Dear sir,
One good thing about daily ritual of coming to office is your presence there, it exudes a feeling that a true patriarch is presiding over a large family. Strong and gentle, as only a father can be. A father figure to whom one can go for gentle comfort of understanding, or a sugary pinch of crystallised wisdom- that all seasoned surfers of life keep in the invisible pockets of their robes, and sometimes for that bitter pill of harsh advice to cure the headaches of work- and life too.
Sir, when you are little self absorbed, busy with one of your own things and walking to the printer at the far end of the office floor, your tall and powerful body frame moving with firm and measured steps, and that rhythmic oscillation of your head to left and right, gives an impression of gently swaying giant banyan tree in the courtyard of a house, and we all feel like kids playing under its protective shade.
There is no doubt that you are a veteran of many battles of corporate war game and you know your way around in the battle field. In fact, I suspect, you still enjoy them and look forward to them. The way you walk to those meetings with your fists clinched and arms moving in a well drilled readiness of purpose makes it more than obvious. So does your willingness to stand up for what you believe is just, fair, and necessary to achieve an objective. This despite you having no direct responsibility of delivery; still it is like, on many occasion, that you are almost on the verge of taking charge directly. I swear having seen glimpses of that beast of a warrior almost resurrecting it self in your eyes when corporate war machine starts to languish. The General has aged but the warrior inside is not fully tamed yet, and still tends to draw its claws out when survival throws a challenge. You prove that being a fighter undoubtedly is an instinct which time can only hone, but can never age.
I cherish, with immense fondness, those discussions that we often have about life and times. And let me confess to you that I use your log book of life events, which you gladly and openly share with me, as a study in dos and don’ts in many aspect of my life. It has enriched me for my life to come. Also, your ability for critical self analysis is admirable, as, sometimes, it is brutal. To admit one’s errors in life is surest sign of courage, and willingness to take effort to rectify them is purest form of integrity; and it is these two traits that largely define you. One more thing that I may want to add to these is “addiction” to hard work. I use word “addiction” because at times it appears, to me, that it is more of a craving and it controls you (another hint to cut down your daily meeting schedule), rather than you judiciously using it as only a tool.
I am not personally very enthusiastic about my own birthday, as for me it is nothing more than a yearly reminder set to tell me that I have lived, and still do. However, birthdays of those who we care about, love, and respect can certainly serve an extremely useful purpose of an occasion to wish and pray for long, healthy and fulfilling life to them. And that I wish to you sir with all my heart. You are our window to the future life, a window that gives us glimpses of life a part of which we all are bound to live ( if we are lucky!) when we reach your age; and life that you have lived and are living makes these glimpses nothing less than bright sunshine and a pleasant breeze. I look forward to it, really.
Vijay
