Good to know goodness yet exists! :)

There was once a time when Mumbai and its people were considered very friendly, honest and affable people. I beg to differ now. More than 8 years in the city, and I haven’t witnessed anything of the sort. (No offence to those who reside there, primarily my viewpoint!)

Now that I am residing in Pune; its not just the greenery, the wide roads that have impacted me but also the goodness prevalent in the people here. So I was traveling in an auto rickshaw from college to FC Road and halted to check some sports gear at Champions. When I returned from the trial room, the driver was waiting in anticipation for me and displayed a pen drive. He asked me whether it was mine and to my awe it sure was! Before I knew it he had left from the store. Now who gets back a lost pen drive from a rick driver in a public place!

I gauge my memory to the initial few days’ of the orientation when we had the business exercise. We were paired to earn money sans any cash borne on us, hence to travel from one location to another we required to seek lifts. Surprisingly we were given lifts very easily and from sheer strangers.

These instances re-inforce the fact that goodness still prevails; no matter how less in quantum but yes it sure does.

I’ve not come across this in any other city (that’s  a different thing, I’ve never asked for a lift before 😛 )but I guess if I was in their place I’d never bother to even stop. Sometimes I think this mindset’s come in because of the intense increase in the crime rates in India.  Is really a pity how 1 rotten apple spoils the name of the entire lot! Even if somebody genuinely wants to help, people consider him to have an ulterior motive. The give and take system has increased, why would anybody do anything for nothing?

But then, yet again: who defines goodness? Its a very relative term. Subjective. What’s good for you, may not be good enough for me and vice versa.

Moving on from this deep debate, I guess I’ll update you on the life herein as such. First up, never get excited when you have a relatively free day at a B-School. The next day’s a definite jam-packed day :p Secondly, open book assignments aren’t a cakewalk :p Thirdly, once you prepare for a test well, that’s when its going to get postponed! Fourthly, the Wi-Fi will NEVER work when you need it the most! So you get the gist 😉 The best part is, we need to learn managing these petty issues as later as managers we’ll have manifold crises and decision-making.

I happen to be reading a book called The Goal and its quite insightful on the problems a manufacturing plant faces. While its important to look at the complexities and know the macroscopic issues, its never as bad as you think. A simplistic approach generally gets more clarity. As Philip’s puts it and I’d reiterate: Sense and Simplicity 🙂