Back to the Future

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Its time again to post for our writers circle monthly blogging group. Seema had graciously chosen the topic for this month and I must confess it was an intriguing one. She wanted us to write a letter to our 20-year old self discussing how we eventually turned out and oh, we’re also supposed to try and add a touch of humour. So here’s my attempt.

Hey Deeps,
Don’t freak out. This is a letter that you write in 2012 addressed to your 20 year self. Yeah very much Steven Spielberg. Its the year 2001. Third year at Shah and Anchor. Electronics Engineering. Let’s start with the most important topic that grownups talk about.
1. Super serious goals in life: Funny – you didn’t have any then. Funnier – you still don’t seem to have any. But that’s good in a way. You just take each day as it comes and try to enjoy whatever you get. Just like you got into Biology in class XI because your grandfather and your father were busy fantasizing about converting the Chennai home into a clinic – knowing you, fat chance of that happening! Into engineering again, just because. You will also get into Patni – the first software company that comes to campus interviews at your college. Your friend Aparna is going to realize during your campus trainings itself that software’s not what she wants to work on for the rest of your life, but not you. It will take you about 9 years to realize that! But am glad you just went into everything that came your way gung-ho, not worrying about the consequences! You never were a career person anyway. Its nice that you always wanted to work outside the home too because that mindset does end up shaping you and your confidence. 
2. Looks: You really should have listened to your parents. Look at your teeth now. All bent out of shape. A couple might even make it into some Twilight closeups. Your sister had the sense to get braces, but you were such a stubborn brat. And oh, don’t worry too much about the pimples. They will continue to harass you for a long time. Nothing you do is going to take them away permanently. So enough already with the tomato face packs and cucumbers.  And what’s with the behenji dressing? You trying to beat that Mona from Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi? The only thing you need to look like her are those glasses. Like I said before, the teeth are already there!
3. Guys: Remember those guys you and your close pals had picked – that you guys used to tease each other with? Forget it. None of it actually works out for real and you’re not going to want them to work out eventually anyway. All you’re going to do is bide your time in silly giggling and match making! But you’re going to reminisce about those days whenever you meet your friends and laugh about these! You’re going to meet someone in the US and go the whole nine yards with him and you’re going to love it! (that’s right you do go to the US – again unplanned! Right about now, you can’t wait to get back to India though!). 
4. Education: Whatever did you enroll in engineering for? You don’t get half those subjects anyway. You barely passed Mechanics, Drawing and Math V. And guess what, looking at you study only twice a year before your semester exams your sister’s going to follow in your footsteps and then curse you for a long long long time! You should have followed your heart (Goals are when you think with your brain, which you didn’t!) and gone into maybe Law or Advanced Literature/Creative writing which you now desire to. And you’ll even consider switching to teaching at one point of time. Just so you know, teachers ARE expected to know more than the students!
5. Extra curricular activities: Are you at the entrance to the Lakme building right now? Munching on samosas with fried green chillies, discussing cricket or throw-ball strategies with Gullu? Good going. You always were an outdoorsy person. Not that you’re going to find much company for it later. You’ll enroll in a ladies racquetball league only to find out later that you’re the only one who did and it would get cancelled and you’ll crib about it! And that’s just one such incident. But good that you decided to savor the moments and try your hands at all sports possible when you had a chance. You’re going to combine two of your passions – sports and writing – soon, writing match updates for your team Bombay Boys (and you will get cursed once in a while for getting too emotional and passionate in your writing!). And you should really have learnt some more cooking. You’re pathetic! Not that it motivates you enough to seriously improve. Oh and cherish those friends you have, you’re always going to miss these days with them!
But you know what? At the end of the day you’ll look back and realize that you’ve turned out quite alright. You sober down a good deal compared to your usual hot tempered self, you become a teeny bit more mature, but way more confident about yourself, knowing that you can manage the situation whatever it may be. You enjoy your time at work and feel that even with the constant pressures and  the challenges, you had a good work life. You marry into a loving family. You feel proud that your parents are happy with the way you turned out! Your innate scatter-brained character stays as is though and that, lady, doesn’t look like its going to change anytime soon. So lay any fears to rest, it’s going to be just fine!

From the future,
You.



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