Tired of Lying in the Sunshine

I had a near-death experience

My Second Life

I had a near-death experience two weeks ago. It happened in a split second, where I was sure I would not survive. I’m not talking about a close shave, but certain death. People say your entire life flashes before you in an instant, but there was no time for that, only the realization that I was going to die.

I’m not a big believer in miracles, but all I can say is that a higher power intervened and decided “not yet.”

I’m certain that I will live my second life differently than the first one, which I took for granted. As I walk around my house, still in disbelief that I am alive, I’ve been reflecting on all the unfinished business I have, which is considerable. I’ve been functioning with the comforting assumption that one’s life stretches on and there’s time, when in fact, time is tight. It reminds me of the verse by Pink Floyd from their iconic album The Dark Side of the Moon:

Tired of lying in the sunshine
Staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long
And there is time to kill today

And then one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun

No, there isn’t time to kill. It’s precious. My maternal grandfather would periodically chant a Sanskrit phrase, “Kala ho hum,” which translates broadly into “God is time” or “I am time.” My second life will be more aware about time and how I spend it.

Given my unfinished business which requires some attention, I will begin to release my Brave New World podcast and this newsletter monthly from now on. I enjoy all my conversations tremendously, and I love to think and write about the range of topics that I discuss with my guests as well as the technological and social developments that are shaping our brave new world. I have a terrific lineup of guests, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, live every moment and enjoy the present. When I see a familiar face or a friend now, I think, wow, I am so grateful to still be around, enjoying the biggest gift my parents gave me. Life.

My Most Recent Podcast

My most recent guest on Brave New World was Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at Transport for London (TFL). TFL is what makes London hum. London’s transport system is amazing, and over the last two decades, Shashi has played a major leadership role at TFL, examining and redesigning how it works, beginning with ticketing, or rather, eliminating ticketing through contact-less payments which we now take for granted.

Transport isn’t just about moving people. In major urban centers, transport has a major impact on productivity and GDP, and more broadly, on the cultural life of the city and its environment. The governance structure of transport must address them simultaneously. In London, TFL was created by integrating several independent agencies with differing objectives under one umbrella, and infusing technological innovation into every part of the transport system. The results speak for themselves. London provides one of the most seamless experiences in urban mobility.

It was a lot of fun to talk to someone who has been at the center of TFL from its inception to today, and has analyzed every aspect of transportation in urban centers around the world. It’s rare to come across someone with Shashi’s breadth depth of knowledge in this area. So, check out my episode with Shashi:

https://bravenewpodcast.com/episodes/2024/05/02/episode-83-shashi-verma-on-transport-in-the-21st-century/

Much love to you all. Savor every moment.

Vasant