A farmer sat daily in the evenings on the roadside culvert with his dog. His friend also used to join him. It was a highway with many trucks passing through. The dog had the strange habit of barking at every approaching truck and chasing it. The dog will run behind for some distance and return when the truck sped away. One day the farmer’s friend asked him, “Do you think this dog will ever catch a truck?” The farmer replied, “That is not my worry. What if it catches one?”We are like those dogs chasing purposeless goals. I have asked many persons what their personal goals in life were. Some had no answer while some gave vague replies changing immediately their goals. Goals in the office are decided by the companies. But personal goals are our concern. We must decide what exactly we wish to accomplish. Most of us never do that in our life time. Just as clear goals are needed for a business to succeed; our personal lives also need clear and well determined goals that would enrich our lives. While it is understandable to have personal goals of succeeding in a career, acquiring huge wealth, or excelling in chosen avenues, we need to have other goals too.
I am talking of social goals of service to society. Having no goal means travelling in a train without knowing the destination. Life may still go on and at the end of our lives we would go with a sinking feeling of failure. Individual goals can differ. One can work for realizing the ultimate truth while another can spend his lifetime for the betterment of the poor and needy. A doctor may have as his goal of providing vision to the needy at affordable basis or free. A lawyer can help the indigent by pleading for them free. Education can be given free. Setting some goal to return to the society from what we have earned is better than drifting aimlessly without direction. A life lived only for self without any contribution to society is a waste. A useless life is an early death.
An excellent article. You have rightly said that unless a person sets goals in life, his life will most probably be like drifting aimlessly. When setting a goal, one should remember the Master-Planner; He decides the success of people. Call Him Krishna or Allah or Jehovah or God or by any other name, ultimately He decides.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Parthasarathi, for helping me start my day with such positive words.
:) Ayesha
Nice one Mr. KP. Giving a little bit of what we have to the needy....the best service and most appreciated by the Almighty.
ReplyDeleteNo man stands as tall as when he stoops to help a crippled child. - author unknown.
But we should also be modest in the service we do. No point in bragging about that - i did this i did that....etc....the very value of service is lost
If you're going to tally up things in life, tally up what others do for you, rather than what you do for others. - Kelly Brignell...
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ReplyDeleteBoth the comments from Ayesha and Lakshmi are very perceptive and pleases me no end.
ReplyDeleteIt is true, Ayesha,that God decides everything.But human effort is nevertheless essential.
Lakshmi,you hv rightly emphasised on the humility part andI know how much value you attach to it
Thanks a tonne
One needs 2 work for making ones life meaningful , something that your post brings out quite clearly. Thanks for being a source of consistent motivation:)
ReplyDeleteThanks again Sana.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes