Ode to the universe

I'm having a long few weeks at work, and hit the hay fairly early tonight to give myself a break. I started reading a book for the first time in months, an autobiography called Go Kiss the World, and on the first few pages the author Subroto Bagchi talks about how in the second "bend" in life, one's forties, many people find themselves on a career precipice instead of the pinnacle they set out to reach.

Twenty minutes after putting it down, I had this awakening to the fact that the universe has been sending me messages, and until now I haven't noticed. I realized that I don't want to spend the next twenty years climbing towards some pinnacle... or precipice.

When I look at the flatmates I've had since moving to Mumbai, from Samsukri (wayfaring investor, truly open minded world explorer, passionate learner), to Tarini (writer, prolific reader, animal rights theorist), and now Shraddha (stylist turned yoga instructor), it's clear as day that I'm being called to get off this career mountain trek altogether.

When I think about how Sam has taken the time to do things like mastering yoga, meditating, and now, a 3 month kung fu immersion in China, that Tarini is writing a children's book and taking a job in Africa as a walking safari guide, that Shraddha doesn't mind getting up at 5am for work because she's so in harmony with her body, I realize that doing these things (or similar) and more has to be part of my path.

I need to work less, take a more patient view of achievement, and learn some humility about my place in the world. I've known this increasingly well for the last few months, but it just gelled in my mind.

Thank you, universe.