Slavery To Discipline And Those Beaten Routes

Every single morning rain or shine, even if the cold is cracking into one's bones - I hear him walk on tip toe. At the very same hour.A minute later, the whir of the brush, followed by the shower. The minute I wake up - there is a pleasant face to greet..the him I talk about here is my husband.

I always teased him, made fun of him in front of my cousins and friends - I said "He can't change his habits for anyone. He is too disciplined" and what not.
Little did I realize the effort that was involved behind that very discipline I mocked.
Doing the same thing day after day consistently without expecting anything in return is something beyond my capacity and comprehension. Every evening there is a definite routine - the coffee machine is loaded for the next morning, a cup and a spoon kept next to it, with a clean bowl for oatmeal. Little things...in perfect order.

That's my husband for you!

I prided myself on being spontaneous but I now realize the comfort in being predictable after all that life has taught me. My emotions, my spontaneity - times where I surged with every high tide, every small joy and sank to the deepest of deep oceans - then I hadn't seen the real life. I was just plain happy and saw the world through my pink glasses.

But, today when I think I'm hitting a spot of no return, a point where I'm afraid to lose my sanity - nothing helps but losing myself in a routine - mindless routine.

Storms come and go, good or bad he leads on...happy to have companionship when available, enjoying his solitude if otherwise, steady and solid...I bow down today to that disciplined routine.

In a book I had glanced at sometime ago, it talked about some common habits of great people. And, it talks clearly about self-discipline. So easy to preach and so very difficult to practice.

What is self-discipline?

It is something one does or an action one performs irrespective of what their emotions are/mental state is.

I read that the five pillars of self-discipline are: Acceptance, Willpower, Hard Work, Industry, and Persistence. If you take the first letter of each word, you get the acronym “A WHIP” — a convenient way to remember.

Then of course comes the comfort of having a routine.

Isn't it the same routine that we so despise and the same very routine that we crave at other times? In times of hardship, in times of a crisis, our mind craves the very comfort of that mindless routine. Where everything is set to cruise control and everything is predictable.

We as humans seek predictable results, set to a definitive pattern no matter what the burn through has to be endured to get there - we seek happy endings.

Do we realize that we create everything - the beginning, the middle of it and the ending too - with our emotions, our thoughts, streaks of our character - good as well as bad.

We seek trodden paths, beaten routes...it's all about the comfort rendered by familiarity.

Good or bad - that's the reality and that's who we are. And who are we to judge?

But kudos to all those who can delve and thrive while running those roads towards their goals - rain or shine. Selfless, emotionless, non-judging, no good or bad thoughts for anyone or about anyone - completely focused on the finish line....

In the end, I envy you - I wish I were you...