On Mar 17, 2013, at 11:13 AM, Shoba Narayan <sh...@shobanarayan.com> wrote:
>>> ing happiness possible. >> >> For decades I have insisted that happiness is inside the head, between >> one's ears. >> >> Over 20 years ago when I used to live in the UK I found Indians who had >> achieved their dream of leading a wealthy life abroad lamenting that >> they wanted to go back to India. There were whiny and unhappy. >> >> I was planning on going back to India anyway, but did not want to regret >> that I did not try something that I could have done. I had decided >> against the US simply because I had medical qualifications from India >> and the UK and had no intention of requalifying in the US at an age when >> I could be teaching my "teachers" something. >> >> I decided to check out Canada. For me the "checking out" route meant >> buying a practice and what was available was a practice in the town of >> Wadena (pop 1000), Saskatchewan.I visited Bangalore briefly before going >> to Canada. In Bangalore I happened to meet the mother of a young man >> living in Saskatoon who instantly (and very kindly) arranged for me to >> use his home as base while I checked out Wadena, 60 odd miles away. She >> spoke glowingly of her son and his wife. They had double of everything. >> Two cars. Two TVs. Two whatnots. Four bathrooms. This was 1989. >> >> In February 1989 I flew out to Toronto and thence to Saskatoon. I flew >> Wardair that served their food in Wedgwood crockery, and went out of >> business in a year or so. The temperature in Saskatoon was -20 >> centigrade. My breath was freezing on my moustache. People who parked >> cars at the airport did not turn off their engines. Cheap oil. The >> couple I stayed with were very warm and hospitable. But they lamented >> that they wanted to be back in India. Look outside they said. 5 feet of >> snow. >> >> Wadena had two hotels. One was called Hotel Motel where I got a room and >> spent a night. The mayor who had heard that a doctor was visiting came >> up in the morning and had breakfast with me. He was very friendly and >> genuinely welcoming. He drove me around that little town in his pick up >> truck. I asked him what there was to do in town, and he told me that I >> could go moose hunting on his estate and indicated that there were snow >> scooters I could use. I had visions of telling my wife to pick up the >> rifle and go moose hunting because I was held up at the clinic and that >> I would join her later. >> >> Canada was not the place for me. I returned to India the next year. >> People in India were amazed that I was idiot enough to return to India >> after having "made it" in the west. I told them that I had been living >> in the north of England and had suffered a nervous breakdown. The >> previous summer I had seen a bright light in the sky that scared me >> witless leading to the breakdown. When I recovered people told me that >> the light was actually the sun. I had not seen the sun for 2 years in >> the north of England and had forgotten about it. Scary innit? >> >> Happiness is in one's head. There is a digitized 8 mm home movie of me >> as a 4 year old child carrying a toy gun. I still love shooting. There >> is something compellingly satisfying about pulling a little lever >> attached to a pipe in front of you and seeing a Coke can explode dozens >> of yards away. I have received warning letters from the Society for >> Prevention of Cruelty to Tin cans. But what do I care? Happiness is >> doing things that you feel like doing. Things that relax you and keep >> your mind empty like that recently perforated Coke can. >> >> shiv >> >> > Lovely writing, Shiv. I agree, this needs - deserves public homage.
