Attitude


ATTITUDE

Life is a journey, and journey is life. I never realized how profoundly this simple quote could alter one's perspective on existence. Life offers us many gifts, but it can also take things away. My friend Kanak has learned this lesson, and it has resonated deeply with me as well.

Kanak often quoted, albeit partially, "Life is a journey." To understand this, we need to delve a bit into the past. Kanak's father was born into a traditional family in a village in Uttarakhand. When he was in the fifth grade, his father discovered that he had started using tobacco. In a fit of anger, his father slapped him, which led to a heated confrontation that ultimately caused him to leave home. With only five paise to his pocket, he boarded the first bus he could find and, after three days of relentless travel, arrived in Mumbai.

His father was quite small and new to the city, initially taking on any job he could find. After enduring a long period of struggle, he successfully balanced work with part-time studies. At the age of ten, he began working under a cook, and by seventeen, he secured a position as a contractor in the film industry, where he remained until his marriage at twenty-five. During this time, he earned a substantial income and managed to save a significant portion, but he had no desire to settle in Mumbai. Following his marriage, he relocated to Delhi and started business running a canteen and dhaba with one job.

The Kanak family enjoyed financial stability thanks to his father's successful business and job. However, they lived in a joint family with twelve of his father's siblings, all of whom depended on them. Despite the challenges of a large household, financial concerns were minimal, allowing Kanak to experience a lavish lifestyle, complete with a bike and car during his school years. 

Until the end of his twelfth grade, he embraced the philosophy that "life is a journey," relishing the opportunities life presented. He carried himself with an air of entitlement, often displaying pride in his wealth and the privileges it afforded him. Unfortunately, I observed that he rarely showed respect for others, treating them more like servants than equals, and his behavior consistently reflected his preoccupation with status and money.

In his 12th standard, he encountered the quote, "Journey is life," which resonated deeply with him. His father's business suffered setbacks due to disputes among the managers, leading to the closure of their primary income sources, the canteen and dhaba. With a large family to support, his father's salary became insufficient. The remaining funds were quickly depleted by the needs of both his father's siblings and their own family. Faced with limited options, he realized that he needed to start working after completing his 12th grade. However, his lack of a college degree restricted him to only low-paying, unskilled jobs.

He ultimately secured a position in marketing, focusing on door-to-door sales. A company representative was instructing him on how to approach each door with a smile and ring the bell. This approach clashed with his natural attitude, but he recognized the need to adapt to the attitudes of others now. Unfortunately, every time he rang the doorbell, he was met with the door being slammed shut in his face.

The summer heat was exacerbating his situation. Once, he could enjoy refreshing juices and his favorite beverages at will, but now he found himself walking half a kilometer or more just to find a free water source, like a Piyau or Matka, whenever he felt thirsty. The office hours were rigid, requiring him to leave home by 7 AM to arrive by 8 AM. After a long day of wandering, he had to return to the office by 7 PM to submit the remaining items.

His situation involved enduring verbal abuse from customers whenever he visited their homes, and upon returning to the office, he faced further criticism from his boss due to low sales figures. This left him feeling extremely frustrated with his life, yet he felt he had no alternative.

He was my closest friend, as I understood his character and adapted to it. Every Sunday, he would share his stories with me, since he was busy working throughout the week. Recently, his favorite saying has evolved; nowadays, whenever we meet, he expresses, "Life is not just a journey; the journey itself is life, and we have yet to experience all the parts of the journey determined by karma."

I had not realized that life could encapsulate the entire essence of the saying, "LIFE IS A JOURNEY AND THE JOURNEY IS LIFE."


 Thanks for reading…


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