The Reunion - A Story of Two Friends
Friendship has a funny way of teaching us life lessons when we least expect them.Raj and Ravi were the best of friends-inseparable during their Chartered Accountancy days. Both cleared their CA Finals in May 2015. Both were bright, hardworking, and full of dreams. But life, as always, had its own design.Raj chose the path of practice in New Delhi. Ravi accepted a corporate job in Hyderabad. Busy schedules and growing responsibilities reduced their interaction to the occasional phone call or festive WhatsApp message.In September 2025, destiny intervened. Ravi had to attend a three-day meeting in Delhi. Excited, he called Raj:
- Ravi: "Arrey Raj, main Delhi aa raha hoon! Kaam ke beech mein ek din toh sirf tere liye."
- Raj: "Wah Ravi! Ghar bhi, office bhi-sab dikhaunga. Long pending reunion, boss!"
The plan was fixed. But this meeting would not just be about nostalgia-it would turn into a mirror reflecting two completely different lifestyles.
Their story feels like a real-life sequel to Three Idiots-friends meeting after a decade, only to realize how differently their choices shaped their lives.
The Morning Alarm - Two Worlds Apart
On the first morning, Ravi decided to surprise Raj by dropping in "early." For him, early meant 8:30 A.M. He rang the bell, expecting a half-sleepy Raj to open the door. Instead, Raj appeared fully dressed, fresh, glowing, and already halfway through his day.
- Ravi (half-yawning): "Yaar, subah-subah tu itna tayyar? Shaadi-vadi thi kya kal?"
- Raj (laughing): "Nahin bhai, mera toh roz ka function hai-function of discipline."
Raj explained his routine:
- 4:15 A.M. wake-up, every day (including Sundays, Independence Day, Republic Day, Diwali etc.)
- Prayers, brisk walk, yoga-all before 6:45.
- From 6:45 to 8:15-writing professional articles or updating GST knowledge.
- A bit of FM radio for soft music and news particularly 100.1 and 106.4 Frequency radio stations.
- Breakfast on time, office on time.
Ravi compared it with his own mornings:
- Wake-up any time after 8:00 A.M.
- Bed tea, panic, rush.
- Breakfast mostly skipped.
- Office timing: "flexible," but mostly late.
Raj's Day begins like a symphony. Ravi's begins like a traffic jam.
Sleeping Timings - The Early Sleeper v. The Night Owl
Raj believes discipline at night is as important as discipline in the morning. By 10:00 P.M. sharp, he is in bed. The result? Freshness and energy every morning.
Ravi, meanwhile, treats bedtime like a lottery. Sometimes 12:30 A.M., sometimes 1:00 A.M.-depending on Netflix, WhatsApp, or unfinished emails. His mornings, naturally, begin with fatigue.
- Raj's sleep is like a fixed deposit-regular, safe, and compounding health.
- Ravi's sleep is like a speculative share-uncertain, risky, and often crashing.
Professional Knowledge - The Sharp Pencil v. The Dull Eraser
At breakfast, Ravi noticed neatly highlighted journals and a half-written article on Raj's desk.
- Ravi: "Raj, tu subah-subah journal padhta hai? Client aata hai kya itni subah?"
- Raj: "Client kabhi bhi aa sakta hai, Ravi. Main hamesha taiyaar rehta hoon."
Raj updates himself daily-amendments, notifications, judgments. Writing articles further sharpens his knowledge.
Ravi thought of his own subscriptions-most journals unopened, PDFs unread, all waiting for that mythical "Sunday afternoon."
Raj's pencil is sharp every day. Ravi looks for a sharpener only when the exam starts.
Marketing and Festivals - The Early Inviter v. The Last-Minute Guest
Raj showed Ravi his Diwali greetings draft-scheduled well in advance.
- Ravi: "Diwali abhi ek mahina door hai, aur tu abhi se messages likh raha hai?"
- Raj: "Relationships bhi investments hote hain. Time pe daalo, interest bhi milega."
Ravi chuckled, remembering last year's Diwali greeting he sent in January, clubbed with his "Happy New Year" message.
Raj builds bridges before reaching the river. Ravi thinks of boats only after falling into water.
Repair & Maintenance - Preventive Care v. Emergency Repair
While chatting, Raj's assistant came to take his laptop for routine servicing.
- Ravi (teasing): "Service? Laptop doctor ke paas bhi jaata hai?"
- Raj: "Bilkul. A stitch in time saves nine. Service kara lo, stress-free raho."
Ravi recalled his own misadventures-laptop crashing during a big presentation, fridge dying when guests were over, washing machine breaking down when laundry piled up.
Raj invests in smooth functioning. Ravi invests in stress. Ravi's appliances break down like Bollywood movies-always on the release date!
The Gym Decision - Membership Card v. Excuse Card
Passing by a gym, Raj waved at his trainer.
- Ravi: "Tu gym bhi jaata hai? Walk, yoga, phir gym? Insaan hai ya robot?"
- Raj: "Health mein EMI nahi chalti. Kal ki health aaj banti hai."
Ravi grinned. He'd been planning to join a gym since 2019. His sneakers still waited for their inauguration.
Raj sweats today. Ravi plans to sweat "kal se pakka."
Doing It Yourself - The Hands-On Worker v. The Over-Delegator
Raj has a habit: small or big, he prefers to do things himself-tightening a screw, arranging files, scheduling service.
- Ravi: "Raj, CA ban ke bhi screwdriver chalata hai?"
- Raj (smiling): "Screwdriver bhi ek audit tool hai, bhai. Kaam khud karo, tension khatam."
Ravi, meanwhile, is the king of delegation-even for changing a bulb or paying an electricity bill.
- Raj's mantra: Self-effort is dignity.
- Ravi's mantra: Self-effort is negotiable.
Health - The Ultimate Balance Sheet
Health is the true balance sheet of life.
Raj's organised lifestyle keeps him reasonably fit. No extra baggage-neither in body nor in mind.
Ravi's disorder shows in his health-obesity, acidity, back pain, borderline sugar.
- Raj (concerned): "Ravi, lagta hai health audit mein qualified opinion aa gaya hai."
- Ravi (nervously laughing): "Sahi keh raha hai… ab toh statutory auditor bhi red flag laga dega."
Raj's body is an asset. Ravi's body has become a liability account.
Cleanliness & Organisation - The Neat Library v. The Lost Warehouse
When Ravi entered Raj's home, he was quietly impressed. Everything had its place-books arranged, files labeled, furniture dust-free, even pens neatly aligned.
Ravi imagined his own home. A place where even Google Maps would get lost. Clothes on chairs, bills mixed with newspapers, chargers hiding like fugitives, important documents buried like treasure.
- Raj (smiling): "Safai bhi ek discipline hai, Ravi. Ghar ka haal dikhata hai gharwale ka mindset."
- Ravi (grinning): "Mere ghar ka mindset toh abhi recession mein hai."
Raj's home is like a neat library-systematic, accessible, peaceful.
Ravi's home is like a lost warehouse-haphazard, dusty, stressful.
Just as in Three Idiots, where hostel rooms reflected personalities, Raj and Ravi's homes too became mirrors of their inner worlds.
Professional Life - Flourishing Practice v. Firefighting Job
Raj's practice runs smoothly because he lives by one golden rule-client queries must never wait. He attends calls immediately, replies promptly, and solves doubts on the spot. His clients say:
Client: "Raj ji se kaam karwaya toh tension hi khatam. Ek phone aur solution ready."
Ravi's colleagues and office clients, however, often complain:
Colleague: "Ravi ke answers aaj maange toh kal bhi pending. Uska favourite word hai- 'baad mein dekhte hain'."
- Raj's clients are loyal and satisfied. Ravi's clients are frustrated and doubtful.
- Raj's professional life flows like a river. Ravi's is like a blocked drain-always stuck.
Financial Discipline - Simple Living v. Overspending
Raj has always believed in the age-old principle of simple living and high thinking. His lifestyle is modest, his needs are limited, and his priorities are clear. Because of this discipline, he has built a strong financial foundation-no unnecessary loans, steady savings, and the peace that comes with security.
Ravi, on the other hand, often spends faster than his salary credits. Gadgets, weekend luxuries, impulsive shopping-his wallet is always under pressure. Overspending slowly pushed him into the debt cycle. Personal loans, credit cards, and borrowing from friends became his silent companions.
Raj's money works for him. Ravi works for his money-and sometimes even for the bank's money!
The lesson? Financial freedom doesn't come from how much you earn, but from how wisely you manage. Raj's discipline makes him rich. Ravi's habits make him restless.
Relationships - Fulfilled Promises v. Unfulfilled Words
Raj's marriage is built on two simple pillars-trust and kept promises. If he tells his wife he will do something, she knows it will be done. This reliability has created a bond of warmth, respect, and deep companionship. Their relationship, like Raj's files, is neat and in order.
Ravi, though loving at heart, struggles with credibility even at home. His repeated "kal se pakka" promises-whether about family outings, health commitments, or household responsibilities-often remain unfulfilled. Naturally, this leads to quarrels, disappointments, and a widening emotional gap.
Raj's relationship thrives on trust deposits. Ravi's relationship suffers from promise defaults.
The message is clear: Just as clients trust a professional who delivers, a life partner trusts the spouse who keeps his word. Raj's fulfilled promises make his home happy. Ravi's broken promises turn even small moments into conflicts.
Reputation & Goodwill - The Trusted Banker v. The Bounced Cheque
Over time, reputation becomes your biggest asset.
Raj, with his consistency, has built rock-solid goodwill. If Raj commits, people relax. His word is as good as a signed cheque.
Ravi, though well-meaning, struggles with credibility. Friends, colleagues-even family-often double-check his promises. His word sometimes feels like a cheque prone to bouncing.
Raj's trust account is in surplus. Ravi's credibility suffers an overdraft.
The Ancient Reminder - Ravana's Confession
This isn't new. Even mighty Ravana admitted his mistake. Before dying, he told Lakshman that he always dreamt of making Lanka a city of gold. He had resources and time, but he kept postponing. His last advice: "Never postpone. Do the important things at the earliest."
Even Ravana had abundant resources, but zero execution. His Lanka never turned golden.
The Gentle Takeaway - Raj and Ravi Within Us
Raj is not a superhero-he just does small things consistently. Ravi is not a failure-he simply postpones.Inside all of us, Raj pushes for execution, Ravi whispers for delay, and Ravana reminds us of the cost of procrastination.
The question is-which voice do we listen to more often?
Closing Note - An Alarm Clock in the Heart
When Ravi left Delhi, he carried not just memories but two alarms:
- One in his phone.
- Another in his heart.
One wakes him from sleep. The other wakes him from procrastination.Success, health, goodwill, and peace all belong to those who, like Raj, choose execution over excuses.
Just like in Three Idiots, where Rancho's clarity stood out against Farhan's confusion and Raju's fear-here too, Raj becomes the Rancho of reality, reminding us that life rewards consistent doers.
So, next time you're tempted to say "kal se pakka", remember-kal kabhi nahin aata.
Execution today is the only guarantee of a better tomorrow.
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