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Saturday, January 03, 2009

Resoluteness of Resolutions - Part 1

‘Thank God it’s over!’ This is how most of us would have exclaimed as the clock ticked 12 midnight on 31st December 2008 and that was when we knocked the doors of 2009 expecting a better year for all. A not-so-good year 2008 was, for many, from the poor to the rich, from laborers to CEOs, from citizens to politicians and from the unemployed to the employed. Precisely, it was actually a year when many employed turned unemployed.. The year also included that 366th day, proved many astrologers wrong and made sure, astrologers really believe in their predictions when they make the same on Jan 1 2009.

I exclaim once again ‘Thank God it’s over!’

The first question many ask me on New Year Day is ‘Any New Year Resolutions?’ and I would politely say ‘No… nothing’ with a smile that makes way for two small dimples on my cheeks. The truth is, I’ve never given a thought about something called ‘Resolution’. ‘Will I work towards my resolutions?’ This is a different question altogether but the point is, I’ve never given a thought about the resoluteness of resolutions. As I was in the middle of a train journey from Bangalore to Chennai on 1st morning, I just peeped out of the window to find wall posters of Mayawati who, of late seems to be on a mission to make her presence felt in the southern states. To be honest, the first question I posed to my inner self was ‘When will these politicians stop blemishing the walls?’ The questionnaire continued ‘When will a corrupt-free India come into being?’, ‘When will educated citizens enter Indian politics?’, ‘When will secularism win over communalism?’ ' When will peace win over terrorism?' and the list went on and on. I stopped for a moment and wondered over the utopian nature of my thoughts. I asked to myself ‘Am I a responsible citizen?’, ‘Before that, am I a good human being?’ and ‘What have I achieved in life to question people in higher echelons?’

I started to reply to the questions I threw at myself. As for ‘What have I achieved in life to question people in higher echelons?’ I felt it could be answered only in the coming years. I’m just 20 and I felt it would take at least 7-8 years to satisfy my expectations and to live up to the standards that I’ve set for myself. The question of me being a good human being is definitely a pre-requisite to being a responsible citizen. Am I a good human being? Well…that called for some introspection and another interesting thing that I discovered was the toughness associated with the coming of a satisfactory answer. The term ‘good’ is multi-faceted and what appears good to me may appear bad to another and vice-versa. Only something that is just short of utopian shall befit the term ‘good’ in the minds of all or at least many. And as I thought deeper, the tenacity of the good nature of the human is quite a task and circumstances do play a pivotal role. 

Sometimes too much thinking drives one away from the main topic and it’s better to confine to just one, analyze deep, draw conclusions and then move to the next. This exactly was what I failed to do and felt the then analysis just didn’t strike a chord with my latent thought ‘My New Year Resolutions’. Even now, it seems to have been at the back of my mind all this while as it is just here that I’m disclosing the thought’s latency. I wonder if I’m a lateral thinker, inadvertently but the indirection can’t be so indirect. Whatever! I felt the need to have one New Year resolution. I believe in CROSSING THE BRIDGE WHEN IT COMES but I also believe in making sure, I’m well equipped to cross at that time. Achievements will come only with time but I must make sure, I’m moving in the right direction and working towards the same. As a first step in that direction, I made one resolution on 1st and 3 days have passed till now, I’ve tried my best and it has not been a bad attempt. 

Well…it doesn’t call for a Jan 1 to make resolutions. It’s just another calendar date with 24 hours but being the first day of a calendar year, some people have made it a point to make resolutions and they TRY to live up to the same while some have made it a fashion to make resolutions. A lot depends on the seriousness of the individual and the necessity of that resolution. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve always wanted to make 'that' as a resolution no matter what the date was but it’s just that I got more serious on Jan 1 when I questioned somebody as popular as Ms. Mayawati. I contemplated and finally made a resolution for the first time in 20 years. Three days have passed and it’s been good. It’s not just the remaining 362 days that shall call for this resoluteness but the real test is to sustain that resoluteness through the rest of my life. I know it’s all in the mindset and as I've previously stated, a lot depends on the seriousness and of course, individual priorities. 

I’ve still not disclosed what 'that' resolution is. I'll keep it for the sequel to follow next weekend. Coffee Day claims 'A lot can happen over coffee' but for me, the tagline ‘A lot can happen over a train journey’ befits. Many thoughts have flashed across my mind during train journeys in the past too and MAYBE because, a train journey seems to be the perfect time for introspection. Maybe or is that the fact??? Well… ‘MAYBE A FACT’ :) :)

To be continued….

28 comments:

SMRITI said...

That was a really interesting post. I really dont get the funda behind making resolutions from Jan 1...If one has to make resolutions, what better moment than NOW.

Like Kabir said...Kal Kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab.... :)

This is my read for the week...really like what you've written and the way you've written :)

Ramana KV said...

I agree that the journeys present a perfect setup for introspection.. You have a nice blog going here :)

Anonymous said...

Yup... Journeys are definitely a time for introspection... Letting your mind wander while looking at trees and grass pass by takes you to a whole other place where you get to visualize a lot... Nice post...

Shruti said...

I couldn't agree less.
New Year Resolutions are so not done. How does it matter if you cannot fulfill them at all??

Great one as usual!
HNY 2009

Mona said...

hmm.. interesting post rajesh.. never thought about the resoluteness of resolutions before.. i make so many resolutions every year... follow some, break some... and forget about it halfway through the year...

i think the whole purpose behind making a resolution is to overcome our weaknesses and since the new year is an indication of a new start, its the best time to win over your weaknesses... that's why i guess most people like making resolutions on 1st jan...

your post has made me realise how important it is to be firm about your resolutions... after all that is the whole purpose behind making one.. following it...!!! a good job... keep writing.. cheers!!

p.s. yeah.. i totally agree about the train journey thing.. even my thoughts travel at super-sonic speed when i am in a train..lol..

Rajesh said...

@Smriti
Read of the week.. Wow!!! I take it as a compliment...glad u liked it...

Watch out 4 the sequel this weekend..

Rajesh said...

@Ramana
Thanks dude!!!

@Mimo
We know abt train journeys better...dont we???

Rajesh said...

@Shruti
Happy New Year to you too

@Mona
We know train journeys better than MANY...and yeah...its actually easier said tan done when it comes to being resolute...the real test is to sustain the same..

lets see how things go 4 me..

Amrita said...

ur thots resound like a frn of mine who also happens to b from chn... hmmmm :)
i dont think thrs ne need for waiting till 1/1 but its just for the psychological up and the freshness tht day is advertised to be having :) no harm in adding some charm and sayin ok public i started doin so and so from the yr so and so since it was moi new yr resolution :D

Rajesh said...

@Amrita
Add this friend along with theta Chennai person.. :) :)

What was ur new year resolution???

Anonymous said...

Hey, thats great! Happy New Year-am waiting for the next post to know what the resolution is-write soon! You write well..:)I liked your blog layout too

Niveditha Sunderraj said...

hey! nice! What about the resolution? Started? Keeping up? What?

Rajesh said...

@Mithe
Oh!!! Shall post it soon..

@Niveditha
U ll get the answers only if u read the post...read n then comment

Mahita said...

Hmm, got my attention and already waiting for your week end post or the sequel :D...

The logic of Jan 1st being a day for resolutions or occasions being a reason for gifts and partying... or common dates like friendship day or valentine's day holding a reason to celebrate, baffle me a bit.

When it is friends, the journey itself provides countless occasions to celebrate, that having a day only limits the joy of having/being a friend.

when it is a lover, well, every day with him/her is a celebration, so limiting it to Valentine's day is narrowing the spirit of love.

And so on with resolutions.. why take resolutions that we break just as the clock strikes 12 midnight on 1st Jan? We might as well, live by our thoughts and live for our dreams... Resolution's resoluteness is only as strong as our desire to fulfill our resolution and that desire is the burn in our heart that unites the extremes of our passion. :)

But may be, from another perspective, anything NEW inspires warmth and creates an enthusiasm. May be that is the reason, a new year serves as a day for making resolutions, to carry forward that enthusiasm to the every day life, at least for the length of that enthusiasm anyway...

Amrita said...

loose some wt? anyone?

Rajesh said...

@Amrita
Sorry I don get u

Rajesh said...

@Mahita
Hey thanks for dropping by...

Exactly we shall better live with our dreams...as I said, the resoluteness depends on the seriousness and how committed u r...

Will post the sequel very soon :)

Express said...

A lot can happen over a Train journey, I abs agree...rather a lot happens everyday wid me on a train ride :D

Introspection abt being responsible is good, but Ive realised that than trying to build fancy castles; its good 2 b realistic. and resolutions r made so that v learn 4m our mistakes and do not repeat them. But sticking 2 the resolutions v make asks 4 a lotta determination.

I resolved 2 b sincere;
atleast thats a start :P

Rajesh said...

@Express
Yeah...u r right...Shatabdi is smart!!!!

As u said...its abt not repeating the mistakes and it takes a lotta determination as u have rightly pointed...lets see how long I can show the resolve.. :)

Usha Pisharody said...

Indeed Rajesh, sometimes one thinks like that.. Jan 1st is after all another day with 24 hours.. and the resolutions aspect has now become a sort of hyperbole!

Still I suppose it's a good time to reflect and introspect and move forward with positivity!

Good luck with your 2009!

Ramya Shankar said...

Personally, I think Jan 1st is jinxed to make resolutions. Somehow ones made on that day, go down the drains in a month.

Anyways, u have a good year ahead and good luck with being resolute :)

Rajesh said...

@Usha
Yeah!! Well said...everyday has 24 hrs etc but a lot depends on what we do and make use of the same...

As always I love Introspection any day..

@Ramya
Oh Thanks...lets see how long it goes but I'm confident I'll stay determined.. Thanks 4 dropping by..

Akansha Agrawal said...

Well even I've done this introspection thing very often on many journeys... you just need to be 'yourself' while doing it!!! Doesn't matter where... Don't do it while you're driving though, for the sake of other travel mates!

I've never believed in 'New Year' resolutions, never made any either... I make resolutions when I feel I'm fit to stay committed to them.

Looking forward to what you have to say next...

Rajesh said...

@Akanksha
Yeah...that was funny...shouldn't introspect while driving... :) :)
Yeah...we shall make resolutions only when we feel we'll stay committed to the same...

Next part up soon ...watch out!!!

santoshi said...

good post. Thanks for ur kind comment. well, I wish to see ur photoshop works. It would be great if U could post ur works in your blog.

Rajesh said...

@Santoshi
Well...m never into photoshop..
Anyways...thanks 4 dropping by...keep coming...

Riya Das said...

"Sometimes too much thinking drives one away from the main topic and it’s better to confine to just one, analyze deep, draw conclusions and then move to the next."

..... profound lines.
brilliant post...keep thinking thus and we still have some hope for a better future after the traumatic "aftermath" passes in due time...

good one. keep it up

Rajesh said...

@Riya
Oh!! Thanks...so profound is it???
Lets hope 4 the best...