The
weeks have been long, the time on the road extensive and the moments at home
limited. Working life is well underway, rather the consulting life of living
out of suitcases and commuting to work in planes is well underway. A hectic
schedule such as that of a consultant can be demanding in many respects, especially when it comes to dealing with the unpredictable and sensitive nature
of relationships.
I
think it is no secret that I am a people’s person. I thrive on human
interaction, the conversations, the laughs, the moments that push the envelope
of a casual friendship to that of a meaningful connection and beyond and the
instances when small actions speak louder than the biggest of words.
Just
like many of us would take the time and effort to invest our money wisely to
grow our wealth, I think it is equally necessary to apply the same due
diligence when investing in our relationships to grow our spiritual wealth. A
strong quality portfolio of friends and loved ones that one can trust and
expect a high level of genuine care from takes careful and continued inputs.
Ever
since I started working, I have had very few hours to myself and with those
that I have identified as my blue chip stocks. Some live in Atlanta which I
visit every other weekend, some live elsewhere
in the US, whom I get to visit once in a blue moon and then there are others
that live all around the world and whom I get to physically meet even lesser.
Despite the limited interactions, the small moments I have had have been very meaningful
making me cherish the love I receive and at the same time reaffirm my faith in
the time and effort I took in maintaining many relationships over the years.
From Seattle to New Delhi, from Sunday morning phone calls across the world to
what’s app group chats, from dinners with friends at home to nights with the
gang at the club, the dispersed meetings have been wonderful, making me wake up
with a smile every morning.
Humans
are funny creatures with complex brains. The more years we live, the more our
mind tries to analyze situations and check actions. Awkwardness,
miscommunication, misunderstanding and hurt easily ruin the strongest of
friendships. On top of that, we live at a time when most communication has
mostly moved to texts, emails and over the web, greatly reducing face time and
voice communication. When was the last time we picked up the phone and called
someone for no good reason to chat? Or when was the last time we told someone
on Facebook that they must have a great birthday and that together must the two
people celebrate when they were reunited and actually then followed up with
that? When was the last time we did not connect with someone on an important
occasion of theirs because of perceived awkwardness? In my view, relationships
are the hardest thing to manage but at the same time the joy of a meaningful
connection is priceless.
I
was in San Francisco this past weekend and this fact that investing in
relationships pays off really drove home. I was staying with a friend of mine
who I met through Akshay and who has become an integral part of those
identified key players in my life. I was also meeting an old roommate from
sophomore year. Together we all sat in Dolores park, an essentially SF
afternoon, with hundreds of people enjoying the sun doing all sorts of things.
It was during this day of catching up, thoughtful conversations and gentle leg
pulling that I realized that was me cashing in on something I had invested in
over time; two very different people, two very different relationships but a
very meaningful afternoon together. Taking the red eye to New York that night,
I felt a warmth within, thankful for those special people in my life. After all,
we are only a reflection of what others love about us. It is the things that
make us the beloved of others that we tailor ourselves to be. So in fact,
investing in our relationships is at the end of the day an investment in us.
Take
the time and check up on those that you cherish. It’s uncanny how small
investments can have very big impact. Ditch the awkwardness, pick up the phone,
call me maybe?! :D
