Sunday, July 20, 2008

My Scrap Book - Letter to my Father

LETTER TO MY FATHER

20/07/2008

Bapa, I have put in my papers .

My name was not there in the Zone of Selection for the next promotion – that is just the immediate facilitating factor – the real story is that it is just the right time to call it a quit and start following my passion for so many other things in life !!

So many times I had been telling .. I would leave the job , chill out , do this , do that etc.. But everytime u would smile and say , “ No , you can not leave job . Your karmadhipati ( i.e.the lord of the Karma house in horoscope ) resides in your lagna , i.e. self . So u would always work . ”

Well , you are right , Bapa . But work does not necessarily mean a full time fixed job with one organisation . I am simply quitting my present job – just to switch course and pursue my other interests in life . You had sketchy idea of what they are , but now I have spelt those out for myself in clear terms – so no confusions!

Of course , when u used to say that I can never leave job , there was something else too that u never expressed in words , but I always understood ! You were always very proud of me ( strange – all your five children were good students , all others took up better jobs than me professionally – but u always took a lot of pride in being known as my father – since the time I was a child !!) Perhaps, you could never reconcile to the idea that I would be without any normally-accepted identity tag ( Oh, she is a blah blah with so and so company … ) . And I know, u had unshaken belief in my competence and were damn sure , I would make it to very high in the corporate ladder . I could see those twinkles in your eyes, when u used to relate about somebody known/unknown telling something about me ( obviously good things)! But promise u , even after leaving my current job, U would be as proud of me – up there – as u were earlier .

I had to take this decision now - TIME TO SPREAD WINGS, before I grow old & tired !! Time has changed and there is a world of opportunities to do newer things, follow your passion and give back something to the society .

Let me assure u , it is not a decision taken in haste or on the spur of the moment . Yes ! I had been seriously considering this ever since I completed 25 years of service in December, 07 . All said and done , quitting a secured job, for that matter even a career transition is a difficult decision and before actually executing this, I have to necessarily plan out on certain basic requirements :

First – financial security . Well , although being a married lady, I am in any case going to have that from my husband , there is something else which is personally vital for me - financial independence ! That must continue and children should never ever get to feel that they might have to suffer financially if mama’s regular income stops coming. So , now that I am eligible for pension , I have calculated, together with interest on the lump sum I am going to get even after repaying all loans, a fairly comfortable sum will be drawn by me even without the job . Of course, some one in my place – with keen sense of enterprise can also start earning by suitable investment of a part of the terminal benefits in mutual funds or stock market or otherwise. I am not interested – as of now .

Well , sum and substance - even if I leave the job now, I will have some regular monthly income, plus I get the lump sum from terminal benefits , which will be adequate cushion for my daughters’ studies ( plus I may take away a very small bit of it for philanthropy .)

Second - a house of my own . Yes , this is also a basic requirement for me , as after leaving the job , if I have to move around with my husband only , then how do I follow my dreams ? Need a permanent place to stay . AND I HAVE IT NOW . Last month only, we have moved into our own flat at Bhubaneswar . This will be literally OWN – as with my terminal benefits , the housing loan will be liquidated .

Third - clear goals and plan of action to be pursued after quitting . Yes , I had spelt them out quite sometime back – on my blog post , to put pressure on myself . Once made public , I can not go back on my commitments to myself . So , I will start doing those things. One more addition to my plans - I will try taking up a Public Toilet Chain Project at Puri Badadanda/ Seashore & roadsides on the way to Puri. A place like Puri, where footfall is unimaginably high with lakhs of floating population , it is miserable not to have the basic amenity of public toilets !- sic ! Something must be done .

Fourth - own state of being - Yes , I am going to be 49 . A few years more – I may lose the zest to do new things , who knows !! Right now, I find myself still bubbling with vitality and enthusiasm for new courses . Let me tap it !! Life would be much more meaningful and fulfilling !

Fifth - a facilitating factor / event . I just got it – not being in ZOS . Well, being positive does not mean taking injustice lying down all the time – this is going to be my way of protest – in a positive manner . Had there been 360 degree feedback system in our organisation , the decision makers would be surprised to know what exactly people who have seen me in various challenging roles from close quarters tell about me . Any guesses ? Kiran Bedi , Ha, Ha !

Last but not the least , when after taking a critical decision , you feel good and spirited - it IS the correct decision, invariably . And same with me this time . Plus, guess what , for the last about a week , there have been so many good heavenly signs – I was first stunned when I did not find my name in the ZOS and thought how it is possible that on one hand I can feel God’s blessings , but at the same time , I am being denied justice in my professional life ! Now , after taking the decision to quit for making a new beginning to listen to my heart’s beckoning , I know exactly – that is what even the Almighty wants!!

Bapa, I am happy about it . Just need your blessings ! It will be a life without certainties – but then , as it is said ……. The pleasures are along the journey , not at the destination !!! I know u are always with me and will bless me from above from your Heavenly Abode .

Love

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

maam i am crying great lady you are!

Unknown said...

Snigha,

Great post indeed!
I can't but cry. I can't but get angry with the powers that are.
Be rest assured, Mausa's blessings are always showered for you in abundance and he is prouder than ever for you.
Sanjuapa

Anonymous said...

Thank you, that was extremely valuable and interesting...I will be back again to read more on this topic.

Anonymous said...

Awesome blog, I hadn't come across snigdhasbouquet.blogspot.com before during my searches!
Continue the wonderful work!

snigdha said...

Thanks my anonymous friend , for dropping by and encouraging. I would love to know who you are, if it does not matter to you. Would help me have greater interaction with you.

Anonymous said...

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down? Does anybody here at snigdhasbouquet.blogspot.com have a mirror or another source?


Cheers,
Thomas

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the link - but unfortunately it seems to be down? Does anybody here at snigdhasbouquet.blogspot.com have a mirror or another source?


Thanks,
Peter

Anonymous said...

I have wanted to post something like this on my website and this gave me an idea. Cheers..

Anonymous said...

Awesome posting! We are now getting started in SMO & trying to catch on to how to fully partake of social media marketing for local business.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Wondeгful web site. Plenty of useful info here.
I am sendіng іt tο several buԁdіes аns alѕo shaгing in delicious.
And naturally, thаnk you to your effort!

Нeгe іs my web page - coffee pure cleanse dr oz