Raison d'être



It was a quiet Friday morning, I was enjoying my morning tea watching Pearlie our betta fish nibbling away. This has become more of a weekend routine now, when the rest of the family is in deep slumber. On one such Friday rendez-vous I started whistling and talking to her; she comes to my side of the tank but I am still figuring out if she enjoys it or is chiding me for killing her peace. I gratefully acknowledge she is the only one in the family that responds immediately when I call her to feed. Looking at her, I wonder how she feels being all alone in a small tank with no company and little food that nevertheless seems to keep her super active all day. I am left wondering what keeps her going, is it the hope of the next ounce of meal or something bigger.

I am reminded of a word my French teacher had taught me at school 'Raison d'être' which can be literally translated as 'Reason for one's being'. Each of us should discover the reason for our existence, which will keep us going all day she said. 

On deep introspection I realize we can have not just one reason, but many reasons, big and small that can keep us going. But the essence is in discovering 'that reason or reasons' that can keep us happily going. I have seen colleagues at work and friends on social media who are busy following the herd pursuing the path to success, but not quite sure where they are headed. I have been there too and realize it's not an easy choice to walk away and make real choices that truly matter to us.

We came into this world all alone and would leave alone too, so it makes perfect sense for us to be a little selfish and start thinking of what is our purpose here in this world, first for ourselves and then for the others. As we widen the circle of our near and dear we will discover newer and larger reasons for our being. We have but one life to live, and let's live it with full understanding of the reason of our existence, break free of the invisible chains binding us and unleash our full potential. We may have to go places, do things, see people from a different eye to truly appreciate what we have and what we are capable of doing. When we find the answer to this profound question of the reason for our being, we'll be pleased to see the byproduct called bliss. 

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