I joined in ADP – a multinational software company on May 19th 2008 fresh out of college with high ambitions, less confidence and tensed state of mind. Today – January 17th 2020 is my last day in ADP. ADP is my first and last software company(atleast this is what I know for today). In these 11.5 years,I learnt so much in ADP and evolved into a confident professional.

As I completed my exit formalities and stood in the same place where I first entered ADP on May 19th 2008, my entire journey in ADP flashed in front of me. My induction days where I was mesmerized about corporate culture, friends I made, trainings I attended, my first project, my lunch batch, team outings, team lunches, Tank Bund Buddha view from the cafeteria, meditation workshop I attended where I met my mentors Ruchi Sanjil, great leaders whom I admired, many books I read in library, my current project, my first appraisal discussion and many more appraisal discussions, my leads and managers, CSR activities where I taught History in a blind school and painted walls in a government school, Toast masters,Onsite counter parts, Company Annual day where I actively took part and acted in some roles, family day, deep serious discussions in cafeteria with my best friend Swapna, birthday celebrations, farewells of colleagues, my depression days where I thought of suicide, my onsite visit where I fell in love with New York(I felt its my kind of city), lotuses at the entrance of my office, moments of laughter and lot more – all these memories flooded my mind like they just happened yesterday.

The way ADP made me a financially strong person flashed in front of my eyes.The generous bonuses, stocks,salary hikes, gifts – When I thought of these, I felt ADP like a being of love who nourished me and my family for 11.5 years and spontaneously, from the bottom of my heart, a prayer went for ADP strongly wishing for its success in all the coming years. Many emails from my colleagues flooded my email box after I posted my good bye email. They had words of appreciation for my work. I was humbled and touched by these kind words .

As I was reflecting on all these experiences,I was neither sad nor happy about leaving ADP. I was only grateful to ADP and all my colleagues. Gratitude filled my heart for ADP and nothing else. All my desires about IT career were fulfilled and I had nothing to ask or wish for. Though I left ADP when I am at the best phase of my career and when every day at work place filled me with excitement and enthusiasm of a child, I had no attachment to my role or IT industry or ADP or any colleagues.I had no grudges to hold. I had no regrets. I came out of ADP with satisfaction and gratitude and looked forward to my next job which is my passion.I believe my regular meditation helped me experience this state of mind.

As I was travelling back home wondering about all these things, I had a flash of insight about death. In that flash, I realized this is how death should happen for a person.When the time comes to leave the physical body, the person should be able to go beyond the emotions of sadness and happiness. The person should be able to travel further without attachments for family or money or fame or any other stuff. The person should be able to look back at the entire journey and be filled with gratitude and satisfaction for the journey and people who were part of the journey with no regrets , worries, grudges and guilt feelings.

For this to happen, the person should have experienced life completely with no desires/wishes/grudges left. Meditation, forgiveness, gratitude can be some tools which might help a person reach this state of completeness in life. In Hinduism, there is a sloka which goes like below

Anaayesaena maranam ,Vinaa dhainyaena jeevanam
Daehi mae Kripayaa shambho ,Thvaya bhakthim achanchalam

Meaning of this sloka is – Lord Siva, grant me three wishes – peaceful death,life without any trouble for basic needs,total devotion to God

My realization about death taught me the meaning of peaceful death. This realization was an epiphany moment for me and fueled my desire to live life more intensely and passionately. My desire to meditate more, love more, serve more, explore more,be more kind, laugh more, be more silly,experience more increased exponentially. Today, all the teachings of Osho about death which I read many years ago made sense to me.

If you have not lived rightly, you will not be able to die rightly.  Death is the final offering.  It is the highest; it is the crowning or the peak.  Death is the essence and the flowering of life.  How can your death be right if you have spent your life wrongly?  How can your death be full of meaning if your life has been a waste?  How can a tree whose roots are rotten bear sweet fruit?  It is impossible. – Osho

Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavanthu!