Happy List
Background
I was reading High Performance Python, 2nd Edition and a small snippet shown below resonated with me, my thoughts and my hustle since past couple of years.
Hopefully this list of small yet meaningful wins will not only bring Joy back into my work but also into my life.
Epitaph.
09 August 2022: There is valour in fighting for what you truly l0ve, and there is Visitant Joy in losing that war.
Heavy image (1.77MB)
Cutting Free?
09 August 2022: The leap of blind faith costs courage. Bravery is an easy reality, but courage is the gift of realisation — not everyone can afford to take gifts from the unknown — And definitely no one should dare to afford the madness that these foolish acts entail. Some stones (pages of life) must be left unturned because the lesson is simple yet the student is complicated.
I hope that one day I muster up enough courage to turn this page.
A snippet from Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives by Dan Millman (My Soc.)
The Offence.
01 August 2022: I still remember the day when my roommates (from village) came to a common agreement that I will thrive in a city environment but can never live a village life. It offends you when someone says you cannot live at your own home.
05 August 2022: It offends you even more when you yourself believe it so. Thanks to Covid, staying home forever with my family is an option now.
Dad ploughing neighbour’s field using their cattle.
Enough.
28 July 2019: What does it mean when (even if you want to,) you are not able to do things that you are capable of doing? Goals are not clearly defined. Goals can only be defined when you know what you want & when you know when it is enough.
Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect deserve. I need nothing, yet I will set things straight just because I am capable of it.
The Need.
In the Socratic dialogue ‘Republic’, Plato famously wrote: “our need will be the real creator” (Wikipedia.org, 2020) which was moulded over time into the English proverb ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’.
His words run deep: “I know this is not appropriate to say but without Covid, I think I woudn’t have taken such an action.” Darkness has a Way of teaching us things that nobody may even dare to learn.
When I get my life in order I may gift myself with these three Blue Denim jeans - 1. Iron Heart, 2. Samurai, and 3. TCB.
A snippet taken from this website. I thank Fjorde for letting me know his personal favourite TCB.
The Soul.
23rd July 2022: Naradha, the timeless sage’s desciption of Shri Ram is what one must call An Ideal. And be it fate, I happen to be A Dasudu (Meaning bondman, deacon, devotee, servant or slave to my family God Shri Ram) and it is in my lineage to (literally) dance with the Fire God for him.
24th July 2022: Kishore (Father of Athreya & a commendable Product Engineer at Logitech) told me once that he sees Fire in me, and asked me to not let go of it. My Soul must learn to conquer that Fire within and to me that is what Dancing With Fire means.
Photo of me wearing my Dad’s ring gifted to him by my Mom during difficult times.
Mind & Body.
4th July 2022: Since 2018, I have abused my body; since 2019 I am abusing my mind. As of today, I can build lakhs of rupees worth software in a single month. ASAP is in my name. But, I forgot my blood brother’s birthday yesterday - This is not what I intend to become. It’s time that I acively focus on my mind & body. Even my parents want me to do so, with their help, I hope to get back in shape.
Photo by my Dad as on Thu, Aug 26, 2021 (The day of my sister’s wedding.)
Home.
16th June 2022: I decided that I will stay home closer to my family and rebuild myself.
Photo by my Dad.
No Ordinary Moments.
22nd May 2022: Almost two years back I lost my watch & wallet to greed. My brother bought me a brand new watch today.
Right Place.
March 2020: Early in my career after working 1.5 years alone for my own startup I was fortunate enough to realise that it isn’t the code that I write keeps me happy; It is the people with whom I write it with.
A Sense of Purpose.
7th July 2023: Almost 1 year since I decided to rebuild myself and now given I know that I have changed (for better or worse) - starting to question if I was better off living in oblivion - just me, my code and my far-fetched dreams & ambitions. I don’t know what hurts the most, is it the fact that my dreams & ambitions were unreasonably foolish to come true or the fact that I gave up on them.
A fresh start I guess. Now, all I want is a simple and Happy life.