Complain or Count your blessings --a poets response

A bunch of 32 people ( 16 girls and 16 guys - no gender bias here ) started their first journey together .All freshly out of college met on the first day of their first job.freshers -yes thats what they called them.It was june of 2004 .Bright youngsters , restless as river water wanted to flow in all directions , this job was like a confinement . Thats what they thought then , thats what they think now .

I was also one of the group .Now, after 3 years in IT (information Technology ) as far as I see all are well placed .some have left this company and are either pursuing higher studies or are in other top IT firms,others like me are enjoying their days here .Some closer to their home town , some at the onsite ( US , australia , UK ..etc ). one day I got a mail (group mail to all batch mates )  that was actually a poem in Hindi .It was nothing but a series of complaints , all piled up in a stack .one look at it and you will pity IT professionals .I cannot put it here as most of you cannot understand it .I felt really bad as the guy who sent it is really in a good position today .Enjoying his life in Texas and we all know too well that all he wanted to become was a software engineer. we had  a debate there that prompted me to write this poem and send it to all the group members .And that was end of all conversation .

 IT is not that bad

Oh! Same routine I complain everyday
this cubicle and computer! What a pain
its like Hi-tech prison
I am victim of my own brain

As I wear my branded dress,
and look at my mobile
oh! I am late again and
ask the driver to ignite
the company car
I feel loosing it again
that time war

then comes a signal
I saw a guy , selling newspaper
on the same signal day by day
I feel blessed
my job is not as tough as his on a rainy day

I saw some people
fresh out of college
they have high dreams
opportunities are few
I feel blessed
I have my share of dew

I think of people
who work in industries
bear heat and rain
work with water and sand
I rethink
after all working in AC is not bad

I think of officers and politicians
high offices they hold
but the kind of people
they meet
criminals , liars and frauds
suddenly the guy next to me
seems quite nice

I think of businessmen
minting all the money
big deals and travels
parties and marvels
then I think how precious
are Saturday and Sunday
I'll never trade them
for money ..Not any day

I feel blessed
as I have this job
and I realize
life is not about complaining
but counting your blessings 

Amarpreet @ 2/8/2007

dedicated to all software Engineers