Points2Ponder🎙: Every Move Has a Meaning

A Stone in the River Doesn’t Drift — It’s Led

Philipose Vaidyar

A senior friend from Kerala once joked to another in Hyderabad during a telephone call, “This guy never stays anywhere.”
That comment was about me. It was 2006. I had moved from Kerala to Hyderabad… and later, from Hyderabad to Chennai.

When I heard it, I was disturbed. Not because he was wrong, but because he didn’t know why I kept moving.

We were seeking an alternative learning environment for our son, bright, creative, and curious, yet unable to cope with the conventional school system. He didn’t fit in. The school couldn’t contain him.

In that waiting phase, a friend of mine, a librarian, showed me a magazine that had just arrived at his library—The Forerunner. There was an ad by IMA, looking for an Editor.

Editor? Me?
All my schooling was in Malayalam. I had never formally studied English or trained in literature.
I had a Master’s in Commerce, Theology, and Communication—but more on the social side. I had barely used a dictionary in school or college. Yet, I decided to apply.

They called. We spoke over the phone. Then a personal interview.
And soon, I joined IMA, Hyderabad, as Manager for Research and Communications.

We moved as a family. Found a good school nearby that agreed to help our son—at least for socialization, if not for academics. But after a year of searching and trying, special educators suggested we consider Chennai.

That’s how the next move began.

Interestingly, that same friend—the one who had said I never stayed anywhere—later took leave from his government job to work with an NGO. After a few back-and-forths, he took voluntary retirement and joined that NGO’s leadership.

People are quick to form opinions.

They’ll critique your choices without ever spending a day in your shoes.
They won’t show up when you struggle. They won’t encourage you when you’re low.
It doesn’t matter.

If you feel called to move, move—by faith, at the right time.

Here’s something I’ve learned:
Don’t marry your organization. Marry your purpose.

Be diligent, accountable, and responsible. But don’t stay late at the office just to prove loyalty. Don’t confuse overwork with commitment.

Your family matters more than your organization.
Your vision is greater than your position.

When we moved to Chennai, I was appointed Associate Director for Communications and Public Relations. My salary barely covered rent, school fees, and our son’s learning center. Still, I built the organization’s website, produced a corporate video, and designed brochures.

But PR wasn’t clearly defined. Six months into the role, before my probation ended, I knew it was time to move again—for my family’s sustenance and for defined goals that aligned with my purpose.

If your organization fits your vision, that’s a blessing.
If not, keep trusting the higher call.

Later, I joined a national NGO as Senior Communication Manager. In 2011—long before COVID—they decided to close the Chennai office and asked me to work from home. I was given a dongle allowance and kept delivering quality work, traveling occasionally.

A year later, they wanted me to move to Delhi.
We discussed, negotiated… but there was no other option. So, I resigned.
We had come to Chennai for a reason—and that reason was not yet fulfilled.

I left in faith, with my PF and settlement, about one lakh rupees after three years of service.

To some, that made me a “rolling stone” again.
But staying put in Chennai was my decision to stay faithful to my purpose.

For many, commitment means staying 35 years in one job, retiring from the organization even if not from the same desk.
For me, commitment meant following where the calling led.

A place only matters when you have a reason to be there.
To fulfill something. To serve someone.

Interestingly, the same organization that I left later called me twice—for special productions that took me to dozens of locations and villages.

And then came a full year—365 days—without a job.
Financially tough, yes. But spiritually? One of the most exciting seasons of my life.

Because the One who calls you is faithful.
He provides when you serve Him and seek His purpose.

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Not all the riches of the world, but everything you need to keep rolling.

Move when you must.
But know why you’re moving.
When faith leads the way, every move finds meaning.