I know what happened

Work has been really hectic these days, late evenings and weekend working - days seem to be running so fast. All I hear is - defects, retesting, scripts, execution. 

On one such day, we were working till late evening waiting for a fix to arrive for retesting. Since everyone in the team was so tired, I offered for them to leave for home while I alone stay back to retest the fix. It wasn't that I wasn't tired but I didn't mind staying back a little late. Everyone but one more friend left for the day. 

In some minutes, fix arrived and we began to retest. During that piece of retesting, I noticed something else broken. I didn't believe at first look because that bit seemed to be working during the day - and fix was no way related to the now broken area. Chances of these two issues being related were so low - I tested again but same results. So I raised a new defect and called it a day.

After reaching home, the mind got little relaxed and I started to think about the new defect. Suddenly it clicked that I perhaps might have used wrong data and hence the wrong results. May be there was no defect at all. I texted a friend that perhaps in hurry and tiredness, I hadn't analyzed the issue properly and by mistake have raised new defect. I couldn't be sure of the data, but somehow became uncomfortable with the thought that next day everyone would come blaming that I had made silly mistake and impacted timelines. Build team would reject the defect next day - this looked more obvious, and my friend too instead of comforting said something on those lines that I felt more guilty. 

I got really upset on how things had turned - and in those thoughts, for a moment I did ask for God to intervene and somehow correct things.  As time passed, I convinced myself to face the outcome next day. 

Next morning when I opened the defect - it was indeed rejected as I had expected. But what I hadn't expected was that Build saying they hadn't delivered the functionality for testing - therefore we shouldn't be testing that area.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I re-read what they were saying - the functionality was working last morning and now they were saying it was never delivered.

Although defect was still rejected but there was no blame game - everyone's attention drew towards the fact that certain functionality was never delivered. Whole day meetings went on - but to talk why was code not delivered?

And btw - next day I also checked what data I had used. That also seemed to be correct  - perhaps I was worrying for no reason at all. 

After a week since this incident - yesterday I got a chance to speak to build team members about same defect, where they requested to retest again and also said that the functionality should have been delivered - and perhaps they had by mistake put comments that functionality was never delivered. There was something wrong which they didn't understand - they were really confused over how things had turned up. 

As we continued to talk on that defect, I couldn't resist thinking about the rescue operation that God had done for me. I was worried about the mocking that people would do, and here same people were making apologies for putting wrong comments.

These days at work, whenever the same defect is talked of - everyone is surprised on what actually happened but I smile because I know what happened. 

Thankyou Huzur!

What day is it?

One day at work, I received meeting invite from a friend for her leaving lunch. It was such a busy day that I acknowledged the invite without really going through all details such as venue or the day. After a day or two I opened the invite and figured out  the day and venue. Day was the upcoming Monday and venue some popular Asian restaurant known for its Indian cuisine. 

On the night before I informed at home that I wouldn't be carrying lunch on Monday since there was a planned lunch meeting. As the day began, I started to look forward for the lunch as I was excited to do an outing with the team and also because restaurant was well heard but still untried. Just before we all started for the restaurant I was informed that menu for the lunch was "Chinese". As soon as I heard "Chinese", my excitement faded away. It isn't that I dislike "Chinese" but perhaps I haven't been able to develop any taste for any cuisine other than "Indian" or "Italian". I was excited in the morning because I thought menu was going to be "Indian" but all excitement went away with the word "Chinese". 

I definitely didn't want to miss the opportunity of thanking this friend but was somehow getting uncomfortable of being odd man out when everybody around would be enjoying meal. I somehow convinced myself on reasoning that I will spread rumor that - my stomach is upset and I cannot afford anything heavy so will company others by taking just soup. All uneasiness started to ease when I thought of taking refuge of this lie - which even though was a lie but would have saved any hurtings unintentionally. Taking pride on my cunning reasoning I started to speak to a colleague - "I have upset stomach since morning, I don't know what will I have there, don't want to take anything heavy, may be some tomato soup...something really light on stomach.." Listening all this, colleague felt sorry for my health and we kept walking towards the restaurant. 

Inside me, I did feel sorry for talking this lie but didn't know what else to do. Perhaps for a moment, I also did ask ( in prayer ) - isn't there a way out? some miracle? something what I can't do, but you can? But without waiting for an answer started to walk along the hostess. Just before I could open my mouth to tell her the same lie, she asked me - "what day is it?"  I said - "Monday". 

"Oh!!! how can I be so stupid? Restaurant is closed on Mondays" Feeling sorry about the goof up, she started to apologize to everyone. She apologized even to me but my mind was elsewhere - as if I was taking a sigh of relief as soon as I heard word "closed". Next action that everyone took, standing on the same road, was to decide " where can we now go for lunch? " All started to pour in suggestions but I kept silent, internally thanking God for doing the miracle. Suggestions started to arrive at a consensus, this time again for some Chinese restaurant but finally I threw a suggestion for Indian restaurant. After-all, I didn't want to miss the ball that had been thrown in my court by God :) In the last all agreed on the same Indian restaurant.

Minutes after that we all were sitting in the Indian restaurant where the hostess was again and again apologizing for goofing up the scene. And I was sitting there thanking God again and again for coming to my refuge. 

Well, a short story kept long - It was yet another lovely experience to cherish and share. 

But before I conclude, I would like to mention the order I placed - poppadums with mango chutney, mint raita & pickle, followed by samosa, lemonade, paneer, chole, lachha paranthas * 2.   While I enjoyed the meal thoroughly, and grace of Almighty, I also occasionally thought for the colleague, to whom I had mentioned about my upset stomach. I hope he wasn't wondering, if this is what Sunil eats with an upset stomach, what will he eat with a healthy and empty stomach ?:)

 Anyhow, Thx God for your care.

SHADES PART 1

Last Sunday we were traveling back to the town when I recalled of this particular incident. Since this incident and the one on Sunday were alike, therefore I feel like calling them as PART 1 & PART 2.

SHADES PART 1 - Some 5-6 years ago I was posted in Bangalore. I and a colleague used to sit on the top floor of the building where our desk faced a window which in turn faced the Sun. The window had no curtains, no blinds; sun’s glare would directly fall on our eyes. Working on Mainframes systems; we found it difficult to read the characters on the monitor. We were so uncomfortable with the working conditions that we had raised multiple requests with the Facilities. May be it was the traffic Facilities had, that they couldn’t respond to our requests. The requests were pending for weeks with them.
One Wednesday afternoon it clicked to me that I could visit stationary and get a wall Calendar which could be used temporarily to cover the window glass. This would give some relief at least. I made it a point to collect calendar same day after the lunch. But somehow I forgot. As soon as I reached desk, I remembered that I had forgotten to go to stationary. I would do it tomorrow with that remark I left it for the next day. Height of my laziness!
Next day, same thing happened.
On Friday afternoon, fortunately I remembered the task. I took one calendar, cello tape, and scissors from the stationary. Patting my own back, I reached the desk. After all now I will be relieved of the burning sun! I noticed my neighbor wasn’t at her desk, thought of quickly finishing the task so that it would less inconvenience to her. I opened the calendar but another thought disturbed me, “Waah Sunil babu  brought calendar just for your own self. Won’t she be feeling the same? You should have brought another calendar for her.” Somehow I tried to convince myself that I would bring her another calendar next time I go to the ground floor where stationary was. But my conscience didn’t allow me to put the calendar in front of my desk. So to be at ease, I pasted the calendar in front of her desk.
And for self I thought I would do it next time when I go downstairs. She came back after lunch, surprised to see the shade on her desk! She asked me how come this calendar was there. I mentioned to her that I thought of this as a temporary solution. She thanked me for being considerate. I acknowledged her thanks with smile but inside thinking why on earth did God gave this thought of exchanging desks for this calendar? I was happy that she was in shade but unhappy for self. I was so lazy that I didn’t want to go back to the stationary again. Height of my laziness!
Aaah...at that point! I now think it was so stupid of me to question God at that point. I asked God that we hear that God acknowledges even a smallest of act, be it in a corner. Let me see how you acknowledge my act of kindness to this lady. It wasn’t that this question was disturbing me but as if I wanted to play with God. I asked Him show me how you would acknowledge this!
In moments, I got back to my routine. I totally forgot about the calendar, window, neighbor etc. Now focus was on the work, although in between I kept looking at my watch to leave on time from the office. I noticed that weather had become pleasant. Clouds covered the sun; therefore it became easier for me to work. I finished work earlier and went back to home. Enjoyed the weekend as I would.
On Monday when I came back I was astonished to see that there was no calendar on neighbor’s desk. More astonished to see that the windows now had blinds. Oh my God is this how you acknowledge that small act! I wondered how come those pending requests with Facilities were now acknowledged out of the blue moon…I had just questioned God on Friday and on Monday I saw the answer! Oh my God…I was so thrilled to see how God had acknowledged my stupid question. But why did you not acknowledge on Friday itself? (My stupidity continued). Less than a second…I realized God had already acknowledged my request on Friday but I had missed to realize it on the same day. The weather which was so sunny for all past days had changed all of a sudden on Friday afternoon. There were no rains that day but I recalled that not even for a second did clouds again uncovered the Sun. While I had hoped that calendar would provide shade to my colleague from Sun, but in turn God provided me (and others) with a natural shade.
I apologetically thanked God for this wonderful realization! It could have been just some sequence of events for others, but for me it was a direct communication that I was having with the creator. I was sorry for what I had asked, but thankful that He proved Himself to be correct. He would even involve nature, if need be to answer his servants call. The only pre-requisite is that the servant should be willing to listen!
Had He not acknowledged that day in the way He did, His status would not have reduced. Neither would He have failed in any test….but by doing so, He has given me an example to share of His Kindness which knows no boundaries.

Oh God !

Caz, as she likes to be addressed as, is a friend from work. Often Caz and I together have walked on way back to home from work. Our talks revolved around TV shows, Indian and English cultures, colleagues etc and not forgetting the most important topic – God. Out of all these topics, God is the one where she has patiently listened without any comments. On one such walk, Caz mentioned – ‘Sunil, I don’t believe in God.’
Respecting her sentiments, I decided that I won’t discuss this anymore. Probably that was the reason why she kept quiet while I talked of quotations, parables etc from scriptures or other sources. That was April 2009.

Not many days passed before we both had to work late nights. The project had gone really bad, and the only way to deliver it on time was to put some extra efforts. We both sat late hours, spent weekends, holidays in office trying to make code work. Every time she made some change, and I tested – result was a failure again. ‘Oh God! Let me try something else’, ‘Oh God! Why doesn’t this work now?’, ‘Oh God! ..’, nothing seemed to work – Caz’s face would go pale as mine. Her sadness and helplessness was obvious from her remarks – and to be honest my state wasn’t different either. Just that I tried to show my balance with my silence. Both of us were exhausted and finally thought of taking a short break.

As I grabbed a piece of Pizza, I couldn’t resist adding – ‘Caz you know?’
Caz – ‘What?’
I – ‘The other day you mentioned you don’t believe in God, and now you were taking His refuge is every single line. Were you making fool out of me? You…..’

I still recall smile on her face which accompanied one on my face.

From the same experience, I admit that being a believer (at least I call myself one) I never thought of seeking blessings when I felt exhausted. But one who called herself as a non-believer made efforts to include and pick strength from God. Her talks may not have sounded like prayers, but at least she called our Savior. And Savior too fulfilled His promise – Include Him in all your ways and He will make all your paths straight! Soon her prayers were answered and we found a fix for our problem. Miracles like this happen now and then, can’t say that I sat down to write a Miracle, instead an experience where I learnt that even if child rejects the existence of father, father still clings to the child.

I meet people who call themselves atheists, I meet people who call themselves believers, I meet people who call themselves religious, I meet people who call themselves spiritual - trying to distinguish themselves from the others. And I wonder where lies the difference? Does vision from Moon distinguish India or England?