Luxuries…

If spinal cord injury and the resultant complications have taught me anything, it’s that one’s life is a brief thing—an occasion—so one may as well celebrate it.

Most of us would like to become the finest version of ourselves, if our circumstances would only allow—and my circumstances do. Not having a day job affords me the ability to indulge my propensities to a greater extent; one might say that I have the luxury of being myself, only more so.

Paraphrased from an interview with Victor Allen Crawford, III.

32 Comments

  1. Sreejith Kumar said,

    September 11, 2006 at 2:44 pm

    Life is so brief, especially the pleasures in it, times of delectation, stints of joviality, everything still briefer. A blow of wind, everything quenched.

  2. Kusum Rohra said,

    September 11, 2006 at 4:25 pm

    Most of us would like to become the finest version of ourselves

    Alex, you are such an inspiration. You constantly make me feel how important it is to strive for becoming the finest version. Thanks mate.

  3. Suji said,

    September 11, 2006 at 5:25 pm

    Very well said. Yes, all of us should strive to become the finest version of ourselves. Every time I feel depressed with life and visit ur blog, I feel rejuvinated. Thanx Alexis.

    Hope you had a gr8 Onam.

  4. Alexis Leon said,

    September 11, 2006 at 6:24 pm

    Sreejith: Very true.

    Kusum: Thank you Kusum.

    Suji: Thanks Suji. Yes, I had a great Onam.

  5. Anju said,

    September 11, 2006 at 6:59 pm

    Making the best of it so that the celebration goes on unabated. Well said Alex. Let’s just make the best of it!

  6. James Bright said,

    September 11, 2006 at 9:42 pm

    Dear Alex,
    You are very true..!
    I always wanted to run a finer version of myself on me but ended up with a bad one!
    I should re install, I believe!

    Nice to see your new post. Hope you are fine and keep posting wonderful things.
    God bless you My friend.

    Love,
    James.

  7. anu said,

    September 11, 2006 at 9:54 pm

    hmmm… very true.. but we need to be reminded abt these things on and off.. isnt it..?

  8. venus said,

    September 12, 2006 at 3:08 am

    “I have the luxury of being myself, only more so.”

    only lucky ones can claim this! Alex, all the people writing a comment are probably be envying you in some corener of their mind.

    life, celebrate while you have it! most of the people do not even realize that they have a life..

  9. Alexis Leon said,

    September 12, 2006 at 9:52 am

    Anju: Yes, let’s make the best of it.

    James: Thanks James. But don’t be modest. You are running the finest version of yourself, IMHO and there is no need for a reinstallation. God bless you too and take care.

    anu: I completely agree with you.

    venus: Thanks venus. But I don’t think luck has anything to with it. It is how one lives one’s life that makes the difference. Celebrate life with what you have rather than worrying about what you have lost.

  10. emmanuel joseph said,

    September 12, 2006 at 10:37 am

    hey,
    i’m so sad that i was so late to find such a person in the blogosphere. I read your profile and find how strange is this world and it’s ways. i appreciate you willpower and feel great to know that such persons are always there to motivate others.

    i really want to meet and talk with you a lot about everything…..i’m serious…when i get home i’ll try meeting u (oct 20-24)…….plz let me know if u agree………it’s not sympathising……i really want to talk something in substance to somebody, which in my memory i had only with my father in the past………….

    btw ur website and blogs are awesome………. why don’t u hear western pieces in violin?? i think yehudi menuhin is a class apart………
    i’m really happy that i found a great man…..

  11. emmanuel joseph said,

    September 12, 2006 at 11:06 am

    hey,
    forgot to ask about onam….
    hope u had a nice time………also belated onam wishes even though it’s so late…………

  12. Alexis Leon said,

    September 12, 2006 at 11:36 am

    emmanuel: Hi Emmanuel, welcome to my blog and thank you for your kind words. Oh yes, we can meet. Just let me know when you are in town. Yes, I had a very nice Onam. Hope you too had a great time.

    I listen to violin music of all genres. Menuhin is one of favorites.  In fact, I tried to get a nice photograph of Menuhin playing violin for the post. But I also love the flamboyance of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, the elegance of Lalgudi Jayraman and T.N. Krishnan, the technical perfection and improvisations of L. Shankar and so. Suffice to say, I like violin music of all kinds as long as it is performed by a maestro.

  13. emmanuel said,

    September 12, 2006 at 11:57 am

    regarding the violin part, i feel the carnatic is tougher than the western music……i’m not an expert but when i have seen some playing maestros playing i feel it is so…..i don’t own a collection and i hear them only when it coimes in television and radio…
    one more question reagrding the same……wht is ur opinion about Vanessa Mae??? have u heard of the violin piece called called “ragas dance” from her album “choreography” which was composed, arranged and recorded by A R Rahman????

  14. Jo said,

    September 12, 2006 at 1:57 pm

    So very true.

  15. neermathalam said,

    September 13, 2006 at 10:26 am

    ur thoughts are so refreshing…
    carry on chetta….

  16. Gaurav Jain said,

    September 13, 2006 at 10:34 am

    Wow! Alexis, that’s truely inspiring and very true!

  17. Alexis Leon said,

    September 13, 2006 at 11:08 am

    Emmanuel: Vanessa Mae—I have listened only a few tracks from her album The Violin Player. So cannot comment about her. No, I have not heard Ragas Dance.

    Jo: Thanks Jo

    neermathalam: Thank you buddy.

    Gaurav: Thank you.

  18. lalitha said,

    September 13, 2006 at 8:58 pm

    Inspiring for everyone who reads it and especially if we are discontent in what we have. thank you for making me appreciate what I have, and not complain. take care Alex.you are an inspiration.

  19. Geo said,

    September 14, 2006 at 3:07 am

    Most of us would like to become the finest version of ourselves

    Kind of difficult for me, you know…
    Perfection ko improve karna mushkil hai 😉

    Sorry, cudnt resist that 😀

  20. Dewaker Basnet said,

    September 14, 2006 at 2:18 pm

    how true,
    most of us think as if we would live forever and keep the wishing thing called happiness and content for tomorrow…

  21. chacko said,

    September 14, 2006 at 2:30 pm

    Hello Alexis

    Few days back i got a mail from one of my freind …and it talks about Three Things

    Three things in life once gone never come back……..
    1.words 2. opportunity.3.time.
    Three things in life are never sure …
    1.dreams 2.sucess 3.fortune.
    Three things in life that make you a great person..
    1.hardwork 2.sincerity 3. sucess..
    Three things in life are most valuable..
    1.love 2. self respect 3. friends ,
    Three things in life must not be lost….
    1.peace 2. hope 3. honesty,
    Three things in life that destroy a person…
    1. greed 2. pride 3. anger

    very true ..am i right ?

  22. Alexis Leon said,

    September 14, 2006 at 10:32 pm

    lalitha: Thank you Lalitha.

    Geo: 🙂 I completely agree with you. Bahuth mushkil hai 😉

    Dewaker: I completely agree with you.

    chacko: Very true. Thanks for sharing it.

  23. Abhi said,

    September 20, 2006 at 10:33 pm

    Alexis –
    Its something thats haunting my mind often, nowadays. About unaware we are about the scope of relishing each day that passes by, when we remain in a sane state of mind and body. It remains just another day, till we realise what uneasiness to mind and body is. Then its trauma.
    You made me think more.
    And I am not able to comment on your previous post. I will take your tag – I visited the site a bit late as Net was not available for some days. Sorry abt that. And that tag was done wonderfully. Depicts how charming you are, in every sentence.

  24. Maya cassis said,

    September 22, 2006 at 2:10 am

    that’s profound wisdom and thanks for sharing it.I need to hear things like that more often

  25. emmanuel said,

    September 22, 2006 at 10:55 am

    now only i remembered that i didn’t comment about ur posts. i’ve read some of them and liked very much. btw, this post is really good.

    life can be defined in every simple way and evry complex way. but when we define it so simple, we can realise that it is actually complex and when we define complex, we will realise that it is so simple………

    anyway nice post, the picture is awesome…….
    waiting for ur next post……

    take care……

  26. Ganja Turtle said,

    September 22, 2006 at 11:23 pm

    Tag closed, alex.

  27. poison said,

    September 24, 2006 at 8:34 am

    we can only strive for perfection. on second thoughts, everything is perfect already!

  28. Kusum Rohra said,

    September 24, 2006 at 4:38 pm

    And you my friend have been tagged

  29. Sunil Parmar said,

    September 25, 2006 at 10:48 am

    No one’s life has straight roads only, we r bound to meet those unexpected turns.
    What a inspirational post/blog. And your ability to convey the entire thing is superb.
    Liked your blog.

  30. Pradip Somasundaran said,

    September 25, 2006 at 1:24 pm

    Alexis, yes, Sri Sri Ravishanker says that live is a celebration. Find the finer points of life and enjoy the good moments by living in the present moment. This is the only way one can remain happy throughout. The body is just an aberration encapsulation the mighy and beautiful soul!
    My MACTA meeting on 27th was indefinitely postponed. But I will be coming to EKM on 6th Oct. I have a program for BEAM (Bank guys) at Fine Arts Hall. I will call you on 5th and will definitely meet you on 6th!

  31. Alex said,

    September 26, 2006 at 8:42 am

    Alexis,
    You said it. We have no control of our circumstances but we are can vary ourselves, so like you say, do our best in every occassion.

    PS I am off the walker, after 5 months.

  32. Alexis Leon said,

    September 26, 2006 at 10:05 am

    Abhi: Very true. I completely agree with your views. Regarding not being able to comment on the previous posts, usually I allow comments to the last 3 posts—to prevent comment spam. But had to close the comments for that tag post as it was attracting a lot of Viagra, Hydrocodone, Valium sellers and advertisements of many pornographic sites. And thank you for your comments.

    Maya: Thanks Maya.

    Emmanuel: Thank you Emmanuel.

    Ganja Turtle: Thanks GT. Wonderfully done.

    poison: Yes, we can only strive for perfection. But you should know when to stop and move on. Sorry buddy, I have to disagree, everything is not perfect already 😉

    Kusum: Thank you for the favor.

    Sunil Parmar: Welcome to my blog. What you have said is very true. Thank you for your comments.

    Pradip: You are welcome Pradip. See you soon.

    Alex: Thanks Alex. That is great news. Hope things are back to normal. Take care my dear friend.