"EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM, THE SUN IS TILL SHINING."
Pic.: Uttam Ghosh
“Even in the midst of the
storm the sun is still shining.”
It is not easy for us to admit our mistakes. If we are
public figures, it is even more so… very, very tough. That’s why, of all the
character strengths, I have, always, held that this strength – the ability to
accept one’s mistakes and to be ready to do amends – as the greatest one.
Presently, a dear-old-friend of
mine is going through a life-churning process. He is 50. When young, his sole
aim had been to reach ‘the top’ in corporate world. So, consumed by this burning
desire, he worked round the clock… ignoring what his young wife and little
daughter really wanted from him. He worked hard, almost killing him… to give
them the best material comforts - a great house, chauffeur-driven car, the best
school for the daughter and goodies for his wife… Yes, he gave them everything
except the emotional closeness when they badly needed it… And, in the meantime,
he rose to the top of corporate ladder…
The top is, always, a lonely place
to be!
Often, that’s where most of us realize
how blind our chase had been… For, we see when we reach there – the top – that the
ladder had been leaning against the wrong wall, all along our climb!
Often, when at top, we find how cruelly
some of our associates try to pull us down!
Often, we find that the options at
the top are a few!
Often, we fear the fall - the fall
is the hardest… the most painful… and, we try to cling on!
Often, we tend to make more
mistakes from the top!
My friend, whose daughter was in twelfth standard, now, realized
this when he had reached the top of corporate ladder… The company politics
shunted him to a remote place in India. He was not prepared for it – the shock,
humiliation and torture. By now, the family – both wife and daughter – had emotionally
distanced themselves from him. He longed to come closer to them; but they did
not want him, now… almost with vengeance. Would my friend go to the remote
place and live the rest of his life in total emotional disconnect? Or, would he
stay back, admit his mistakes and try to win his family back?
My friend chose to stay back… even
though it meant giving up a well-paying job!
It is close to eight months now. My
friend is around his family, trying to put together the pieces… “We are okay
without you, we can take care of ourselves,” he get to hear from them… “When we
needed you, you weren’t there… So, why now?”… Yes, this is hard to swallow,
frustrating…
But, my friend is prepared to
withstand it. He hopes that with patience, persistence and a sincere heart he
will be able to gain back the lost closeness… “Even in
the midst of the storm, the sun is still shining,” he quoted Dayna Lovely while talking to me,
this morning. “Duniya mein sub kuch mila;
sirf apni galti nahi mili,” he concluded with this old Hindi saying, “I am
happy, I found my mistake, too… yes, along with ‘the other stuff!”
GERALD D’CUNHA
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