Choosing hope...

A project that I am currently leading in my office is about to shut down in two weeks' time because of funding issues at the client's end. A teammate, during a conversation two days back, asked me if I had started approaching other teams in my office regarding available openings. I told him that I was still hopeful of finding a sponsor for our project from the client's side. He let out a chuckle. "Don't you think you are being too optimistic? Haven't you faced bad times? Are you a guy who believes in happy endings?" 
I understood where his questions came from. 

There exists a perception that being hopeful arises out of an inexperience of life's hardships, or out of naiveté. But why cannot hope be a choice?
Life does seem unfair more often than not but isn't it better to believe than to just buckle in?
Isn't it better to strive for a surprise or a shock than simply surrender?

I am not trying to romanticize suffering by the above lines. Suffering does cause a strain. 
But by succumbing and settling in a safe shelter, aren't we losing out on living a full life? With such an outlook, when would our hearts get to reach a high?

I tried explaining these thoughts to my teammate. His face turned curious. "But, doesn't losing hurt?" I nodded and added a learning. "Not putting in the effort hurts more." It is better to hope and get hurt than hold regrets. He was not convinced. I asked him to hope for hope. He laughed. 

****

When I began publishing posts here four years ago, I would start typing down a piece only when I had my thoughts structured in their entirety, from the start to the end. The content mattered more than the form. But as I persisted with the translation process of thoughts to text, I started falling in love with the writing process more than the idea. 
The endings of the posts started mattering less. I liked letting words conjure up sentences and come to their own conclusion when they could continue no more. 
I started writing simply for the sake of writing and not for publishing. 

I believe being hopeful is a similar process.
One starts putting in the efforts and starts staying positive not primarily for the outcome but for the simple pleasures of living.
A post might turn out good or bad. An event might turn out good or bad.
But one is always the better for having written/hoped.

To my other friends...

The friend who listens to all my stories:

My coffee mug is white colored and narrow-necked, with a curved handle resembling the outline of a human ear. Many a day, I have wondered if this resemblance is the reason for my mug being such a good listener. Be it a happy story or a sad story, my mug always listens patiently and advises, "Have a sip." And with every sip, I am made to realize that life is also like coffee - bittersweet. When the memories are sad, I embrace the entire mug longingly and when the memories are happy, I hold on to the handle with gratitude. Be it the early morning hours or the twilight hours, my coffee mug will always sit across me and lend an ear, letting out steam for all the pressures in my life. 

The friend who will never let go:

My sweatshirt is black colored and two years old with a hood. Unlike other sweatshirts, mine is open to nature and is closed to people. It lowers the hood when it rains but it protects me in a room full of strangers. It takes a nap during sunshine and it loosens up in the midst of friends. My sweatshirt holds this unchangeable opinion that my heart is visible to others and so, it zips up when I am sad. I try telling my sweatshirt that it is okay to let go at times but it remains a steadfast friend who would not let go. Be it a celebratory t-shirt or an uninterested formal shirt or a caring casual shirt, my sweatshirt always ensures that warm hugs are available for every dress and emotion I experience. 

The philosophical friend:

My mobile camera is 24 MP sharp and it allows me to capture photos on 'portrait' mode. But it lays down strict rules such as to use 'portrait' mode only for capturing natural entities and man-made objects. "Respect the spirit residing in non-human elements," it guides me, as it lets me adjust the composition before capturing the photo. It also quotes two other lines constantly. "Celebrate the ordinary"."Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder". When I stumble upon a beautiful landscape or an extraordinary moment, it shuts off forcing me to enjoy the experience, and when I sigh at the mundaneness of something, it opens up throwing light on the beauty I failed to notice. My mobile camera is a friend that has helped me change my perspective about life. 

The friends in need:

My earphones are designed by 'Sennheiser' and my headphones are designed by 'JBL'. They always manage to know when to remain silent and when to play music. At times, when I consciously keep replaying a sad thought, they throw a Rahman song or a Hans Zimmer soundtrack at me. They refuse to leave my ears when I want to cry and they refuse to stay on my ears when birds are singing. They know what to sing when I am travelling; they know what to sing when I am stuck at work. They help me filter out all the abuses and anger, and they help me listen to only love and laughter. They never let me feel lonely and whenever words fail me, they jump into my ears and help my thoughts attain a rhythm.  

The entertaining gang:

The books I read come from different backgrounds and in all possible shapes and sizes. Every book is filled with countless stories and is incredibly interesting that the books, individually, gift me a good time and as a gang, they lead me into new worlds of joy and intellectual bliss. They are so loving that they share numerous stories with me and never expect a story in return, completely understanding my introverted nature. They are so content that they do not even mind if they never get a chance to leave my home. The journey between my bookshelf and my bedroom is satisfying enough for them. These books are truly my friends with whom I can stop a conversation midway and start it from the exact, same point even after the passage of months or years.

****

As I reach a 'Friendship day' in life where I have run out of ways to express my gratitude to wonderful human friends, I have tried describing my other friends to whom my gratitude has been long overdue. 

I have been understood by these friends as much as I have been understood by some amazing humans. 

With limitless love, I wish my other friends a very happy friendship day.