This Day That Year

Yesterday was a milestone. Three years ago, this day, I left the comfort of my home and parents in Pune, India to come to the US to build a career. Besides being a roller-coaster ride in professional and personal life, these years have taught me a world of things.

For one, I have learned so much about so many things I never knew or never bothered to learn. Computers, cooking, ice-skating, molecular biology, languages, love, independence, travel, history, people, tolerance, accents, …. those are just some that come to my mind. My learning curve has been steep and I have nurtured a really good sense of inquisitiveness about a variety of things. I feel a part of this has been the effect of staying and interacting with different people. I have been lucky to find some really good friends and colleagues, most of whom have taught me something just by being with me. They all come from different religions, varied backgrounds and diverse interests, hobbies and ideas. Imbibing even a little from each person has made me a better and richer human than I was three years ago.

Salad days never last forever. I have come to believe that every era of our life is special and it is irreplaceable by any other. There are the childhood years, and there is college life. And then one gets serious about career and marriage, etc. Through it all, I feel the most valuable aspects are our memories and the relationships we make during that period. We might move away from family and friends, but the moments spent together remain etched in our minds. It is vital that we savor each moment as it happens, not hoping that things could be better than they are, and strive to make each day special.

A lot of people have made my journey so far very worthwhile and exciting, and without naming each one of them, I thank them all and wish them happiness and success in their every endeavor. If you are reading this, you probably too have played a part and I owe you my gratitude.