Reality

Most of the times, you never realize the value of what you had unless it is taken away from you.

Most people never know what they really want. They know what they would like to want, which is often a result of comparing themselves to someone else and hoping that they could be like them by having the same things. But each person defines happiness and satisfaction and ambition and love differently. What worked for you will very rarely work for me. And if only we knew that, we'd be able to value what we have a lot more. If only we knew ourselves better, we'd be able to ask for exactly what we want and recognize it clearly when we get it. And then, we'd do everything possible to keep it ours forever.

But if that were to happen, then life would be too simple.

So, we lose things. And we lose people. Because we think that what we have is not enough- we can get more. Sure, maybe we can. But is that what we truly want? Is more always good?

And then, as if to prove a point, you get -- more. You get what you thought you wanted. Only to realize that you don't want it anymore. That's not who you are. You want what you had. But, as always, it's too late.

Or is it? Can you go back to what you had? Is it okay to hope?

Humbled!

"Dear Suparna,

Congratulations! It has been an honor working with you on this project. Thank you for all your hard work and helping me to look smarter than I really am. I admire your skill, perseverance and unending patience with this absent-minded professor. I hope you found the experience worthwhile and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Welcome to the world of scholars!

Cheers, Jim"

When your thesis advisor gives you a gift and a card with the above message at the end of your defense, it is the most humbling feeling in the whole wide world! Here is an amazing advisor and guide, with years of experience, and who is absolutely brilliant in his field and he tells me that I made him look smart! I wanted to write a long, detailed post capturing what I went through in those 40 minutes and the feeling after. But I don't think I can ever have words to describe it!