La vita è bella

This indeed is one of the best movies I've seen. Its a story about a father who uses his wits to save his son in a Nazi concentration camp and making the kid think the whole ordeal is a game. Its a touching take of humor, romance and fertile imagination. If you are expecting a review of this movie then I assure you you'd be disappointed reading further. If you are wondering then why the name as heading, let me tell you that’s how I feel about life right now. The Italian phrase in English means Life is beautiful. That’s what I keep telling myself nowadays. It gives me new energy... a fresh outlook towards everything I see and experience.

I felt my job was boring doing the same thing over and over again. Until I heard the cleaner boy (also my new Hindi speaking companion) tells his routine at work. He works 14 hrs a day almost 7 days a week. His job is to vacuum the floor before people come to work, refill the vending machine and make sure the washroom has enough tissue paper. He has been doing this for the last 2 years and yet I see him happily joke around with his fellow mates. The same is case with the restaurant boy who takes orders. He runs from table to table taking people's food orders and delivering them. He does this the whole day. I don’t see what excitement this job brings yet he does it with a smiling face. Life makes me realize its benevolence in form of these people.

Before I could sink myself in this thought I hear a voice from within asking "Why do you want to satisfy yourself with what you have? Why don't you want to put your potential to do something better?" I'm an insatiable person. I'm a victim of desire. I've grown up that way. To many this maybe a negative characteristic but to me this is driving force of life and the fuel to go the extra mile. I guess I'm too young to be satisfied with what I have. Theory of Karma in the thoughts of Dhirubai Ambani also reflects this. Everybody is born in a certain orbit. We may choose to live and die in the orbit we are born. But that would be a criminal waste of potential. It’s up to the self to push himself harder to next orbit. This would not only benefit us but everyone connected with us. Since the first time I read this I've started believing in these words unconditionally. As they say "A ship is safer on the shore but thats not whats its made for". Just like the ship, in life we too are made to encounter the roughness on our trail to reach the destination. Some sailors break away half way but some hold on and cash in on the right climatic condition. They pass the test of endurance.

Mind was caught between these two conflicting thoughts. When I was unable to find answers I decided to accept both. You need to strive hard to achieve more at the same time be thankful to life for what it has given me so far. I've been luckier than many people in getting a decent education. I wasn't the best of the lot in school or college. I think the purpose of education is to train the mind to think and I can safely say my education has given me that. Beauty of life is in the way we see it. Winners are those who are able to spot opportunities in adversities. It has been a wonderful journey from a kid playing on the streets to an engineer working for world famous brands. Looking at all those times gone by I realize how beautiful life has been and I believe theres much more life owes me!!