One-winged Butterfly: December 2013

Treading on a path

I always wonder what makes us decide on the way we want to live. When I left college, the most impertinent question that stared back at me was something to do with the next step of my career. I closed my eyes, found innumerable options floating in front of me like frog-spawns. Being a deep thinker, I was forced to contemplate thereafter.

I realised, we are bunglers. Most of us. We blunder through life. We all blunder on a career which is almost a random shot for us, and not a well-considered, carefully thought-out plan. One hitches his wagon to the Civil Services and ends up as a clerk in a bank. Another begins as a teacher, side-tracks into the NDA and then goes to the army, almost through the background. He might as well have landed on Homeopathy. A commerce graduate turns into a smuggler, amasses a big fortune, leaves his country and joins an International gang. We shoot our arrows in all directions. There is no knowing what arrow will stick. Such is the dismal spectacle which stares us all around.

With so many pegs in round holes, how much efficiency can we expect?

I believe, a good chunk of national talent goes down the drain. Small wonder there are complaints of incompetency and lethargy at all levels. Mediocrity is getting to the fore. There is no zest, no zeal for the vocation and so many are eking out their weary existence, a benumbing round of drudgery and boredom. Of course, there are cases of giant intellects who can make their impact in any sphere. A Tagore, or a Sen, a Raman or a Khorana can bend his circumstances to his own will but the tale is different when averages are taken into account.

Ancient India devised a caste system which conducted a general efficiency. There was, of course, no choice in the matter. Society had already taken a decision which was sacrosanct and irrevocable. The caste of Brahmins devoted themselves to religion, philosophy, preaching and even to finer arts and the likes of music, dance and poetry. Similarly, the Kshatriya caste specialized in the art of warfare and Vaishya in business and commerce.

Times have greatly changed. Life is much more complex in the twenty-first century. There is an infinite variety of jobs and vocations. There are specializations as never before in the history of mankind. In studies, in warfare, in business, everywhere more and more stress is laid on narrower and narrower fields. The need of the hour is proper attitude and aptitude. I will not do good to be casual and happy-go-lucky. Instead, there should be a tenacity of purpose. Some difficulties are bound to be there in the initial stages but anyone who gets daunted by them will never achieve much. One must plod on and the difficulties will disappear like the mist after sunrise.

My father speaks highly of another quality and that is dedication. He says, "when a choice has been made, there must be no looking back." No allurement, whether of more money, of ampler leisure or of greater prestige should deflect the person's attention from the job in hand. One must pull one's weight. However, he insists on another quality which is perhaps the greatest. It is the vision of excellence. A person must try to be the very best in the profession that he/she chooses. He affirms that excellence is never granted to man but as the reward of labour. Everest cannot be scaled in one jump. So, let us rivet our attention on the target and learn to hit the Bull's eye.

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Monday Blues

Sadness is when your friend gets a new job and leaves the adjacent seat vacant

Sunday Cerebration

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Saturday Playlist

Friday Fotosynthesis

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