Been pondering much this week about what I perceive as a good life . Am I living one or what is it that I am missing.?
What in general will consist of a good life ?
It is a cliché’ that even at your worst moment you are living somebody else’s dream. This post is not about that. It is about how a simple change in viewing angle makes you realize you are living your dreams. So here goes . Three tales that I stumbled upon , during last week.
They do not rush it, in Venice:
He gets in early yet not too early.0930 is considered early in this city of Islands. He catches breakfast on his way to market, where the fishermen have lined up their early morning catch . (Get in early and get the good stuff). From Sardines for the Sarde in Saor to the Scallop for the Tagliatte and Prawns for the AntiPasta. (That should do for the days menu) . Pre planning the menu this way takes away the stress at the Rialto fish market and allows you to enjoy the breakfast, he has realized. Afterwards till a little before noon he will stroll the labyrinth of narrow lanes. Rushing is for the tourists who having paid half their savings on a package tour , have to sprint from one old church to another.
He will eavesdrops on the fruit vendor’s critics of the aspiring Irish painter’s latest work (the young man has decided to live in an old building in Venice , painting people . Trying his best to trace the shadows drawn by the light creeping through the old stone window.) " you follow the sun too much" the vendor is saying.
Today being Tuesday . The first day of the week , after the two and half day weekend, there’s much to be done at the restaurant he runs. The place is a simple set up . Simple dishes. (Perfected through generations , when you have something good , stick with it. again for generations. ) . Unlimited wino from an unknown vineyard. ( No labels, straight from the jug). Eat as your heart yearns and pay as you can afford. If it could work anywhere in the world , it is here .
It would be some time before he could take a break for a spot of lunch. He has to clean the fish , and let the onions succumb naturally in the simmering pot, first.
Lunch would be at the usual place , pasta and wino with the usual crowd. May be an odd tourist would join in. One of those arty types . They are interesting. And it would be a slow affair for sure.
What the German lady in the funny hat said, suddenly crosses his mind
" diz , vun would conzider a gut life"
Living a dream in NY:
Mark lives in NY and consider his life to be opportune. He is living his and many other’s dream . He spends his day in the pent houses of poshest of addresses in town and the most exclusive hotel suites in the company of young damsels from some south american country. Whilst he indulge in his pleasures on the soft lamb skin sofas and the king sized beds , he can not help but to pause, to enjoy the view from the large bay windows of the city below.
Mark is unemployed . What he has done is just questioning the natural order and going for what is important. Rather than go through the earn – collect- buy- enjoy cycle, he has decided to go for the last step. He just targets the cleaning maids who gets in to the hotel suites and apartments to clean while the highflying executives and businessmen and women, are out there earning their worth. He gets close to them, close enough for them to sneak this well dressed gentleman in to the luxury suites they are cleaning for a pause in their daily grind and to hop to a different beat.
Mark our man , without a penny in his hand, spends most of his time in a luxury bachelor pad ,for which someone out there pays a fortune , just so he/ she can turn in for the night.
At least for now mark’s plan is working.
Life’s a beach.
Reaching for the stars , One dosai at a time
There is a familiar sight in an unfamiliar location, I hear .
A dossai cart in Manhattan.
Thiru came to US from Sri Lanka after winning the green card lottery . And after few other jobs, today he sells Dossai’s , yes my friends, in Washington park.
He get’s up at 05 a .m makes the batter , loads the cart on to his chevy and drives to the spot where he sells Dossai & “Watah for dollah” the whole day. Day after day he does it.
There is a sparkle in his eyes and pride in his tone when he talks about his daughter, who started freshman year at Columbia University this month.
"Hard work – It pays off," he says.
Now for the closing.
I invite you to put these in to your own knowledge , belief & moral framework and muse over …
What makes a good life?
I hear somebody saying it is achieving your dreams , but then dreams evolve and you move on from one dream to the other , yearning for the ones ahead .
Is it only a change of perception …
What say you,? Would love to know
