Another 29th February is here!
After a Gap of 4 years!
Another long awaited Birthday for me. Not that one wants to count the years when he is on the wrong side of 40s.
Last Birthday, I blogged that I would like to sign of as Dr.Rajan Venkateswaran on my next birthday. It hasn't happened. There was a momentum created by getting the M Phil degree in 2008, for me to complete my Ph.D. But many unforeseen events led to my not fulfilling my dream during the intervening years. Maybe, just maybe, the dream of a Doctorate is over forever.
Since the last birthday, I went through the whole cycle of boom-bust-boom. From the highs of a high level job in 2008-2009, to an year of absolute depth in 2010, to the struggle of setting up a new Consultancy company in an alien land in 2011, to the stable growth in 2012, life has indeed come a full circle.
The intervening period saw me move from the desert terrain of Kuwait City to the lush green Muscat City. No regrets there. That move was the most sensible decision I took in my life, though I had to endure a struggle to make my company up and running during its first year. That we ended in a profit at the end of the year, is no mean achievement.
On the positive side, I have mellowed a lot, which is a welcome sign. There is a maturity in the way I handle things, that was absent before. I am more patient and less intolerent. Have quietly slipped in nicely to the Top Management role and it sits easily on me, as I dont feel the stress. A real health scare in 2010 beginning forced me to have a relook at my health, and it culminated in my restarting my Tennis, a game I just love. My game has improved by leaps and bounds, and so has my health. No mean achievement at this age. And I set up a Consultancy Company single handedly and saw it grow into a profitable venture. Again a significant achievement.
On the flip side, I have put an end to my teaching stint, which I regret a lot, though I have got used to it by now. Better to stop when people ask Why, rather than Why Not!! In a way, it was the right time to stop teaching and like many other things in my life, I dont look back with regret once I have taken a decision. The non completion of Ph D is a huge disappointment, and the lost opportunity is one I might regret for the rest of my life. And I am yet to meet another person born on a leap year day!!!
Surprisingly, this Birthday, I haven't made any plans for the next 4 years, nor have I set any personal goals. I want to take life as it comes. The last 4 years of wildly fluctuating fortunes has made me more philosophical. I can take failure and success with the same equanimity. There were times during the past 4 years when I felt God was just not being fair, and not giving me a break. But then I found out that every single thing that happened in life has a meaning, and leads to something else, like the links of a chain.
Ethu Nadanthatho Athu Nandragave Nadanthathu, Ethu Nadakkiratho Athu Nadragave Nadakkirathu, Ethu Nadakkavirukkiratho Athuvum Nandragave Nadakkum - Bhagawad Geetha
(Loose Translation - Whatever happened was for good, What is happening is for good, What will happen is also for good!)
