The story of every scar

I am here, sitting at Hong Kong Airport. My flight is in next 6 hrs. So I decide to blog and abreast you all about my first scar.

Every scar has it’s own story

Every scar is a reminder that we have the courage to fight

Every scar is a reminder to learn from our mistakes

We eventually learn to accept it as part of our body.

Every scar is the bookmark of immense pain

Every scar makes us believe in magic

The story of my first scar starts from this beautiful place from Vietnam called DaNang.  Me and my dear friend “Apple” landed early morning. The initial vibes reminded me of my home in Bangalore.  We checked in and went out to have some local breakfast. I saw expats all riding the bike and the Indian in me was like bring it on. Managed to get a bike on rent. The super confident biker in me was like so carefree about everything. Little did I know what was round the corner.

My friend accompanied me while I was driving the bike. We were heading towards the beach & on the Han River Bridge I took the wrong lane. We stopped by to ask some locals for direction & realized we have to take a U turn. I had to cross the road and then take a U turn. As I was doing that a bike from the opposite lane crossed and hit me.  After a few seconds I realized my left leg entire muscle had got ripped off and I could see my bone. It took me time to realize that I have met with an accident. Luckily, my friend was safe.

The locals gathered and they called the ambulance. For the first time I entered the ambulance and I was crying. If I recollect now, I was not crying because of the injury or the pain, I was crying because the confident driver in me was not ready to accept the fact that I had failed and my ego was too high to accept that the accident was due to my mistake.

I was rushed to the hospital, they got my X-ray done. No fracture, so I was taken to the operation room for stitches. I remembered crying and calling out my mom’s name. And this time I was crying because I was thinking how ugly my leg will look now after this and I won’t be able to flaunt my leg and wear shorts. I got 7 stitches. I was discharged and I must tell you Vietnam people are really kind and helpful. The management girl “Christina” came to see me in the hospital and was running around in getting things sorted for us.

We came back to our hostel & make a step was like a big deal for me. That immense pain, I felt it and I still remember how it feels. That’s the time I realized the steps which we casually take, how much grateful we should be for them. I met this girl “Anna” who works in the hostel, she was sitting by my side that night & giving me helping hand when I wanted to walk. She told me no matter how deep the shit is, how much the pain is, try smiling and everything will disappear.  She taught me some very interesting life lessons that came out of her own challenged life.

It’s important to count your blessings

Forgive people who do bad

Give love and be kind to everyone

Sing and smile whenever you face difficulties in life

We were in Vietnam for 7 days and moved to Hoi an the very next day. I could not travel around, but I used to sit in the resort area by the beach side. I met interesting people from various parts of life, connected, and we shared our stories. I had so many strangers helping me during these days.  I had some very sweet guys lifting me when taking steps were nearly impossible ;)

I dedicate this blog to Christina, Anna, all the strangers who helped me on my way and more importantly my lovely friend “Apple”. You realize what true friendship is when people like Apple honor you with their friendship for life. Words are less to describe for all the stuff she did for me …. All I can say…The reason I was able to recover so soon, reached Shenzhen and get back to normal life… is all due to her.

I owe her for every step I take and more.

Thank you Apple for everything.

It’s been 2 months now…

I met with this accident on 9^th of Feb

Got my stitches removed on 25^th Feb

And I was back to traveling on 9^th April

Coming back to the scar …. It’s part of me. I have accepted it.

It’s part of my body now… I don’t think it looks that ugly ;) 

I have not stopped wearing my short dresses or shorts.

I flaunt my scar !

When I look at it…. I know one day every wound will be ok. 
Time will heal everything. 

I have seen my torn muscles & tissues and now I see my scar

I am grateful as I can walk the way I used to before.

I value every step that I can take.

I know the immense pain, I have faced it, lived it

But I also know what it feels to see that pain go off

I want this blog post to give that courage to people who are dealing with their injuries.

I want to inspire people to help others when they are going through difficult times.

I want to let people know, it’s ok, scars are not ugly, they just make you more stronger and different. 

I want people to take care of their health and be grateful of their life, as there are few who don’t have what you tend to take for granted.

Sorry for this lengthy post,  I am off to Singapore. Come back for more stories!

Because giving up is not an option!

The secret to success is a combination of a few elements.

First, it’s your own level of expectations. You have to learn to be happy with certain things you have achieved so far. It’s almost impossible to accomplish all the things you aimed in life; so you have to learn to be happy with what you have achieved, even if it’s half of what you had in your mind at first.

“Life happens to you, when you are busy making some other plans”. You always expect certain things, and something else along the ways comes by and you have to alter your path accordingly again.

If you can learn to live along with that, if you can be practical like that, success is easy, maybe! It’s good to have a plan and you are working very hard and you are walking up against the door and you can’t go through that door, you just have to find a backdoor or find a way around it!

That’s how life is; you won’t get exactly what you had in the back of your mind. It’s important to have a good work ethic; no one gets anywhere without hard work. You have to learn to deal with setbacks, failures, get yourself together, because quitting is never an option.

Life is a roller-coaster ride, you will have ups and down, but you will remember only the ups. The fact of the matter is you have to have passion. You must really, really, really and badly want something in life and you must be 100% devoted and dedicated towards it. That way, you will accomplish anything, I mean anything!

To do so, you have to be a bit crazy. You need to be possessive about it. If you commit your entire life to your dream, 2 things will happen:- either you will achieve it or you will die trying.

Dreams, goals, ambitions are important as they drive our life. 

"I am in this phase, and I am sure many too are feeling the same. I wrote this post because it’s a reminder to myself that it’s ok – If things don’t go as per the plan. What matters the most is how you fought and how you live."

Learning’s from the Corporate World

It has been a long day yesterday…. Right from interviewing some inters joining my team to attending Bangalore Barcamp - listening to some amazing talks by my friends. Barcamps hold a special meaning in my life and to prove that statement, I started blogging after attending Pune Barcamp 2007 which happens to be my first Barcamp.

As you would know I have been blessed to work with some amazing companies like Oracle, IBM, Motorola, Teleca & Huawei. Barcamp has thought me the art of sharing & learning, thus let me share with you’ll key lessons that I have encountered & adopted during my 6 years of corporate experience:

•   Truly believe in the company & project you are part of. Until and unless you are not passionate you can never give your best
•   Instead of your manager, Plan & Strategies your own work
•   Set targets & benchmarks for yourself. Timely keep a track on our scores
•   If you feel insecure it’s time to learn & work hard in improving your skill sets
•   Do things the way no one ever can do it the way you do
•   Instead of working hard, work smartly
•   Network & build your brand
•  Take ownership
•  Help people working for & with you to grow, they will help you step ahead
•  Present yourself & your work in the best way possible to management
• Let failures never define you, but help you get one step closer to success
• Last not the least – Learn, Share, Contribute, Support & Inspire people around you.

 You will never be remembered in a company for your contributions, but for the way you treated people around.  So have a true beautiful heart and don’t ever forget to carry a smile on your face no matter what the situation is.

Yesterday across the dining table one of my friends said, “You sound very corporate”.

Well I take it as a compliment because my Dear friends I know my business very well.

Living

Think a new thought;
Accept a new responsibility;
Memorize a new song;
Try a new recipe;
Plan a new adventure;
Entertain a new idea;
Learn a new language;
Enjoy a new experience;
Make a new friend;
Read a new book;
See a new movie;
Climb a new hill;
Scale a new mountain;
Launch a new career;
Find a new purpose;
Fill a new need;
Light a new lamp;
Exercise a new strength;
Grasp a new truth;
Practice a new awareness;
Encourage a new growth;
Affirm a new beginning;
Discover a new answer;
Dream a new dream;
Build a new life;
Open a new door;
Explore a new possibility;
Capture a new vision;
Start a new chapter;
Seek a new challenge;
Express a new confidence;
Write a new plan;
Turn a new page;
Follow a new direction;
Be a new person;
Radiate a new enthusiasm.

We are What We Choose

How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make?

Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions?

Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?

Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure?

Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?

Will you bluff it out when you're wrong, or will you apologize?

Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?

Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?

When it's tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?

Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?

Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?

In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story

Well said lines by Jeff Bezos as he shares his experience & learning while building Amazon