So much more to life...

Drop by drop the oceans fill...
And when I see the enormous number of drops I missed,
I always feel,
The ocean could have been much bigger,
The ocean could have been much bigger..

But then says someone that the greed doesnt end with the ocean,
And when I see the enormous wants I have,
I always feel,
More wants could have been fulfilled,
More wants could have been fulfilled..

One after one the number of friends increase..
And when I see the number of friends I missed,
I always feel,
The friendship could have been stronger,
The friendship could have been stronger..

One among all could be the someone special..
And when I see the enormous distance,
I always feel,
It could have been so much more special,
It could have been so much more special..

I think I have missed out on so many things..
But when I see all I missed out on,
I always feel,
Life could not have been better,
My life could not have been better..

Ankit

And pass away.. It did..

Come June 23... Enter IIM Bangalore, one of the most reputed universities to be founded on the Indian soil. High hopes and full of doubts and apprehensions. Little did I know how the first term was gonna be like. The first week saw the biggest hoax that was played on me (us). For confidentiality agreements, the details shall not be disclosed here. The Outbound gave me my first tryst with adventure sport, or the likes of it. That was the first time, i realised the importance of team work. I thought that laid a solid foundation for the way ahead.

June 30.. Start the classes. And here comes the first shock. Placards placed in front of all seats. And my name, right there in the first row. For the first time, I was sitting in the first row of a class. Classes seemed to be boring at the start of the sem. But that changed as the semester progressed and everyone was getting into the groove. Some courses like Quantitative methods and Managing organizations were mundane and boring. But, Financial accounting and BGS were much more interesting and fun. The courses I mean. Not the classes necessarily.

Cul com selections. That day was a comedy of errors that I will never forget. But as it went. I selected a safe option for term 1. The party at Legends of Rock was just mind blowing. The songs we sang. The whisky in hand. And everyone dancing around. It was one of the rare nights at IIMB that I will remember. L square parties were mere specks in front of it. Thank you Cul Com.

My claim to fame in the first sem came when my hand was the sole one raised in the class for studying accounting. I got a new name there. A square. As everyone in the campus are starting to call me by that name, the momentum for Pico also seems to be high. I have an attachment towards Pico but A square doesn't seem bad. Lets see. Then came a time when I was down. But that would spoil the post here. So that would be taken up later.

August 4.. Mid terms.. I performed decently well to be modest and that laid claims for me being DML. Well, everyone who scores qualifies for that, its to be seen where I land up and who bags the prize. The following two weeks were the most peaceful weeks where I slept as much as I could.

Then started the ad hoc race to the end terms. The last weekend saw me prepare five presentations in 3 days and the night out reading the Reliance report for the end terms was an experience like never before. Amidst this came the mail, "Even this shall pass away." And then the fall of Lehman Brothers, Meryl Lynch, AIG and Morgan Stanley raised doubts over the summers. But that we will take it as it comes. The end terms were mostly a smooth ride except the last one hour which I in hindsight think that I could have done better. I have no regrets about them. Awaiting the results now.

And finally, I am out of the tense and compact place back to the safe havens of home. Having delicious food and for first time in months sleeping without alarm clocks. Much more fun to come.

Signing off.
Good night and Good luck.

Ankit

Even this shall pass away

Once in Persia reigned a King
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before the eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they:
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought his gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these.
But he counted not his gain
Treasures of the mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

In the revels of his court
At the zenith of the sport,
When the palms of all his guests
Burned with clapping at his jests;
He amid his figs and wine,
Cried: "Oh loving friends of mine!
Pleasure comes but not to stay;
Even this shall pass away."

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers with a loud lament
Bore him bleeding to his tent;
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried,
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away."

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue, carved in stone,
Then, the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name
Musing meekly, "What is fame?
Fame is but a slow decay
Even this shall pass away."

Struck with palsy, sere and old,
Waiting at the gates of gold,
Said he with his dying breath;
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the King,
Fell a sunbeam on his ring,
Showing by a heavenly ray,
"Even this shall pass away."

Theodore Tilton