Verity 20 - L for Life, L for Lesson, L for Learning!

ತನ್ನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷ ಆದ ಸುಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಕೂಟರ್ ಖರೀದಿಸಿದ್ದ ಟೋನಿ. ಹೋಂಡಾ ಆಕ್ಟಿವಾ. ಡಿ ಎಲ್ ಆಗಿ ತುಂಬಾ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ನಂತರ ಅದರ ಉಪಯೋಗ ಶುರುವಾಯಿತು. ಮೊದಲನೇ ದಿನ ಈ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕ್ ಕಿರಿಕಿರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಗಪ್ಪಾ ಗಾಡಿ ಓಡ್ಸೋದು ಅನ್ನೋ ದಿಗಿಲಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಸ್ಕೂಟರ್ ಓಡಿಸಿದ್ದ ಟೋನಿ..

ಅದೆಲ್ಲ ಮೊದಲನೇ ದಿನದ ಓಲ್ಡ್ ಸ್ಟೋರಿ. ಅದಾಗಿ ಈಗ ಸಾವಿರ ದಿನಗಳು ಮರೆಯಾಗಿವೆ. ಟೋನಿ ಸ್ಕೂಟರ್ ಓಡ್ಸೋದು ಎಬೋವ್ ಆವರೇಜ್ ಸ್ಪೀಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ . ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕ್ ರೂಲ್ಸ್ ಗೆ ಬೆಲೆ ತೇರದೆ, ಬೆಲೆ ಕೊಡುವ ಹವ್ಯಾಸ ಬೆಳೆಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ ಟೋನಿ ಒಬ್ಬ ಸೇಫ್ ಡ್ರೈವರ್. ಆಗಾಗ್ಗೆ ತನ್ನಷ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ ಟೋನಿ - ಈ ಫಿಯರ್, ದಿಗಿಲು ಅನ್ನೋದು ಒಂದು ನೆಪ ಮಾತ್ರ. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಅದನ್ನು ಮೀರಿ ಮುಂದೆ ಹೋದರೆ ಅದು ನೆನಪು ಮಾತ್ರ. 

ಆಕ್ಟಿವಾಗೆ ಈಗ ೩ ವರ್ಷ. ಅದರ ಟೈಯರ್ ಗೂ ಅಷ್ಟೇ ವರ್ಷ. ಆಗಾಗ್ಗೆ, ಹಾಗೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ ಮೊಳೆಗಳು ಹಿಂದಿನ ಟೈರಿನ ಒಳಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಒಳಗಿನ ಗಾಳಿಯನ್ನು ಹೊರ ಹಾಕುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು. ಹಿಂದಿನ ಟೈರನ್ನೇ ಯಾಕೆ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು ಈ ಹಾಳಾದ ಮೊಳೆಗಳು ಎನ್ನೋದು ಟೋನಿಗೆ ಯಕ್ಷಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ. ಬಹುಷಃ ಬ್ಯಾಕ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಬ್ ಅಂತ ಇದಕ್ಕೇ ಹೇಳ್ತಾರೇನೋ?.

ಟೈರಿಗೆ ತೇಪೆ ಹಾಕ್ಸೋದು ರೂಟೀನ್ ಆದ ಮೇಲೆ, ಏಳನೇ ಬಾರಿ ಫಿಕ್ಸ್ ಮಾಡಿದಾತ ಟೋನಿಗೆ ಉಚಿತ ಸಲಹೆಯೊಂದನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದ. " ಟೈಯರ್ ಚೇಂಜ್ ಮಾಡ್ಸಿ ಸಾರ್. ಆಗ್ಲೇ ಮೂರು ವರ್ಷ ಆಗಿದೆ. ಶೋರೂಮ್ನವರು ಹಾಕಿದ ಟೈಯರ್ ಚೀಪ್ ಕ್ವಾಲಿಟಿದು, ೧೫೦೦ ರೂಗೆ ಜೆಕೆ ಟೈರ್ ಹಾಕ್ತೀನಿ".

ಓಕೆ. ನೆಕ್ಸ್ಟ್ ಟೈಮ್ ನೋಡೋಣ, ಎಂದಿದ್ದ ಟೋನಿ. 

ಹೀಗಿರುವಾಗ, ಹಾಗೆ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಸಾರಿ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆದಾಗ ಆಫೀಸ್ ಹತ್ತಿರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಶಾಪ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಫಿಕ್ಸ್ ಮಾಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ಟೋನಿ. ಅಲ್ಲಿನವನೂ ಒಂದು ಉಚಿತ ಸಲಹೆ ನೀಡಿದ. "ಫ್ರಂಟ್ ಟೈಯರ್ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿಯೇ ಇದೆ. ನೀವು ಹೂ ಅಂದ್ರೆ, ಬ್ಯಾಕ್ ಟೈರನ್ನು ಮುಂದೆ ಹಾಕಿ, ಫ್ರಂಟ್ ಟೈರನ್ನು ಹಿಂದೆ ಹಾಕೋಣ. ಹೊಸ ಟೈಯರ್ ಹಾಕ್ಸಿದರೂ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆಗೇ ಆಗುತ್ತೆ".

೧೫೦೦ ರೂಪಾಯಿ ಉಳಿಸಬಹುದಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ದೂರಾಲೋಚನೆಯಿಂದ, ಇಷ್ಟು ಸಿಂಪಲ್ ಐಡಿಯಾ ತನಗೇಕೆ ಹೊಳೆಯಲಿಲ್ಲ? ಎಂಬ ಮುಜುಗರದಿಂದ ಟೋನಿ ತನಗೆ ತಾನೇ ಅಂದುಕೊಂಡ - ಮನುಷ್ಯ ಎಷ್ಟು ಓದಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದರೇನು - ಕಾಮನ್ ಸೆನ್ಸ್, ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಇರಬೇಕು. " ಸರಿ. ಈವಾಗ ಲೇಟ್ ಆಗಿದೆ ನೆಕ್ಸ್ಟ್ ಟೈಮ್ ಮಾಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ತೀನಿ" ಎಂದು ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹೊರಟಿದ್ದ ಟೋನಿ. 

ಕುಂಬಾರನಿಗೆ ವರುಷ, ದೊಣ್ಣೆಗೆ ನಿಮಿಷ ಎನ್ನೋ ಗಾದೆಯಂತೆ, ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದಿನದ ನಂತರ, ಬ್ಯಾಕ್ ಟೈಯರ್ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆಯಿತು. ಈ ಸಾರಿ, ಗಾಳಿ ಸ್ಲೋ ಆಗಿ ಹೋಗ್ತಾ ಇತ್ತು. ಟೋನಿ ರೆಗ್ಯುಲರ್ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಶಾಪಿನತ್ತ ಹೋದ. ತಲೆ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಸಣ್ಣ ಮೊಳೆ ಬ್ಯಾಕ್ ಟೈರನ್ನು ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಬ್ ಮಾಡಿತ್ತು. ಪ್ರತೀ ಮೂರು ದಿನಕ್ಕೊಮ್ಮೆ ಏರ್ ಹಾಕಿಸಿದರೆ ಹಾಗೇ ಓಡಿಸಬಹುದಿತ್ತು. ಹಿಂದಿನ ಟೈಯರ್ ಮುಂದೆ ಹಾಕಲು ಹೇಳಿದ ಟೋನಿ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಈತ ಈ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೊಡದೇ ಇದ್ದುದರಿಂದ ತುಸು ಕೋಪನೂ ಇತ್ತು. 

"ಯಾವ ಗುಬಾಲ್ ಸಾರ್ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು? ಆಲ್ ರೆಡಿ ಡ್ಯಾಮೇಜ್ ಆಗಿರೋ ಟೈಯರ್ ಮುಂದೆ ಇದ್ದರೆ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆದಾಗ ಏನು ಮಾಡ್ತೀರಿ? ಮುಂದಿನ ಟೈಯರ್ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆದರೆ ಗಾಡಿ ಓಡ್ಸೋಕೆ ಆಗೋಲ್ಲ. ಹಿಂದಿನ ಟೈಯರ್ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆದರೂ ಗಾಡಿ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದೂರ ಓಡಿಸಬಹುದು!"

ಟೋನಿ, ಸಂದಿಗ್ದದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಲುಕಿದ. ಈ ಇಬ್ಬರಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾರು ಸರಿ? 

ಆತನಲ್ಲಿ ಟೈಯರ್ ಸ್ಟಾಕ್ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲವಾದುದರಿಂದ ಟೋನಿ ೩-೪ ದಿನಕ್ಕೊಮ್ಮೆ ಏರ್ ಹಾಕಿಸಿಕೊಂಡೇ ಗಾಡಿ ಓಡಿಸತೊಡಗಿದ. 

ಈ ನಡುವೆ, ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ಬೈಸಿಕಲ್ ಕೂಡ ಬಂತು. ಅದರ ಟೈಯರ್ ಗಾಳೀನೂ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಆಗದೆ ಕಾಲಿಯಾಗುತಿತ್ತು. ಇದೂ ಒಂದು ಯಕ್ಷಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಆಗೋ ಮೊದಲೇ ಒಂದು ಏರ್ ಪಂಪ್ ಮತ್ತು ಅದರ ಜೊತೆ ಆಫರ್ ಇದ್ದ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಕಿಟ್ ಖರೀದಿಸಿದ ಟೋನಿ. ನಿನ್ನೆ, ಮತ್ತೆ ಸ್ಕೂಟರ್ ಟೈಯರ್ ಗಾಳಿ ಹೋದಾಗ ತಾನೇ ಟ್ರೈ ಮಾಡಿ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಕಟ್ಟಿದ ಟೋನಿ. ಏರ್ ಪಂಪ್ ನಿಂದ ಗಾಳೀನೂ ಹಾಕಿದಾಗ, ಏನೋ ಗೆದ್ದ ಖುಷಿ ಟೋನಿಯಲ್ಲಿತ್ತು. 

"ಟೈರಿಗೆ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಹಾಕೋದೇನು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಸಾಧನೆಯೇ?", ಅಂತ ಕೇಳಿದೆ. 

ಟೋನಿಯ ಉತ್ತರ, ನೇರ ಹಾಗೂ ಸರಳವಾಗಿತ್ತು. "ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ವಿಷಯಗಳೇ ಜೀವನಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ಫೂರ್ತಿ. ನಾನು ಟೈರಿಗೆ ಪಂಕ್ಚರ್ ಕಟ್ಟುತ್ತೀನಿ ಅಂತ ನೀನು ಯಾವಾಗಲಾದರೂ ಅಂದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ಯಾ?". 

ನಿಜ. ತಲೆಯಾಡಿಸಿ ಹರ್ಷ ವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಪಡಿಸಿದೆ.

ಟೋನಿಯ ಕಣ್ಣಲ್ಲಿನ ಖುಷಿ, ನನಗೂ ಖುಷಿ ನೀಡಿತು. ಸ್ಪೂರ್ತಿಯ ಸೆಲೆ ಚಿಕ್ಕದಾದರೇನು? ಜೀವನ ಎಂಬ ನದಿ ಹರಿಯಲು ಅದೇ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಪ್ರೇರಣೆ.

Verity 19 - Respect your Life and respect those who have Life!

It's mother's day! A lot of wishes, snaps, selfies floating around; also critics saying every day is a mother's day! I have seen lots​ of people who are worshipping their parents and lots of people who are disrespectful to their parents and vice versa. Of course, you can not expect everyone to be good in this world. There could be many reasons for that. You can't​ judge who is good or who is bad. Circumstances might have brought them to such a situation. I believe it's a part and parcel of life to respect and disrespect others. But, being human, one should avoid that circumstances or the situations that might arise to disregard their own parents/children. A simple misinterpretation or misunderstanding might lead to a broken relations for a lifetime. Avoid or forgive if such situations (for God forbid) occurs in your life. It's not the question of who is right or who is wrong. Even at the cost of losing an argument or losing your ego or self respect, you will win other's heart and save the relationship, which also will strengthen you from within. I know, it is very easy to preach and very difficult to achieve. It's not a one day task, one should grow the tree of happiness and respectfulness from within. 

Ok. Since it is celebrated as mother's day I would like to cherish an incident which happened several years ago. Probably during the summer of 2000 or 2001.

I used to read lots of story books as a kid and most of them were moral stories. Thanks to my uncle and my parents for providing me an opportunity like that. It was a wonderful childhood to cherish. Anyways, time waits for none. I was enjoying a summer vacation during my college days at home.

Being a house wife, my mother was cleaning the kitchen floor herself. She had put a little phenyl in a cup earlier to use it while cleaning, which she forgot. That was not a mistake, but it lead to one mistake, which she thought that phenyl as her regular medicine (another syrup which doctor had suggested her to take since few days).

I was sitting outside and my mother approached me with a great fear and anxiety and said that she had consumed phenyl by mistake. I knew, ours being a remote village, we were at least 8 km away from a doctor. Father not seen around, I had to take immediate action.

With a great maturity (I would thank God for keeping me with such a genuine calmness during that kind of situation) I told my mother to mix salt, ghee with water and to drink as much as possible. That was my immediate response to my mother which she followed word by word. And then I asked her to try vomiting and repeat that till I bring back my father from the near by village (1 km away). 

I ran till I saw my father and since there were other people with him, I told him without any panic, in his ear that some police officer looking for him and asked him to go immediately. Then I went to my grandmother's home near by and only returned after 3,4 hours to see my mother returning safely from the hospital. 

The doctor had told my mother that since she had already vomited most of the poison nothing to worry. She asked me - how did I know that a mixture of ghee, salt and water can make someone vomit? I told her the story of Birbal who asked one of the worker to drink a cup of ghee before being punished by Akbar.

With that incident I realised that the stories I read came to my rescue. I would always ask kids to read more and more stories, especially Indian moral stories like Panchatantra, Mahabharata, Chandamama etc. 

There were many situations, elders mocking me for reading Chandamama, Balamitra during my college days. It never bothered me because I knew  that those people do not know that how thankful I'm for those kind of books! 

Happy mother's day!

Verity 18 - Intent to enjoy

Friends, I'm just putting my formula (thoughts) here. Try this if you are low on your confidence.

I used to play lots lots of cricket during my school and college days. As I remember it all started when I was just 8, watching my elder brother and neighbor playing cricket with a cork ball ( which felt like a rock). When I told them that I also wanted to bat they gave me a chance immediately. I wanted to play as much as possible, so I started counting the balls I faced. Initially they took me easily, but I was determined. Slowly it became tough. Finally I got out on the 31st ball. I remember, I used to tell my brother proudly whenever I got chance to highlight that! I enjoyed it. Well, soon I started to play regularly (practice). It gave me the confidence. I never under estimated any bowlers (but sometimes used to make fun of them! Example Anuroop, my classmate). Regular practice gave me that confidence and in my entire cricketing days, I never feared any bowler or feared about the failure. At times, I got out for duck, at times I scored some runs, but the intent was clear. I started to enjoy it; I started to believe that I've moulded myself as a a good batsman. Ofcourse, there were many better batsman, but, I always believed in my ability as a batsman. This all ended when I completed my post graduation and started working. Hardly used to get any chance to play cricket.

Eventually, with lack of practice, I also lost interest and that intent to play cricket. I got some chances to play cricket after 3-four years, but I terribly failed due to lack of practice and that hand and eye coordination became very difficult to manage. When I look back at my corporate career, I realized that I have been walking on a similar path. Now, as a manager, I am more matured at work and I have that confidence and belief that - come what may be the situation, I can handle. I've a clear intent - Enjoy the work. I always believe that I'm doing good and the effort I put gives me that confidence. Of course, there are better managers around, but why compare?

So, believe in yourself, practice, put sincere effort and you will succeed. At times you might fail. But, that is just that phase of life. As long as you don't give up, you are still in the race. Cheers!