Living In Our Desi Bubble

Us, humans, are very self absorbed creatures. We're only interested in the world when it involves us, someone we know, or is plastered on CNN. Then after time has passed, and we've gabbed about it or "ooohed and aaahed" about it enough..its forgotten. And we're back into our Bubble (or Desi Bubble, in my case).

I've always thought there's more to this life than just living. And I have fought life in the Desi Bubble for years. I don't want to just get married, have my 2 kids, white picket fence, dog and then die one day. How did I spend my life? What did I really do while I was on this planet? And when its all said and done and when I'm a 90 year old with false teeth, Will I be content looking back on my life and knowing that my trivial little problems required so much of my energy that I couldn't spend it on anything else of importance?

A lot of Desi people tend to lead the "safe" life. This means picking the safe career (doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, engineer, dentist etc), marrying the safe life partner (good indian boy/girl, with a good family, good reputation, educated etc), and filling their life with safe life choices. They go to safe, typical vacation spots, consume their lives with making a living and buying "stuff" and are happy with keeping their lives within their Bubble.

Life in the Bubble is a good one. Here you don't have to really worry about poverty in Africa (because its not your Bubbles responsibility to deal with it), or figure out what part you play in this thing we call Humanity (since its so much easier to deal with our day to day problems and forget that we're part of something bigger)

But do you wonder why you're here?..We can't be here just to take up space and watch MTV. Or to fill our conversations with discussions of who will win Apprentice. Its important to live your life in whatever corner of the world you're in, but I do think we should all be looking to lead our lives in a more complete way. Meaning that, we need to make some contribution to society.

I'm not sure whats going to happen when I'm gone one day, but I'd like to think this life I was given, was a chance for me to do something positive while I was here. In a way, I think whatever higher power has created us, keeps creating people as chances for humanity to get our act together. But so many of us, do nothing beyond the scope of ordinary life. If you imagine what our world would be like if all of us contributed a little something..it would be pretty phenomenal.

Ever since I was a wee little girl..I've always felt that internal pull. Always wondering why I'm here and never content with planning a conventional life. So many of my friends love their Bubble and when I try and talk to them about a deeper meaning to life..they shrug their shoulders and laugh it off. Like who really cares about doing anything more. Instead they look at me confused, wondering why I don't just go with the flow. Why I think about my purpose here. Its not like I spend hours a day obsessing about it, but it is something that affects the core of me.

They would rather join the generations of Desi's who like to "Keep up with the Jone's". It's always about having a better car, kids who have an amazingly, extravagant wedding, a big house and ending up with lots and lots of things. I can't say I don't like having stuff either (I love hot cars, clothes, and shoes) but I really can't say it consumes me. I would rather find out what my purpose is here, sometime during this time period we call Life, than to just ignore it and do what everyone else is doing. It scares me to think my life could pass me by and be wasted.

I also feel we look at monumental people like Mother Theresa, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King and view them as Superhumans. Almost like they have something in them that we coudn't possibly have. I think we all have the capacity to change something in this world and make it better. Perhaps, not to the level of the people I mentioned. But we all do have potential. The only thing that holds us back is the fear to try.

Desi people usually allow someone else to solve the worlds problems. Not wanting to protest or speak up about things that bother them. Let someone else do it while we wait by the sidelines, they say. Lets just complain quietly to our familes. And maybe someone else in this world, will do something and make it go away.

I suppose thats why volunteering has always been important to me. I've always tried to make a difference to someone or something. But still, I feel its not enough. Maybe I'm too hard on myself or maybe I'm just frustrated about Bubble Life. Who knows.

Whichever way it is, I hope someday I will realize what I'm here for. And that I will be fearless enough to do something about it. That I will live my life and not let it live me.

And hopefully..you will too.