Today, the weather here is lovely. Just before I started writing this, a light “tip-tip” baarish (rain) began, accompanied by a gentle breeze. In the background, I have music playing—mainly old Hindi songs—and in the foreground, I can watch the rain gradually falling on the trees and the wind making the leaves dance. That same wind is hitting my body through the mesh door of my balcony. Can I really ask for more?
This brings me to the topic of this post: “romanticizing” things. We all do it in different ways, which, I feel, makes it even more interesting. Even when it’s the same thing, we all have our own unique way of looking at it. I find this really fascinating, and I love the interaction between Richard Feynman and his artist friend, brought to life by Gavin Aung Than in this cartoon quote, which captures this thought perfectly.
You may ask, “What’s the point of romanticizing things?” I think it helps us find beauty in the small things that make up our lives. It helps us pause and really soak in the moment. It also makes us fall in love with these things, whether it’s engineering, sports, music, or books. Once that happens, you automatically want to learn more about the thing you love, which leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation for it. You might even start talking about it with the passion that Brad Pitt shows in this “Moneyball” scene.
A few of my favorites are:
- Cricket: A “peach” of a delivery, Sachin’s straight drive.
- Football: A well-constructed team goal, an amazing assist, Dennis Bergkamp’s perfect first touch.
- F1: Senna’s lap at Monaco.
- Music: Old Hindi songs.
- Reading: Being transported to another world.
- Nerdy things: Beautiful code, elegant engineering, mathematics that blows your mind, reading books like “Dealers of Lightning.”
There are so many more; the list goes on and on.
I hope we all continue to find such beauty in our lives—in the things that put a smile on our faces.