There is some transcendent symbolism to the number 100. Be it the lettered, the unlettered, the religious, the atheist, the agnostic, the philosopher, the scientist, the naïve, the experienced, they all see it as representing some form of completeness or fullness or perfection or understanding about life and universe. Unlike the differentiated divinity of some numbers like 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 108, 786 and 1008 which hold different significance under different religions, the number 100 has a universal appeal of wholesomeness and achievement. The development of zero, arithmetic and mathematics apart, the exclamation of 100% communicates a sense of achievement. ‘Shata ayush bhavaha’ or ‘May you live a hundred years’ convey a blessing of 100 years of good health, wellbeing, happiness and prosperity, denoting that humans could have a longevity of 100 years to experience life in all its splendour and glory, full of knowledge and wisdom, laughter and tears, fights and peace, dance and play, singing and mourning, shared experiences and selfish interests and what have you. Little wonder that anyone who crosses 100 is venerated.
In this background, if I were to randomly share 67 of my key experiences, or rather my limited understanding of life, over the last 67 years of my existence, they would be the following:
- You need to cry to be heard
- Never clutch at empty straws
- You need to turn over, crawl and stand up before you can walk and run
- Parents’ love and concern is selfless and you will miss them when they are gone
- Siblings are meant to make you share and give care
- You are most transparent when you are most innocent
- School and college are fun times with books and mates that make for memories
- Homework is best done immediately and not on the eve of exams
- Teachers don’t merely teach; they give you a foundation for life
- Acquired knowledge could be a drudge, discovered learning could be fun
- If you don’t play in life, you will never know the joy of a win or the pain of a loss
- If you are in a team, be a sport; if you are solo, be competitive
- Wounds and bruises teach you to heal
- Life is not about competition, but collaboration
- Love at first sight could be a mirage
- Play to your strengths, not to others weaknesses
- You enrich others when you take up a job
- You grow when you work for yourself
- You cannot be anyone else; neither can anyone else be you
- The more you accumulate, the more you weigh
- Clutter will overwhelm you
- There is no such thing as true loyalty, everything is expediency
- There never is a free lunch; we have to pay our way through
- What goes around comes around
- You will be a victim or a victor of your behaviour
- Nothing in life is black or white; its grey
- There is no right or wrong in life
- You are not the last word on anything
- Get your math right
- Earn your pay, live your way
- Save before you spend
- Never ignore the under privileged; be generous
- Never withdraw from your retiral funds before retiring
- There is no limit to spending as there is no limit to saving
- Secure your roof; one is enough, two is too many
- Everyone cannot be a leader; nor can everyone be a follower
- We wear different hats at different times
- Travel is not a luxury, but a necessity
- Know your country and culture first
- Don’t lose your mother tongue
- Your identity is your own
- Peak is a state of mind; you can climb higher
- Criticize only if you can do better
- Acknowledge others contributions in your life
- Emulate the worthy, not the monied
- Know the good, the bad and the ugly
- Lift someone up; don’t forget that you have been uplifted by someone
- Love and marriage may fuse or diffuse
- Someone or the other will need you; read the signal
- Experienced living is the best
- Don’t take life too seriously, you are meant to be happy
- Only you can take care of your health and ailments
- Sense the difference between lip sympathy and empathy
- Surround your self with people better than you
- It’s a mistake to assume that humans are the best specie
- You can learn as much from animals and birds
- Life will be as simple or as complex as you make it out to be
- Your needs can be fulfilled, but not your greed
- What you do not know will always be much more than what you know
- There are smarter people around; glean and learn from them
- Knowledge is information, wisdom is harnessing it
- A failure is not a deterrence, but a cause for introspection
- A success is not a validation, but a conviction
- You are relevant as long as you occupy the chair
- Once you say your bye, don’t look back
- Get used to solitude; you may exist alone and will exit alone
- Cosmos is your cocoon; believe in the Supreme
As was observed nothing is ever 100% in the exam of life, the reason why 100 is seen as an aspirational number and an opportunity to attain completeness. With an expectation of living for 100 years and experiencing or learning what I have not thus far in the past 67 years, here is the list of 33 that I would want to cover over the next 33 years of my life:
- Visit the remainder of states and heritage sites in India that were missed
- Learn at least two or three more Indian languages and one foreign language
- Go beyond writing articles; write a book, a long-cherished dream
- Get back to voracity of reading, pull back from edacious digital world
- Learn the art of staying silent
- Learn the art of doing nothing
- The fear of the unknown is imaginary, stop dreading
- Be detached, let go
- You may love, but do not expect to be loved
- Minimize, not maximize your life style
- Your relevance has a shelf life
- You may not be anyone’s last resort
- Your children have a mind of their own; advise only if asked
- Never tire of any activity, you need the flexibility of body and mind
- Don’t bother if not invited
- Learn dancing, it will keep you rocking
- Know your roots and culture in-depth
- Forgive or forgo relationships
- Stay away from toxicity of any kind
- People younger to you will go farther than you did, cheer them
- Renew connects and network without any agenda
- Iron out wrinkles and crinkles in relationships, don’t take them for granted
- Socialise with the unknown, you may end up striking new friendships
- Resist the temptation to outperform markets and indices
- Conserve capital, scrimp on returns
- No one can be fully independent or dependent; get real
- You are better off being in your home rather than an old age home
- Short breaks are far more rejuvenating than annual holidays
- Join some satsang or a book club, the group energy will be stimulating
- Give your time freely, give your money carefully
- A stable roof and liquid cash make for a great comfort
- Make a wish, make a will
- Stop trying to please everyone; be happy, don’t worry
I do not recall scoring 100% in any subject or tests on my education front, notwithstanding my myriad qualifications. But I am hoping that at least in the exam of life, I score a 100 and achieve some completeness and fulfilment before I breathe my last. After all, 100 is not just a number, but a way of life.
