bhaskar saikia

In my last Sunday’s post, I talked about taking your work seriously but not taking yourself too seriously. That thought has stayed with me, and it led me to reflect on what really makes life meaningful. Years ago, I wrote a small poem titled “Life Is Beautiful”. It celebrates the simple moments—watching the morning sun break across the horizon, dancing barefoot in the rain, walking through fog that turns the world into something magical, and feeling the calm of night after twilight fades. These moments don’t ask us to maintain an image or pretend to be someone important. They simply invite us to be present, to feel, to breathe, and to be alive.

The Trap of Image

When we take ourselves too seriously, we become prisoners of our own image. We spend so much energy protecting how people see us—our title, our reputation, our carefully curated “serious” persona—that we often miss the moments that make life beautiful. Have you ever hesitated to dance in the rain because you worried what others might think? Or stopped yourself from being silly, spontaneous, or childlike because it didn’t fit your “serious” self-image? That’s what taking yourself too seriously costs: the freedom to simply enjoy being human.

The Power of Small Moments

My poem was a reminder to myself. Sunrise teaches hope and fresh beginnings. Rain tells us it’s okay to let go and have fun. Fog shows that mystery can be beautiful, even when the road isn’t clear. Night whispers calm and rest. And together, they remind me: life is short, fragile, and unpredictable—but incredibly beautiful if we let it be.

The Big Picture

The truth is, none of us really have it all figured out. We spend so much of life chasing milestones, building careers, or trying to perfect how others perceive us. Yet, in hindsight, what we remember most are never the titles or the applause but the moments that made us feel alive—laughter with friends, long walks holding the person you love, quiet dinners under the stars, and tiny sparks of joy hidden in ordinary days. Life becomes richer when we shift focus from “how we appear” to “how we experience.” Because in the end, our life is not a photograph we pose for, it’s a film we live through.

A Little Challenge

So here’s something simple: today, do one small thing that makes you feel alive, not important. Hum a song while cooking, share a silly joke, call someone just to say hello, or take that walk in the drizzle even if you get wet. Let your shoulders drop, your laugh come out loud, and your image take a backseat for a while. Because when we stop taking ourselves too seriously, we finally give ourselves permission to experience life—and it truly is beautiful.