WHAT IF….


... we have forgotten to slow down?

I came to Langkawi expecting to see another beautiful place. I found that the sea was beautiful. So was the Rainforest, so were the beaches.

The white beaches beckon
The Rainforest chalets

But after a while, I stopped looking at the beauty and began noticing something else.

The pace. The trees did not seem to be in a hurry to grow. The waves did not seem anxious about reaching the shore. The clouds moved without consulting a clock. Even the boats seemed to understand that there was nowhere more important to be.

And as I watched, I wondered when we had forgotten this simple rhythm. We hurry to work. Hurry to meetings. Hurry to finish. Hurry to achieve. And then, having spent years rushing towards the future, we discover that the present has quietly passed us by.

Perhaps the problem is not that we don’t have enough time. Perhaps we have forgotten how to inhabit the time we have. Standing by the sea, I found myself asking: What if slowing down is not falling behind? What if it is actually a way of moving forward—with greater awareness of where we are going?

Perhaps we don’t always need another destination. Sometimes we simply need to stop long enough to notice the journey.

….notice the journey

I closed my notebook and watched the waves return to the shore. They had been doing it for thousands of years. Unhurried. Unconcerned. And somehow, always on time.

— Rudra Bose, the Last Writer of Kolkata

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Author: Shakti Ghosal

* A PCC Credentialed Executive Coach mentor and trainer for leaders & performance. * A qualified engineer and a PGDM (Faculty Gold medalist) from IIM Bangalore. * Four decades of industry experience spanning Engineering, Maintenance, Projects, Consumer durables, Supply Chains, Aviation and Tourism. * Top level management positions to drive business development, strategy, alliances all around the globe. * A visiting faculty at the IIMs. *A passion to envision trends & disseminate Leadership incubation globally. www.empathinko.in , * www.linkedin.com/in/Shaktighosal. shakti.ghosal@gmail.com . +91 - 9051787576

6 thoughts on “WHAT IF….”

  1. This is a big reason we came back to live in Hawaii after trying four years on the US mainland again. At least on this island, at least in rural areas, people function at a sane pace. Always time to stop and talk story, as Hawaiians say.

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      1. Oh gosh, Shakti, don’t you think we realize that? We are people very much living in gratitude for the grace in our lives. But from a practical sense? Chris has always had work here. Fairly close to home, loyal customers. It was much more difficult on the mainland. And so it is. 🙏🌺🌏

        Liked by 1 person

  2. This is such a beautiful reflection 🌊🌴 The idea that the waves are “always on time” without ever rushing really stuck with me — such a gentle but powerful reminder to inhabit the present instead of always chasing what’s next.

    — Khadija 🤍

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    1. Hi Khadija,

      Delighted you liked the post.

      Indeed it all comes down to ‘being innthe moment’ whch is easier said than done when we inhabit and remain citizens of fast moving metropolises like Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore and so on.

      Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

      Shakti

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. So true, Shakti, cities built for speed make “being in the moment” feel almost like swimming against the current. Maybe that’s exactly why places like Langkawi hit so differently; they’re a reminder of a pace we’ve mostly forgotten how to access. Thank you for such a thoughtful piece to sit with today.

        Liked by 1 person

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