Pause. Think. Go.

Flash back

It was several years ago that I met him on a Bombay Walk - the ones where they take you around to see and learn about the colonial aspects of S.Bombay. He was a journalist working for a well-known newspaper and I liked his articles on the art and culture of the city. I was happy to see him and for an opportunity to talk to him about his work. So I walked up alongside, introduced myself and told him how much I admired his articles.

'Which article?' he asked.

I mumbled something like. 'Er...I do not remember which one exactly....but...but....

To which he snapped back, 'You haven't read my articles.'

Though I  had genuinely meant my appreciation of his work, as often happens when asked specifically what, you tend to fumble for words. You are hard put to explain what it is you have liked. For, it is just a feeling you have about the person or the work they do.

The person you have expressed your admiration for, thinks your inability to express the feeling is a sign of your insincerity.

Flash forward 

Even after all the decades that have passed since the incident, I still remember the experience with an acute sense of embarrassment. It was Carl Buehner who said, 'They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.' And his words describe the experience perfectly! 

I think the words of Buehner are particularly relevant in today's lockdown times, when cooped up at home, we tend to spend inordinately long periods of times on social media. Given the large number of posts and messages we have to go through, and the conversations we have on them, it is wise to remember to be careful with our responses. Given the urge to respond quickly to messages, we tend to overlook the feelings our words are likely convey to the receiver. Especially so with the abbreviated words we tend to use to save time and even with the emojis which we choose to respond with.

So before you  respond to messages on the social media, remember to;

•  Pause
• Think - spend a few moments rereading what you have written. 
• Does the language you have employed, convey exactly what you have in your mind? 
• How is it likely to make the receiver feel? Remember, your words may very well have an impact on the nature of your relationship with him or her.
  
• Go - press the Send button.
  

 

 

 

Channelising Energy Productively

Thimmakka is a native of Karnataka. She has no formal education and worked as a casual labourer in a nearby quarry. Married to Chikkaiah who is a cattle herder, they unfortunately have no children. She has filled the lack by planting and tending to 384 banyan trees along a four-kilometre stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur. Her work has been honoured with the National Citizen's Award of India.

#MyLearning
Mourning and lamenting a lack or loss is an unproductive use of our energies. Best to channelise them into working on the larger good, both for self and others.

Living Life Authentcally

Their chests were to be digitally tattooed in post production so they had to shave their chest hair. While others in the cola campaign ad agreed, cricketer Sehwag did so only after some coaxing. After the shoot, while others rushed to the monitor to reflect on their performance or their looks, Sehwag just swaggered away unconcerned,  once the director yelled cut.
Because frankly, as with his batting style, he didn't give a damn.

#MyLearning
How unmindful can I be of societal, familial and peer pressure in being my authentic self?