Connecting with thoughts - My thoughts and Me

It was early in my career. I was swamped with work — something important my Director had asked me to complete. In the middle of that rush, a few candidates had arrived for their interviews. I kept them waiting. My Director walked in, looked around, and asked gently, “Why are the candidates waiting?” I explained, a little defensively, “I’m working on the task you gave me… it’ll take me another half an hour or so.” He nodded, then said something I carry with me to this day. “Never keep candidates waiting. It’s our need — we called them here. It’s our responsibility to honour their time. Never make them wait — not for the interview, not for the outcome. Internal work can wait. A bad candidate experience? That leaves a scar. They may never come back.” He wasn’t angry. Just... clear. And right. That day, something shifted in me. Since then, I’ve followed that lesson to the T. Today, when I see posts asking candidates to "be patient," "be understanding," or "trust th...

कभी किसी रोज़ उस मोड़ से गुज़रता हूँ यादों का एक झरोखा-सा खुल जाता है। और वो बीते लम्हे याद आते हैं, जो सम्भाल के रखे थे... शायद ऐसे पलों के लिए या कहो तो तन्हाइयों के आलम के लिए। मानो बीते लम्हों की महफ़िल ही सजी हो, फिर भी चेहरे पर एक मुस्कान-सी आ जाती है। थोड़ी-सी नादानियाँ हमने भी की थीं, शरारत भरी गुस्ताखियाँ — जाने-अनजाने, हमसे भी तो हुई थीं। आज जब उन्हें याद करता हूँ, तो लगता है — वो दिन भी क्या दिन थे! हम ज़िंदगी क्या ख़ूब जिए थे। मशरूफ़ पलों को यादगार बनाने में अनजाने में दोस्त भी जुड़ गए थे। जब किसी रोज़ उस मोड़ से गुज़रता हूँ, तो बीते लम्हे फिर याद आ जाते हैं। There’s a story behind this one. It happened in the mid-nineties—an era when mobile phones hadn’t yet become an extension of our palms, and streetlights were more wish than guarantee. Back then, borrowing a friend’s bike for a quick ride wasn’t odd. It was friendship 101. Every week, we’d gather at Girij ( a place in Vasai) —a quiet little place in Vasai—for our Diocesan Youth Council meet. One such evening, with time ...