Growing up in familial counsel about Work and Worship.

Months before I prepared for my journey to the US for further education, He inadvertently reminded me, "Never loose sight of the focus." And whenever I questioned the essentials of a good college life and good work life, nostalgia to childhood enveloped my thought process.

“Work is worship, isn’t it? Why hate it?” She would question me when I would frown about memorizing the dates of Mohenjo-Daro written in font ten times bigger than my brother’s textbooks. I would study my simple history and my brother would study his then amazingly complex subjects like physics, chemistry and what not. His mathematics would seem like scribbles of numbers and lines drawn across in the notebook. I was astonished at what I would have to study four years from that point. “They will change it all to story books and characters when it’s my turn.” – I would assure myself.

Each year, as I marveled at his capacity to absorb and Her patience with us, I would forget that I am working on something that I had deemed impossible earlier. I would frown at so much time dedicated to him and not me, but still the size of his pile and content of his unfathomable notebooks would keep me away from worrying further. “Haw- so much he studies nah mama?” I would ask Her. She would put her hand on my forehead, play with my hair and say, “You do too. Just with a little bit of nakhra (drama) and a tiny bit of che-che (whine)” and then She would tickle me and I would laugh every time.

Years have passed by but my brother’s thirst for knowledge has never lessened and Her patience has never wavered. My parents’ constant reminders about Work and Worship have thankfully never reduced. “Ketlu kaam che office maa (too much work at the office)” and He would chuckle. “Worked till the late hours” and She would say, “That’s fine, just don’t forget to eat on time.” I describe any task at the project and my bhabhi will exclaim, “Wow!” to remind me that’s so good and the fact that I got to do it and there are always other unfortunate people who would so die to do it but can’t. “What a week, yaar – worked more than 70 hours” and my brother will laugh out loud “Maja Avi. Maja Avi. Karo Karo (That sounds like fun, but yea Work Work)” assuring me that I am walking in the right path.

"Enjoy the process and don't worry too much about its results" - something He would declare. "Its a simple karma yog, beta. Don't let it drain your ambition, just empower it"- may be that constancy of declaration puts me at ease. Not about what you wear, not about accolades, not about recognition, not about conquest or fight about who is right at work that should take up your daily mind registry, but simple constancy embedded in enjoying the process of working, working in the right direction and aiming higher. Results are then left up to God.