We as a society and culture are still so alien to taking self-discovery breaks to do what we really want. I think we fear breaks. So what next is our deep concern the moment we hear someone is retiring. But how scary can a break be which gives you moments with yourself to discover your passions, your purpose and yourself. Our clan was and still is so insecure about everything (and here I am specifically referring to a self-discovery breaks and not a break to do nothing. I detest people who like to do nothing). We save, see our bank balance, crib, save and just get frustrated for not having been able to do our own thing. So the petrol prices will continue to rise and fall, the rupee will hopefully be not so volatile, the power tariffs will continue to eat large chunk of our pockets and economic crisis will come and go. But in all this and our struggle to cope up, where does self-discovery go? Can we just sit back and wear the NA tag and say it is for the westerners? Shall we accept that nirvana for us is only by breaking the queue at the toll gate, hitting a rickshaw puller and getting guiltlessly away from it, having unnoticeably paid the vegetable vendor less than what we were to pay or having shopped stupendously at the Zara sale and announcing it on facebook?
I understand that we have to save for our old age and prepare for the not so certain future, I understand that we have to save for our children’s education and I also understand that we have to save for our and our parents’ ‘ever increasing’ medical expenses. Because none of the taxes we pay take care of any of this. I also understand that once we have done all of the above we aspire to accumulate wealth and grow it.
But then should that keep us away from self-discovery? Busy running around in circles, do we fear losing jobs and positions if we have to introspect?
