At a gathering of school leaders at the Agastya campus, a participant remarked on the exceptional architecture of the campus buildings “I am curious,” he said, “Why are the buildings curved?” An interesting question, I thought, and explained that many buildings on campus were inspired by nature, for example, the art and innovation lab was built in the shape of a lizard, the auditorium was made in the shape of a dung beetle, and the biodiscovery center was inspired by the termite hill.
The gentleman responded with a smile indicating his satisfaction, perhaps even unexpected pleasure, with my answer. I was about to move on to the next question from the audience when I was hit by a thought. “The curves might represent the fact that life is not a straight line,” I said. The gentleman beamed, and there was general applause. I went on to say that I have learned one important thing in my experience of leading and building the Agastya Foundation - that life is oblique and rarely straight.
This is an important lesson for anyone who feels frustrated that things might not be happening as fast or as predictably as they would like in their personal or professional life: While we have goals and desires, and hope to reach them in as short a time as possible, reality intervenes in unexpected ways, presenting curves, bends and dead ends that one must constantly and tirelessly navigate. What might seem to be an unnecessary or frustrating detour, a maddening delay, problem or failure can sometimes turn out to be a blessing, one that preempts a greater obstacle, or throws up an unexpected opportunity. And so back to my key learning: learn to be fluid and flexible, embrace life’s twists, turns, and bends and, like water, find ways around them, see them as opportunities to build critical abilities like adaptability, anticipation, and patience. View twists turns, and bends as an inevitable part of your journey that, in time, will reveal unexplored, exciting, and surprisingly more fulfilling paths to achieve your goals.
