THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS

“Your table tells how happy you are in life.” 

Many years ago, I heard someone telling this to me. He was trying to tell me, the clutter – our unfinished business – had a direct link with our state of mind, and state of heart as well.

After many years, yes, I do agree with what this man had said.

Every time I visit, my good friend and my physician, Dr. Lulla’s Homeopathic dispensary, I come out healed and refreshed not only physically but mentally, too. “How do you manage to keep your table so spotlessly clean with absolutely nothing – except your PC, the pad and the pen-holder?” I ask him , invariably , every time I visit him. There is so much positive energy out there… I really come out concluding, how complicated we make our life with unnecessary ‘stuff’ in our minds!

Dr. Lulla is young and ambitious. He runs two dispensaries, is attached  to many well-known hospitals, and is the youngest Trustee of one of the finest educational foundations around… He shows active interest in social causes and even the promotion of sports amongst the little children. In spite of all this hectic pace in his life, he has managed to keep his desk absolutely spotless, uncluttered.

“I have separated my private domain from the public,” Dr. Lulla tells me, “What is of public doesn’t come to my private space.”

Well, that’s really tough to manage, I know. But then, Dr. Lulla does it, brilliantly!

The same feeling I get every time I visit Advocate Puri’s tastefully decorated office. Not only his personal table but also of every advocate and the staff who works there, have managed to keep their desks incredibly spotless. Everything has a file and every file has a system… and, importantly, every piece of work has a well-defined, well-delegated system. There are a thousand law books in those magnificent shelves… But, when you need to refer a particular Provision, you don’t have to break your head searching for it. There are several clients but staff is select. What works here is the ‘system’.

How does the ‘system’ come about?

I haven’t asked this question to Adv. Puri. But, my guess is: He values his private space… He values his uncluttered life… and, therefore, he has communicated his vision so well down the line. Yes, the speed of the leader is the speed of the gang.

Unfinished business causes confusion, anxiety and stress.

Some months back, I had a bitter argument with someone close to me. Well, as we always do, we keep justifying what we do… and, keep arguing about it everyday in our mind even though the person is not there around! “I was right!” “I did the right thing!” 

If I was right,

and if I did the right thing, 

why is that I am still restless? 

Why am I consumed by those thoughts 

and why is this stress?

Last night, I just dialed this man’s number. What surprised me was: He was weighed  down by the same stress and all along wanted to talk to me and clear things out. And, last night, we did.

One more ‘desk’ cleared… One more clutter!

If I value an uncluttered life, I will know how to be humble in life.

Every morning, before I sit on this PC, I take the soft duster and gently do away the dust on  it. Someone does the same thing with his body… someone with his mind… and someone with his soul!

Stress in my life does remind me, that there is some ‘clutter’ and I must do away with it. I must finish that ‘unfinished’ business!

Oh yes! My table does tell how happy I am in my life!

GERALD D’CUNHA

THANKS:
The image used in this Post is by Ashok Ahuja. He is a professional Photographer and a very dear friend of mine. He is also one of the founder members of The Dawn Club, and, along with his gifted-artist wife, Sudha, has been helping me, and the Club, right from its inception.