It’s time to thank you all for being there for Fred in his tough times. Read about a dream that soon turned true on a micro scale. Also, a budding romance near the office cooler! Jump in…

There’s a lovely quality about gratitude: it always comes back to you with a little spilling over. I found truth in this again when I heard what Fred has planned for his friends during the Canadian Thanksgiving Day. Regular readers must be knowing that Fred is now much better after that horrible attack of mesothelioma. Fred has been recuperating well in the last few months. Through his tough days, he has been ably supported by his friends and peers who have seen a lot together. Fred wants to thank them all for their good wishes and prayers.

Oh, that reminds me, he thanks all of you, too. I have been passing all the messages you have sent me. He wanted to thank you all personally, but being still frail in body, it’s not possible for him. I have a word to put in here as well. I have been reading the mails you wrote, suggesting ways in which Fred can combat it better. I was deeply moved to know that so many of you care for my friends here. It’s been great to have you all with me and my friends through all the tough times. Thank you, all!

I had a wonderful dream a few nights back. I saw that Rachael was getting recognized for something. There were lots of people in the auditorium, applauding and congratulating her. I can’t remember what it was all about, but it surely made me feel good in the morning. As it is mornings can get really dull sometimes. There’s so much of routine in my life these days, I’m game to break open and head out for a holiday. But, as the case generally is, there are ties you can’t snap and these hold you back and saddle you with unwanted burden.

I was on my way to work thinking about all these when my cell phone started vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and noted that Liz was calling. With a faint sense of fright, I received the call. Liz sounded incredibly happy. “Guess what, Bob?” Liz boomed on the phone, “Rachael has topped the debate competition!” I knew about this competition on global meltdown. I thought it was a tough topic for eighth graders to cope with. I knew Rachael could crack it. But beyond all this, the dream I saw struck me instantly. Do you think there’s a connection here? I think Rachael is destined for big things in life.

Ryan is in the hunt again! He’s been busy lately but now with things slowly starting to tick for him at the workplace, he’s looking at other avenues! Donna signaled to me the other afternoon. I could understand that Donna had a naughty glint in her eyes, which meant she was up to something. I got up from my seat and walked over to her. Donna pointed with her eyebrows and immediately looked the other way. I followed her gaze and there was Ryan with his elbow on the cooler, chatting up the new recruit girl!

It was for everyone to see that the girl was uncomfortable because she was new to the office and Ryan was wasting precious time. On the other hand, she couldn’t tell Ryan anything because she wasn’t sure how he would take it. Ryan kept talking about his achievements, the courses he was studying, the languages he knew. We all knew the routine! What was great was that his words were having an effect, though slow. The girl looked interested, may be even impressed! Later, Ryan was heard boasting, “I can romance the darned cooler!”

It was not long back that I and Adrian stayed up late, watching movies. Then he got his relationship with Cathy and he became a full time lover! Now that Cathy is again out on her innumerable tours, Adrian is back to his first love: movies. Last night he picked up Woody Allen’s ‘Match Point’. The DVD cover described it as a modern fable. And so it was! It has a beautiful story about luck and happiness. What would you rather be, lucky or happy? Adrian thought that he would rather be lucky than happy. His reason was that if he was lucky, happiness would follow.

I replied that it was true in the inverse, too. If you were happy, wouldn’t you feel lucky? In the modern times, being happy and staying happy is no mean thing. And since happiness isn’t something you can achieve, it’s something that can easily equated with luck, which cannot be acquired. It’s actually the chicken or the egg question. And this fine balance makes us try to reach out for both all our lives. It’s like a pendulum in an eternal to and fro motion, sometimes in your grip, sometime slipping through your fingers.

Let’s have a quote from the master craftsman himself. Here’s Woody Allen on failure, inspiration, etc: “If you don’t fail now and again, it’s a sign you’re playing it safe.” Simple, but sensible.