It is 9pm and you are out on a weeknight to enjoy a family dinner. Now if this were Mumbai, you would find yourself in the thick of traffic, your stomach rumbling louder than the thundering clouds. But this is Singapore. And 9 feels more like 10.30p.m. The roads are empty and most places shut down by the time we leave the restaurant. As I miss the vibrance of Mumbai and Dubai, I am reminded of places like Australia and London. Places that close by 5 or 5.30pm, not allowing any new patrons to enter after 3.30pm. That’s when you feel a new found respect for Singapore!

Point is, no matter where we live and what we do, we are bound to feel bored by routine. That’s when we begin to compare our lives to that of others. When we look at those who seem better off than ourselves, the most natural feeling is certainly one of lack. We start thinking of alternatives to make us happier. But when we compare our lives to those who are less privileged, a sense of gratitude naturally dawns. Time and again, I have seen my mood change from rotten tomatoes to smiling as bright as a sunflower, thanks to an obvious comparison.

Over the years, I have realised living life one day at a time is the best way to be. Some days are going to be good, others better. Similarly, some days are going to be bad, others, so bad that you might wonder how to get past them. But life goes on. We keep taking credit for all our success and blame fate for our failures. But if we simply observe, life continues to go on with some ups and some downs, no matter what you do. When you are used to working hard, everything good seems to be a result of that hard work. When you are lazy, everything good seems to be the result of good fortune. And when you are dissatisfied, you end up comparing yourself with others, no matter how good or bad the situation.

Coming a full circle, life is best enjoyed in the present moment, cherishing the good, the bad and the ugly. For the good is a reward to keep us going. But the bad is an eye opener not to befriend complacence. And the ugly is nothing more than a trigger for transformation.

P.S. When we stop crying over problems and fears, face them instead with the question – what lesson does this experience carry, life turns into a game. The necessay skills are observation and awareness.