not happen? Imagine taking orders and serving people all day long. Once in a while you see those forced smiles, you smile back forcibly and then move to the next customer, waiting for the day to end and then to rush back home. Imagine some one stopping by, with the biggest genuine smile on his face, cheerfully greeting you, interested in the food as if it is the best thing he is going to have in his entire day and then tipping you heartily. I would give him food for free!
I once went out with K for a walk and we stopped by an ice cream shop. I asked for 2 samples of ice cream I had not tried before. I pondered on which one to take and then ended up going for one I had not sampled but thought would be a safer bet. He walked in, didn't ask for any sample. Looked at which one enticed him most and just went ahead and ordered. It took him only few seconds to make a call whereas it took me I'd say at least a minute. I tasted his ice cream and to me it tasted like bubblegum/cough syrup. But he enjoyed every spoon of it. By then I understood that it didn't matter what he took, he would have still appreciated and savored every bit of it.
It didn't surprise me when I found out that he wasn't very high up the ladder at work and was getting paid almost half the value of his skills. I asked if that bothered him and it didn't. He said what he was getting was satisfactory and that he was content. I thought in my mind, he has what most of us don't have - he had 'enough'.
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