can you vish?

Last day, I had the misfortune of interacting with the husband of one of my cousins at a family event. Since we’ve already established my feelings toward him, let me clarify that he is not an evil person. It’s just that our ideologies and outlooks toward life could poetically be described as Yin-Yang—completely opposite, with no common ground. That’s fine; everyone is entitled to their vision, as long as they don’t try to claim their vision as the only correct one and attempt to shove it on others who haven’t asked for advice. After exchanging pleasantries, we got down to the “real talk.” He started by asking me why I am still sticking around here (India) and not moving abroad. To set the context, he has been working in the Middle East ever since I first met him at my cousin’s wedding, around fourteen years ago. His wife and kids, who used to live with him, recently moved to Canada, possibly to settle there once he retires. Of course, moving abroad seems to be the trend (or even the no...

"Why do we work?" I’ve often wondered. "For self-fulfillment" is an argument I’ve frequently heard. But I’m not so sure about it because, with work, come commitments, responsibilities, and deadlines. You almost always work for someone. That’s well known in the case of 9-to-6 office workers, but it holds true for most other areas as well. Are you a singer? You sing for those who pay for your concert tickets or stream your songs. Do you play a sport well? You play for those who cheer from the galleries. Do you create sculptures from sand or stone? You build for those who can afford to pay. It’s alright. Resources are limited, and every activity costs us something. And money—well, money comes from those who appreciate what we have to offer. That’s how the world works. As a society, we’ve grown up hearing phrases like "Do what you love," but in reality, it’s more like "Do what will get you money." Life is about living and enjoying the things you love...