We
are all born different in several ways. Isn’t it? Some are born rich, some are
born poor; some are born in the cities, some are born in villages; our date and
time of birth are different; the parent’s and grandparent’s names and their
profession are different, the fingerprint of everybody is different and so on.
As we grow in life, we grow as different individuals with different thinking
and liking due to different social, cultural, financial and other factors. We
act and react differently in different situations. Friedrich Nietzsche puts it
very nicely in these words, "At bottom every man knows well enough that he
is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will
such a marvellously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be
put together a second time.” It being so, may I request you to stand before the
mirror to see and ask yourself how and in what manner you are different from
your closest friends? Notwithstanding, we live together in family, society,
country and the world and that’s the beauty of our life.
The
well-known intuitive consultant of New Zealand Zamm Zamudio says that we are
all different. We see things differently. The things I appreciate and value may
not be the things you appreciate and value. Our beliefs might conflict. And
even if we agree on much, we perceive the world differently. All the great
persons, from Gautam Buddha to Socrates, Albert Einstein to APJ Abdul Kalam,
Maharana Pratap to Sardar Patel, Napoleon Bonaparte to Nelson Mandela, Thomas
Alva Edison to Steve Jobs, to name a few, created history by attempting their
tasks differently. One such living example is the present Prime Minister of our
country. Interestingly, if you just see around you would also find the winners
who have been performing and living their life differently.
It
is worth remembering that you are a human being and not a machine. Yes, you are
having your own laboratory inside you to experiment, create, innovate,
improvise and in the process discover your true potential and act suitably. The
American author, poet, film maker and philosopher Suzy Kassem opines that being
different and thinking different makes a person unforgettable. History does not
remember the forgettable. So true. Before discussing this subject further, let
me share with you these thought-provoking lines written by an unknown author:
‘We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose
our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances
of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the
time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we
do choose how we live.’ So true!
The
other day while watching a news channel, a traffic constable was shown to
perform his duty very sincerely but differently. He was shown to escort an old
couple to cross the road safely. Actually, they were trying to cross that busy
road, but were unable to do so due to fear or risk factor. The constable saw
their situation and came forward on his own and helped them with a wide smile.
The news channel also played a clip of that constable where he was helping a
school girl to repair her bicycle to enable the girl to reach her home
comfortably. Let us take another example. There is a pediatrician who treats
the children very differently. Normally children cry and often cry loudly when
medicine is injected to them, but this doctor first plays and sings for a few
seconds with the children and makes them laugh and then gives the injection in
a subtle manner which the children are not conscious of. This different
approach makes everybody – child, parents and doctor feel good. These are not
the only examples of the people doing their job dutifully and differently for
the good of the society at large. Yes, they need to be appreciated.
All the discoveries, inventions and innovations have been the results of thinking and doing things differently, whether it is the theory of gravity, theory of evolution, Quantum theory, Electromagnetic theory, theory of general relativity, Germ theory of disease, Big Bang theory and many others. So, APJ Abdul Kalam says, “My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards.”
As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, I request you to post your comments to share your valuable opinion. (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)
# Published in my Sunday Column of "Morning India" daily. # Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)
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