I was recently in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh for our Annual conference. For those of you who haven’t heard of Cox’s Bazar, it is in the south-west part of Bangladesh and is one of the world’s longest beaches with a 120 km long unbroken stretch of sand.

The fresh air and the pristine atmosphere inspired me to go for a morning run along the beach. I had to drag myself out of bed after a late night at the conference, but the sight and smell of the sea urged me on to don my shoes, get up, and get running. It was an exhilarating experience being amidst nature and savoring its beauty. A multitude of thoughts jostled around in my mind and I have tried to sift through them and capture them below.

1. A tiny speck: As I ran along the beach, I was struck by the sheer size of the ocean and how small and insignificant we are in the larger scheme of things. We tend to experience a similar feeling when we are in the mountains. We sometimes tend to let our ego get in the way and attach far more importance to ourselves than we ought to, and this was a great visual reminder of the need to be humble and grounded.
2. Transiency of life: I found different sets of footprints on the wet sand caused by people walking along the beach. These footprints stay for a brief while before the next wave comes along and erases them, or the next person walks over them. This is symbolic of how transient life is. We are all on this earth for a brief while, and we need to make every moment count.
3. It takes all sorts to make the world: One of the interesting things to watch is what different people do when they are at the beach. There are some who swim in a focused manner, some splash around, then there are those who are more adventurous, and there are some who gently and delicately dip their toes in the water. All not very different from the way different people deal with life – there are the go-getters, the fun-lovers, the adventurists and the sceptics. It takes all kinds to make up the world.
4. Be relentless: The waves come and crash against the sandy beach day in and day out. Sometimes they manage to reach a bit further but at times, they recede faster. But they still keep at it. Similarly in life, one needs to follow one’s dreams and passions relentlessly in order to achieve them.
5. Bond with nature: Every once in a while, it is great to leave behind our comfortable couches and our office chairs and be one with nature. The feel of the wind of my face, and the spray of water on my skin and taste of the salt in my mouth was exhilarating. These simple joys become so necessary especially in today’s age where the digital world has sadly replaced the fun of outdoor games.

Running does this to me; it’s liberating, makes me philosophical, allows me to connect with myself, and it’s also a great work-out. So what are you waiting for? Don your running shoes and get ready for a Zen experience.