Many Lives, No Masters

Sorry people, those very few who had been reading this blog of mine. I know I am late. Two months is a long time in blogosphere.

Well, what do you expect? The last two months have been hectic, to say the least. I switched jobs in June, and since then, have found no time, but then, gained valuable experience.

I have spent time in Assam in a remote place where there are about 13 extremist groups, and while I was there, 14 people got killed in violence. Then there were floods. One of the reports says about 29 people died from that. No electricity for long stretches of time, high humidity, lots of mosquitoes and bugs, no internet access, very weak or at many times no phone network coverage at all, very small and dingy and ill maintained hotel rooms.

And then I looked around myself, the beautiful landscapes, extremely warm people, great food………life never fails to surprise you with its diversity, all in one place. I sometimes feel so privileged at working in the development sector, for I get to see life from up close. Life, which takes me to luxurious hotels, cocktail parties, meeting with high flying people……..and then, just like its another life, to paddy fields where I get knee deep into mud, meet struggling farmers barely managing two square meals a day, walk through dingy urban slums, eat at some roadside stall sweating in the heat and driving away flies……it really seems that I am leading two lives.

So, forgive me if I do not write often. Writing a blog takes a third life, and right now its difficult managing the first two. Wish there were wizards to manage your lives, just like you have them in blogs to design the templates. Without them, life is meandering. I certainly am not the master of my life, and I wonder if there is any master to to the multiple lives I lead.