Last week, I heard my phone buzz notifying me that I had a text. It was early in the morning, and I will not respond until I completed my “beauty rest”. However, instead of sleeping in (my family was back in Colorado as I had to come back to India early to attend grad school classes), I was wide awake at 5:30 AM. The texts were from a group chat of my friend sharing his trip to Boston as he was wrapping up his day. Another friend then asked what I was doing up so early and when my family was coming back. Once I told him I’m a pseudo bachelor for another week, he just said, “I’m coming over…I’ll show you mornings in Mumbai…”
If I was back home, I probably would have argued that I’m not going out that early, and I would see him another time. But, I realized he was on to something. We both needed to get out and do something different to give us a mental break – from his daily work “grind” to my established morning routine. 15 minutes later, he picked me up and went directly to a local chi (tea) stand. It’s like the local barbershop where you can find out everything that is going on in your neighborhood. It was surprisingly busy as typically, Indians are not morning people.
Afterwards, off to the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to explore more of the campus. Since he was raised on campus (his mother is a professor), he showed me new areas including the Padmavati Devi temple and its chakra as well as views from atop a hill – it was also a good thing we were there after 6 AM since panthers have their own work schedule…
It was definitely rejuvenating to see something new and more importantly, enjoy the company of others. We all get in a rut. Sometimes you feel trapped. But I urge you to break free from life’s routines and do something random. It can be small things like meeting a friend you haven’t seen in a while for lunch to life changing by moving ½ way around the world to India. Whatever it is, do something new. You’ll either love it or know you’ll never do that again. But the point is to “do” and take control of what you can control…your mindset and actions.
So thank you, Ravi Vishnu, for teaching me a life lesson at 5:30 AM.
left, but it’s a little different. I feel and think differently and definitely appreciate the small things in life I used to take for granted – life is slower, choices are plentiful (I forgot how overwhelming going to the local grocery store can be), and there is space – lots of it!