Kevin Pietersen, Ikigai and a house full of plants
Ikigai has been a book that had been staring at me from my audible Home Screen and gently teased my reading interests at the airport book stores. But, the shift from purchase intention to conversion did not materialise.
Then, when a friend said that he is influenced by Ikigai principles, it nudged me further.
When Kevin Pietersen, the famous England/ South African/ RCB batsman tweeted, “ Please can all of you read the book called Ikigai, at some stage in 2023- my first tweet”. I thought it was time I entered this world.
Earlier I used to relish the physical copies, then kindle happened, but of late, I have moved a significant amount of reading to listening.
Pronto, I purchased Ikigai.
For me, it was the fastest purchase to finish book. Within a day of the book being bought, I had devoured it.
The book talks about the secrets of living a long, meaningful and healthy life. A secret hack I found was that the healthiest human being is not necessarily the one who does one hour of gym everyday but one who is constantly in motion - gentle movements, longer life.
Ikigai, at its core explains how you can live a longer and happier life by having a purpose, eating healthy, and not retiring.
The last word might seem trivial but has profundity. You retire the day you are not busy. Hidden in the layers of Ikigai is a concept of the happiness of always being busy.
Impact the book had on me for sure. On the first Sunday after reading the book, as I was about to hit the couch, watch TV and feel lazy, the book reminded me of itself.
Our constant moves from city to city have meant that we never grew plants at home. Attempts were made, garden bags bought, enriched soil bought, but the combination was not showered with attention. The result - some dried mud cakes entreating nurturing.
With being busy as a motto, I dug up the soil and filled two bags with seeds available at home. Watered the pots.
Every morning after that, I would get up and check to see any green shoots. A week went by and nothing to see- I felt miserable. Suddenly, one day I saw one green shoot. And, I felt delighted. Then the shoots became saplings and saplings small plants.
Today, those two pots have become four. And, I hope to keep them growing.
A few years from now, if you see me tending to plants with love and attention in my house, blame it on my friend, Kevin Pietersen and Ikigai.
