Life Lessons from a Reunion
College reunions can be soul-elevating, as I recently discovered. Meeting friends in-person, sharing a drink (or several), and listening to stories around a bonfire, is indeed a memorable experience. The SPJIMR class of 99 reunion was special, as many of us were meeting each other for the first time in two decades. The beauty of the occasion was enhanced by the location at Lonavla, cut off from the bustle of Mumbai. The conditions were ideal for reminiscences, banter and some deep conversations. During the celebrations and revelry at the reunion, I asked several of my friends a simple question that was on my mind ever since the reunion was planned. I asked each of them for one insight, possibly a life lesson, based on their experiences. The spontaneous answers I got may look like simple conversational advice, but as I heard them I could see that they were deeply felt experiences, and for some, life transforming. I have gathered these words of wisdom into a mind-map unde...