I begin this post with a seemingly simple question; what is life? Many of you might see life as a period of time in which we are given a physical incarnation within which we can fulfill our desires, craft a purpose; essentially live a life, which eventually resolves into death, the end of everything. On the other hand, those of you who perhaps view life from a religious perspective may see our presence on this planet as a fragment of life. Earth may be your chance to prove yourself to the Gods that you place your faith in, and upon the completion of this task, you may find yourself in eternal bliss, hell or perhaps another incarnation, the nature of which is determined through the type of karma you have accumulated. Excuse me for this detour, but the point I am trying to convey is quite simple; we all have this preconceived framework in our minds as to how life works, and every action we make is in line with this framework. My purpose with this post is to take a break from this framework; to go back to the beginning. I see childhood as an innocent phase of life, the period of time where we were void of the intricacies, the bureaucracy and the political landscape of adulthood. I wish to use this post to pay homage to my origins; and maybe, just maybe spark such a feeling with you.
I was born in 1999 in the blue city of India; Jodhpur. This is a city which is famed for its tales of Maharajahs, extreme opulence and magnificent landscapes. Set in the stark Thar desert, Jodhpur is a city which has managed to somehow retain its ancient majesty. The introduction of modern technologies has been gradual, and this has allowed Jodhpur to be an oasis in the fast-paced life of the modern world. The people of this small metropolis are able to enjoy the smaller things in life, marvel at what their ancestors have left them, change is something organic, and the "revolutionary" improvements we hear so often are no where to be found. In a way, Jodhpur personifies a child; one who is intrigued and fascinated by the occurrences of this world, yet one which is open to development as a natural and conservative process. I got the pleasure of calling this city my home for a grand total of 6 months, after which I was moved to another city of opulence and wealth; Dubai.
Picture taken by A Vahanvaty - Flicklr
My time spent in Dubai was at the cusp of its boom. Skyscrapers did not yet clutter the landscape, and the colossal desert was visible from everywhere. Me being 6 months old made it very difficult for me to do some independent exploring, however, somewhere in me I still reminisce about the former beauty of this Arabian wonderland. Whereas Jodhpur chose a path of steadiness, Dubai picked an approach of aggressive growth, which although has provided them with spectacular results, has stripped them of a sense of culture.
Picture taken from http://whatson.ae/dubai/2017/08/dry-night-in-dubai-next-week/
Soon hereafter, I was once again moved, and ended up in The People's Republic of China, a place I would go onto call my home for 17 years. Once again I arrived in a city on the cusp of a boom; Shenzhen. This city, which only 30 years ago was a small fishing village, is now a booming metropolis unlike any other in China. It is one of the richest cities in China and is one which truly personifies the growth and development which can come from embracing change. I spent here the most enlightening years of my life thus far, where I developed and fostered the beliefs which define me now and will continue to wherever life takes me. Having lived in a "communist" country, yet having been able to perceive the external world has allowed me and my peers to look at the world differently, in a way which at least I think has allowed me to understand the intricacies of the world, and how it operates. My annual visits back to the motherland showed me the stark contrast between an aggressive approach and a modest one, one which has shaped my political ambitions. I initially saw India a a country which has unrealized potential; a country which could compete with China on a developmental basis, aggressive, fast-paced growth is what I saw as the future, however, my time spent in Vancouver has shown me that culture is perhaps the greatest strength a country can possess. Although cultural diversity has its flaws, it is the key to causing mutual discourse from which we as a race can come to meaningful solutions and strides which remain in sync with the teachings of our ancestors.
The point I have tried to make in this post is quite simply, our origins are something we need to desperately hold onto. Although this may sound like it deters the purpose of progress, it is quite the contrary, after all, you won't know where to go if you don't know where you came from.