Sunday, July 27, 2014

Life - Tests, Choices and Lessons...

I had a recent experience and it was so profound that I felt like sharing with everyone. Honestly, there couldn't have been a better way to come back to blogging after such a long break.

Here it goes...

Dondu and Pandu are friends.
Pandu also has another friend Golu.
Golu has never met Dondu.
One day, Life decided to test these three.

Morning 10 am - Dondu has been very ill and needs a blood donor. Dondu's parent's and loved ones are worried sick and trying everything to find a matching donor.

Sometime in the morning - Pandu started looking for a donor.

Afternoon 4 pm - Golu saw Pandu's message and offered to help.

Evening 6 pm - Golu was able to reach the hospital in time and luckily he matched the requirements.

Evening 9 pm - Donation procedure has been completed and everyone's relieved that things will start getting better now. Pandu and Golu are not able to meet Dondu since its already too late so they decide to leave for the day. Pandu is just worried that Golu might be a bit woozy after the whole process of blood donation.

Night 10 pm - Pandu drops Golu midway home to make sure he's fine. Golu reaches home and once they chat up with each other, they both go to bed.

Next day - Dondu is already on the way to recovery.

3 days later - Dondu is home and fine. He still hasn't met Golu, so he calls Golu to thank and now they are both good friends. Everyone is grateful to Pandu and Golu.

By now, word has spread in the whole friends circle and everyone is impressed with Golu. Everyone has appreciated Golu for the way he responded.
Golu's chin has been up ever since and his chest size has gone up by a few inches (with pride).

Nice story right? Short and sweet with a happy ending... right?

Well, this is where the learnings start...

1. First, I realised that fact that what is seen is noticed. The fact that Golu was able to leave things and respond very quickly was straightaway noticed by everyone. As a result, he was appreciated well in the friends circle.
Interestingly, Pandu did not receive as much accolade even though he was instrumental in mobilising donors, spent the whole day in the hospital, left business work, and not only that, he even made sure that Golu reached home safely. This was known only to the 2-3 people who were involved from start to end.
As a result, only those limited people were able to appreciate how much Pandu had actually contributed.
Moral of the story --- Whether good or bad, people will notice only if they are able to see it happen. This holds true in every aspect of life. Your boss will be able to notice your work only if you show him the results. Even your spouse will appreciate your love only if you are able to show it every now and then - flowers, chocolates, good meal, help in the kitchen etc.

2. Second, I realised that Pandu played a very important role in Dondu's life that day. He was there as a friend and did everything he could to help when Dondu needed him.
Similarly, Golu was able to make himself available and help Pandu when Pandu needed someone to help. This cycle goes on. Each one of us plays these 2 roles in life.
The question you need to ask yourself is - Do you have atleast one such friend in your life who will do for you what Pandu was able to do for Dondu? Do you have that one person you can count on in time of need. If you have not been able to earn atleast one such friendship, something needs to be corrected in your life. Do you have that "Special Friend"?
The More important question you need to ask is - Have you ever been such a person when your friend can count on you. Have you been that "Special Friend" to someone? If not, do you have someone about whom you care enough that when the time comes, you will become that Special Friend?
I have lived a good life if I have that "Special friend" and I am a "Special Friend" to someone...

3. Third, beware of pride.
That day, Pandu was in the right place at the right time. It could have been anybody else but Life chose Pandu as the right person to be there.
Similarly, Golu happened to be in the right place at the right time and the right match. He could have been anywhere in the world but Life chose to have him in the same city just a half hour drive away.
Pandu and Golu need to realise that they are just tools used by Life to take care of Dondu (Very precious tools indeed... but still tools of Life). It is not correct for them to think that its their credit. They just did the right thing.
We cannot allow pride and ego to take up space in our minds, "Aham" as its called in Sanskrit.

4. And Finally, its all about choices. Both Pandu and Golu could have chosen to be anywhere else in the world. Pandu could have worked on a project all day long and be home for dinner with his wife. Golu could have been in his workplace haggling with clients. But, when Life's test came up, everything else seemed small and they both chose to help in every way they could.
If any one of them had chosen otherwise, this blog would not have happened.

Its our choices that make us who we are...

Think about it....

No comments:

Post a Comment