New York City has an unpredictable climate. It was hot yesterday and suddenly, it is cold and cloudy today.

As I sip my tea on a Saturday morning, I look outside the window and stare at the clouds for a while.

Suddenly, I go on a memory trip that takes me back to my carefree and no responsibilities days in Bangalore.

Just like today, I would sit on our balcony, drink tea and stare at clouds.

Well, I am kidding – tea was an excuse to sit out and check out the hot girl who used to be our neighbor in case they step out in their balcony.

As I take another sip of my tea and look back to my bed in the apartment. I suddenly start laughing.

I used to have a cotton mattress in Bangalore for three years. When I bought it, the mattress was thick and soft but every six months, it became thinner and thinner. I wish that I found a way to make people thinner, the way the mattress did it,

Yet, I used to get a happy sleep on the thinnest cotton mattress kept on the room’s floor (yes, no bed frame).

Life moves on! I started earning along came needs and desires.

I take one more sip of my tea and my thoughts go to an interesting conversation I had with Brandon, a co-worker, who went to Ivory Coast in West Africa for a vacation.

He was showing pictures and telling stories of his trip.

Suddenly, he stopped for a few seconds and said: “Prateek, there was a lot of poverty – no internet, no decent car, and no infrastructure yet people were happy”.

I take one more sip of my tea and start thinking.

Maybe,  Happiness is a choice that you decide.

As I sip more tea and wonder “What was the hot girls’ name who used to live in the opposite apartment?”

Cheers,
prAts!

P.S.: I shared the rough draft with my Bangalore roommate, Vinay Bhalotia. He said: “Those were the thinnest mattress I have ever seen”