C.A.F.E. - The Simple Pleasures of Life
It was a day of scorching summer during March 1990. There was a boy who appeared all tired of holding the books from the moment of sunrise. He was preparing for the Public examinations ahead & the restlessness can be felt in his eyes. While his parents were more concerned with the public examinations, this boy was worried about the time he was missing without holding the cricket bat in his hand. It was almost 10 days he called-off playing cricket only to eagerly wait for the 17th March 1990.
Suddenly he could sniff the fresh smell of the summer rain wetting the sweltering soil. The boy liked the smell to his life & always craved to play cricket on the half-wet pitch during summer. The thought struck his mind & he was off towards the play ground, which was at the end of the lane. The very moment his parents stopped him saying that “My dear Son! This is a crucial stage of your career & you need to come out in flying careers if you would like to play happily ever after”. Having heard this, the boy got back to his place & buried his head in the books. Meanwhile, he saw the other kids of colony merrying their time in the cool drizzles during hot summer.
Finally the exams got over. However, the boy doesn’t hold that interest to play as he could not find the climate in which he likes to play. One day he could trace out his favourite day & was all set to take plunge into field. Then again, a voice from behind held him back saying that he got a communication from the residential college at Vijayawada about the commencement of the classes in the next couple of days. Still the boy tried to go ahead only to be stopped yet again by the words - “My dear Son! Intermediate is a crucial stage of your career & you need to come out in flying careers if you would like to play happily ever after”. The boy obliged and stayed back to organize things for his stay at Vijayawada.
The sequel continued till he turned 24 (year 1999) & by then the boy has grown-up to be a guy holding a management degree to his credit. The guy was the centre of attraction & used to carry a lot of charm wherever he went & in whatever work he was involved in. With the growing age & truths revealed before him, he lost his interest in cricket. But, his continued interest of spending time with friends was not lost. However, the version of the caution has now changed - “My dear Son! Find a job for yourself so that you can spend time happily ever after”. Everyone’s parents have told this to their children & all the grown-ups, afresh into the competitive world believed that – “Yes, we can merry our time once we get into a job”
Out of the college, the guy & his circle of friends have explored the corporates of their choice & interest to fit into, right from Secunderabad to Banjara Hills to that of Hi-tech hills. Every day friends used to meet in the CAFÉ (between 6:00PM to 8:00 PM) at the Osmania Campus & shared their interview experiences of the day, irrespective of the success or failure. Ofcourse, in the process the GUY had been successful in realizing his long held desire of spending time with friends, sipping the hot tea.
It was during January 2000, the GUY has won his choice and finally attired the title of “EMPLOYEE” (2 jobs in a day) in his quest for l(e)arning. He happily shared the news with his parents & then flew off on his Chetak to the CAFÉ to share the news with his friends. His eyes were shining bright, smiles crossed miles & happiness was found in every inch of his body & mind with the thought that – “Yes, now I can merry some of my time as I got the job in hand”
That was a party day & it was a long night which the CIRCLE OF FRIENDS has celebrated. In no time, one after another, all the friends found their career avenues. It was JANUARY 2000 & a chilled winter evening the GUY had enjoyed sipping the hot tea with his friends. From the day forward, the CAFÉ stands as the remembrance of the joyous moments which he has enjoyed.
On the other hand the EMPLOYEE in him was establishing his presence in the company with his positive attitude, presence of mind, dedication towards the work & through meeting the ends in strict deadlines. However, his working round the clock shuttling between 2 jobs & due to one or the other priority on the professional front, he deferred with this thought.
Days rolled, seasons changed & years passed. In the process most of his friends left him out due to his work schedule & down the line his thoughts of merrying & spending time with friends seems to have vanished from his thoughts as he was keen on seeing himself land in the HR Profession. With the changed priorities, he used to convince/suppressed his feelings by answering to himself that – “Let me first settle myself in the profession so that I can make a day for myself to enjoy the hot sip of the tea in the CAFÉ”.
Step by step the GUY started climbing the success ladder & during OCTOBER 2002 he got appointed as HR EXECUTIVE in a traditional HR Department in India’s leading financial services company. However, his every day act of glancing at the CAFÉ has not changed and he continued to convince/suppressed his feelings by answering to himself that – “Today evening I will definitely get back to the CAFÉ to spend some time”.
Yet again, his quest for establishing his presence has taken the priority of his time & he was working his way out. His work was appreciated & rewarded appropriately. In no time, he was able to buy his dream bike – YAMAHA ENTICER………… The GUY is confident of buying a MARUTI for his parents & successfully holds academic & professional achievements to his credit. However, he stands a failure in noticing his desire slipping his way to take the shape of DREAM.
Days rolled, seasons changed & 5yrs passed………..even today he glances at the CAFÉ on his way to the workplace and convinces himself that – “Today evening I will get back to the CAFÉ to spend some time”. But, till date he could not win over the simple pleasure of life - spending some time for himself sitting in the CAFÉ sipping the hot cup of tea. (Leave apart the little time he gets to spend with his own family members now.)
It is just like this – “When he had nothing, he enjoyed simple pleasures of life. When everything seems to be happening for him, he is unable to fulfill the simplest of his pleasures”
Today, he is in such a position that he himself doesn’t know if he can ever realize the dream as he keeps saying to the people around –
“Am I given the opportunity to run back through the time, I would only wish & invite those merry days to “Come Again For Ever to realize The Simple Pleasures of Life”
Shankar Anappindi
0 9849 669966
Asst. Manager - HR
KARVY Group
Hyderabad
India
From India, Visakhapatnam
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3It was a day of scorching summer during March 1990. There was a boy who appeared all tired of holding the books from the moment of sunrise. He was preparing for the Public examinations ahead & the restlessness can be felt in his eyes. While his parents were more concerned with the public examinations, this boy was worried about the time he was missing without holding the cricket bat in his hand. It was almost 10 days he called-off playing cricket only to eagerly wait for the 17th March 1990.
Suddenly he could sniff the fresh smell of the summer rain wetting the sweltering soil. The boy liked the smell to his life & always craved to play cricket on the half-wet pitch during summer. The thought struck his mind & he was off towards the play ground, which was at the end of the lane. The very moment his parents stopped him saying that “My dear Son! This is a crucial stage of your career & you need to come out in flying careers if you would like to play happily ever after”. Having heard this, the boy got back to his place & buried his head in the books. Meanwhile, he saw the other kids of colony merrying their time in the cool drizzles during hot summer.
Finally the exams got over. However, the boy doesn’t hold that interest to play as he could not find the climate in which he likes to play. One day he could trace out his favourite day & was all set to take plunge into field. Then again, a voice from behind held him back saying that he got a communication from the residential college at Vijayawada about the commencement of the classes in the next couple of days. Still the boy tried to go ahead only to be stopped yet again by the words - “My dear Son! Intermediate is a crucial stage of your career & you need to come out in flying careers if you would like to play happily ever after”. The boy obliged and stayed back to organize things for his stay at Vijayawada.
The sequel continued till he turned 24 (year 1999) & by then the boy has grown-up to be a guy holding a management degree to his credit. The guy was the centre of attraction & used to carry a lot of charm wherever he went & in whatever work he was involved in. With the growing age & truths revealed before him, he lost his interest in cricket. But, his continued interest of spending time with friends was not lost. However, the version of the caution has now changed - “My dear Son! Find a job for yourself so that you can spend time happily ever after”. Everyone’s parents have told this to their children & all the grown-ups, afresh into the competitive world believed that – “Yes, we can merry our time once we get into a job”
Out of the college, the guy & his circle of friends have explored the corporates of their choice & interest to fit into, right from Secunderabad to Banjara Hills to that of Hi-tech hills. Every day friends used to meet in the CAFÉ (between 6:00PM to 8:00 PM) at the Osmania Campus & shared their interview experiences of the day, irrespective of the success or failure. Ofcourse, in the process the GUY had been successful in realizing his long held desire of spending time with friends, sipping the hot tea.
It was during January 2000, the GUY has won his choice and finally attired the title of “EMPLOYEE” (2 jobs in a day) in his quest for l(e)arning. He happily shared the news with his parents & then flew off on his Chetak to the CAFÉ to share the news with his friends. His eyes were shining bright, smiles crossed miles & happiness was found in every inch of his body & mind with the thought that – “Yes, now I can merry some of my time as I got the job in hand”
That was a party day & it was a long night which the CIRCLE OF FRIENDS has celebrated. In no time, one after another, all the friends found their career avenues. It was JANUARY 2000 & a chilled winter evening the GUY had enjoyed sipping the hot tea with his friends. From the day forward, the CAFÉ stands as the remembrance of the joyous moments which he has enjoyed.
On the other hand the EMPLOYEE in him was establishing his presence in the company with his positive attitude, presence of mind, dedication towards the work & through meeting the ends in strict deadlines. However, his working round the clock shuttling between 2 jobs & due to one or the other priority on the professional front, he deferred with this thought.
Days rolled, seasons changed & years passed. In the process most of his friends left him out due to his work schedule & down the line his thoughts of merrying & spending time with friends seems to have vanished from his thoughts as he was keen on seeing himself land in the HR Profession. With the changed priorities, he used to convince/suppressed his feelings by answering to himself that – “Let me first settle myself in the profession so that I can make a day for myself to enjoy the hot sip of the tea in the CAFÉ”.
Step by step the GUY started climbing the success ladder & during OCTOBER 2002 he got appointed as HR EXECUTIVE in a traditional HR Department in India’s leading financial services company. However, his every day act of glancing at the CAFÉ has not changed and he continued to convince/suppressed his feelings by answering to himself that – “Today evening I will definitely get back to the CAFÉ to spend some time”.
Yet again, his quest for establishing his presence has taken the priority of his time & he was working his way out. His work was appreciated & rewarded appropriately. In no time, he was able to buy his dream bike – YAMAHA ENTICER………… The GUY is confident of buying a MARUTI for his parents & successfully holds academic & professional achievements to his credit. However, he stands a failure in noticing his desire slipping his way to take the shape of DREAM.
Days rolled, seasons changed & 5yrs passed………..even today he glances at the CAFÉ on his way to the workplace and convinces himself that – “Today evening I will get back to the CAFÉ to spend some time”. But, till date he could not win over the simple pleasure of life - spending some time for himself sitting in the CAFÉ sipping the hot cup of tea. (Leave apart the little time he gets to spend with his own family members now.)
It is just like this – “When he had nothing, he enjoyed simple pleasures of life. When everything seems to be happening for him, he is unable to fulfill the simplest of his pleasures”
Today, he is in such a position that he himself doesn’t know if he can ever realize the dream as he keeps saying to the people around –
“Am I given the opportunity to run back through the time, I would only wish & invite those merry days to “Come Again For Ever to realize The Simple Pleasures of Life”
Shankar Anappindi
0 9849 669966
Asst. Manager - HR
KARVY Group
Hyderabad
India
From India, Visakhapatnam
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dear shankar
As u have rightly pointed out haunted by the pressures of today's commercialized world , to be best and survive cut throat competition , young minds are imprisoned with career goals set by their parents forbidding them to grow up and learn about life and more importantly about living.
Gone are days of serene mornings when family used to meet fro breakfast and joyous family get together? The student years are spent running to coaching classes, changing buses and attending practical classes to keep up attendance at college. Sometimes I feel even ‘atlas' would not have been so burdened when he held whole world on his shoulders.
keep it up. good article.
From India, Delhi
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As u have rightly pointed out haunted by the pressures of today's commercialized world , to be best and survive cut throat competition , young minds are imprisoned with career goals set by their parents forbidding them to grow up and learn about life and more importantly about living.
Gone are days of serene mornings when family used to meet fro breakfast and joyous family get together? The student years are spent running to coaching classes, changing buses and attending practical classes to keep up attendance at college. Sometimes I feel even ‘atlas' would not have been so burdened when he held whole world on his shoulders.
keep it up. good article.
From India, Delhi
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Rahul...
You are right... should have done it... I have come far now... and yes, that's still a pleasure I would like to enjoy... Now I am working towards the 'professional pleasures and recognition'... but till date never forgot to ride my bike at 10 kmph whenever I cross the CAFE...
Shankar Anappindi
From India, Visakhapatnam
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You are right... should have done it... I have come far now... and yes, that's still a pleasure I would like to enjoy... Now I am working towards the 'professional pleasures and recognition'... but till date never forgot to ride my bike at 10 kmph whenever I cross the CAFE...
Shankar Anappindi
From India, Visakhapatnam
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Rahul,
Come to the Cite HR meet which is going to happen on 29 April 2007 at 2 PM at PRESS CLUB (Opp. EENADU office, Khairatabad). You will be able to meet many more friends from the HR profession.
Shankar Anappindi
From India, Visakhapatnam
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Come to the Cite HR meet which is going to happen on 29 April 2007 at 2 PM at PRESS CLUB (Opp. EENADU office, Khairatabad). You will be able to meet many more friends from the HR profession.
Shankar Anappindi
From India, Visakhapatnam
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Hi Shankar,
I'm really sorry. I have an exam on that date that will only get over at 5:30. Please let me know if the meeting will continue after that time, and then I would surely join in. Alternatively, please suggest a time when we can meet up. I am relatively free in May, so please inform me. Also, keep me informed about such meetings of CiteHR. I would love to expand my network with HR professionals in the city.
Email: 1986.rahul@gmail.com
Phone: 9848403888
Enjoy Living.
Regards,
Rahul Jain
From India, Hyderabad
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I'm really sorry. I have an exam on that date that will only get over at 5:30. Please let me know if the meeting will continue after that time, and then I would surely join in. Alternatively, please suggest a time when we can meet up. I am relatively free in May, so please inform me. Also, keep me informed about such meetings of CiteHR. I would love to expand my network with HR professionals in the city.
Email: 1986.rahul@gmail.com
Phone: 9848403888
Enjoy Living.
Regards,
Rahul Jain
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hi,
Really, your words are the need of the hour.
Particularly in these hi-tech days of living, humans are not giving importance and hardly find time for maintaining social relationships.
Most of the parents/people are in the craze of earning software dollars.
Humans are not choosing the bridegrooms from any other profession except the software industry. No doubt, the software industry is lucrative in terms of financial gains. But what is life? Is it just earning more and having a house with 5-star facilities and passing away? Is it just enjoying on weekends (Sat. & Sun.)?
I do not mean that money is not required to lead life. Are we sharing our time and interacting with our parents at least once a week? One of my friends is in the teaching profession with an M.Tech qualification, earning a salary of Rs. 30,000 per month and living nicely in a town located in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh. Now, at 30 years of age, it is becoming very hard for him to find an educated life partner. It is just because he is not a software professional. And sympathetically, now, he is planning to switch over to the software profession just to get married. We should not pity him but the so-called people who want money but not a serene life.
Still, I want to discuss more. But I will do it later.
Naveen
From India, Pune
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Really, your words are the need of the hour.
Particularly in these hi-tech days of living, humans are not giving importance and hardly find time for maintaining social relationships.
Most of the parents/people are in the craze of earning software dollars.
Humans are not choosing the bridegrooms from any other profession except the software industry. No doubt, the software industry is lucrative in terms of financial gains. But what is life? Is it just earning more and having a house with 5-star facilities and passing away? Is it just enjoying on weekends (Sat. & Sun.)?
I do not mean that money is not required to lead life. Are we sharing our time and interacting with our parents at least once a week? One of my friends is in the teaching profession with an M.Tech qualification, earning a salary of Rs. 30,000 per month and living nicely in a town located in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh. Now, at 30 years of age, it is becoming very hard for him to find an educated life partner. It is just because he is not a software professional. And sympathetically, now, he is planning to switch over to the software profession just to get married. We should not pity him but the so-called people who want money but not a serene life.
Still, I want to discuss more. But I will do it later.
Naveen
From India, Pune
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