The great annual International Blogging Festival kicks off in another few days. Bloggers across the world will be writing, reading, sharing and encouraging each other all of April. It’s like one big happy party. And I’m not going. Obviously I’m feeling a little sorry for myself – a bit like when I was invited to a party and all my friends were going and I knew it was completely ‘my thing’ but mum said I couldn’t go. Except this time there’s no mum to blame. It’s just me. I wish I’d planned ahead and I wish I’d scheduled my posts and I wish I could have joined in the fun.
But I didn’t and I can’t.
Here’s a lesson for you dear H and N. ‘Not again,’ I hear you groan, ‘Not another ‘lesson’ mama,’ I see you making quotes in the air, but this is a lesson not just for you but for me too and has to be reiterated. I promise to keep it short.
If you want something really badly, plan for it, prepare for it. If you do not, you’ve no business to feel sorry for yourself.
Spontaneity is fun but for the important things in life, preparation is the key.
It’s a bit like cooking. Remember the time we started off making cookies assuming we had all the ingredients and then got stuck because we ran out of butter. Oh we did go ahead but the cookies weren’t half as good as they do turn out normally. You remember that?
And then, N, you remember, there was the drawing competition on Independence Day a few years back? Many of your friends came to me asking for help with ideas. And they went home and practised. You’re good at art. I know that and so do you. So certain were you of your win that you didn’t give the contest a second thought. You knew you would do well. And you lost. To a girl whose art wasn’t half as good as yours but who was better prepared. Remember how she’d woven quotes on freedom in her drawing? The judges made a mention of that, I well remember. I also remember how you’d cried, heartbroken.
Heartbreak is a great teacher.
You did not forget. Next year you did prepare and you won too. How you’d jumped around in your happiness! That, dear girl, is proof enough, if you wanted any.
It isn’t enough to be smart or good at something. Preparation marks the difference between success and failure.
I hope you always remember that. I hope you remember that feeling of losing something that was so well within your grasp. And I hope you never let that happen again.
As shall I.
For this time I will watch and enjoy the fun. I shall blog hop to my heart’s content and cheer all my friends. It’s going to be one crazy, exciting month.
Oh and while on lessons – here’s anther one. Age doesn’t insure you against making mistakes. The good part is that nothing stops you from learning from them either.
Linking up with Mackenzie at Reflections from Me.
And also with Tweens,Teens & Beyond
This is my first atoz and I think I did plan well but I need to prep myself better!
Loved this post of yours!
Thanks SlimExpectations. Good luck for the A to Z.
Aww! I wish you were participating this year, Tulika. But I know AtoZ is pretty demanding and challenging and we do need to plan for it well. Loved this lesson that you shared with H and N and us 🙂
I know Shilpa. This year I felt bad too because I had intended to take part but couldn't. Well there's always next year.
Such inspiring, to the point and great lines you've written Tulika!
If only I was half of this organized, life would be so much easier! (rolling my eyes)!
Cheers
BoisterousBee
Well nor am I Geetika – just as the post says. But we can always make a start anytime.
The best laid plans are always those that fall short. Onwards and upwards. Thanks for linking again. #TweensTeensBeyond
It was fun linking up. Thanks for dropping by.
Wonderful lesson there, only if could always be adamant about following the rules of the games 😛
Ha ha.. that's there of course. We ourselves are often the most unreliable factor.
Very wise words. I do like to prepare myself but things don't always go the way I planned! Thanks so much for linking up with us at #TweensTeensBeyond
Well the future is never certain. All we can do is plan and hope things fall into place.
Awww hugs, Tulika. I know the feeling. I experience it often, mostly about little things that are quite ok not to do…but yet… you know how it is. You're a good mom and I am glad you can point out successful instances to your kids. "here's a lesson for you" is one of my favorite phrases! Both to myself and the kids I interact with!
Thanks Vidya. The kids get tired of listening to my lessons :-). And they tease me as soon as I start off. Not that that stops me from delivering my lessons.
Very true but life does get in the way sometimes. I've been trying to plan some work for the last few days and it just isn't moving forward. Something is telling me to step away and return! Thanks for sharing with us at #TweensTeensBeyond
Yeah, life has a way of throwing dodge balls at us no matter how much we plan and prepare.
I love the way you can make things sound simple, relatable and easyily followable. I had once been the most unorganized person, motherhood has made me a better human being and better at organisational skills too. No I think, things are just flowing in their course without much hindrance – a little planning and a lot of implementing did the magic.
Oh I'm not too good at planning. I really need to make an effort. Only then do things work out well for me.
Totally agree, Tulika. Talent can only be the cutting edge when it is backed by preparation and planning. Without planning and preparation we can never achieve anything worthwhile.
Loved this post <3
Thanks My Era. I think we cannot take our talents and gifts for granted.
It is a very important lesson. The sooner you learn it, the better.
Absolutely. I'm still learning.
Oh how absolutely true! Preparation and planning is more than half the fun. I'm such a planner that I get palpitations if things aren't planned in advance. Okay, I may stress a bit too. But these are valuable lessons for the kids and one post I'll definitely make Gy read. Hugs.
Oh yes. I know you. This is just so your kind of thing – planning. Oh we might laugh at it but being organised is so very essential if you want to get lots done in a limited time.
gosh so true isn't it, it can be a hard lesson, but it is pretty great that we can always continue to learn. #mg
Hard it is as I found out! Thanks for dropping by mg.
Absolutely true, Tulika. We can't do half the stuff that is fun or fulfilling if we don't plan well in advance. Imagine going on a holiday without booking your tickets or accommodation in advance. Or cooking a dish without having the ingredients in place as you pointed out. No matter how good a person is, without planning one wouldn't reach anywhere.
Exactly. We often make the mistake of assuming 'we shall manage' as had I but it doesn't work :-).
I love this post. Such true and wise words. I have linked up a post about getting organised and feeling less overwhelmed and in control and it's all down to planning and preparing! #mg
Oh yes. Being organised is so important – even moreso because we're handling many tasks at the same time.
What a beautiful lesson Tulika!!!…Plan, prepare and perform is just the way it should always be….Thank you for the reminder…
Glad you think the same. This new generation need to be reminded that nothing comes without effort.