THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

 

Read a wonderful anonymous piece on whatsapp the other day.I thought of developing the same and carry it forward.In distress and dilemma a human being is a fall back seeker.Friends,family,colleagues,gurus,peers……we seek solace and guidance.

To help you to come out of stress, one friend will ask you to drink and another will ask you to meditate.

To overcome hurt, one will ask you to take revenge and get even, and another will ask you to forgive and get ahead with your life. ‘Who is your fallback’ makes a huge  difference.

Duryodhana’s predicament is defining.He says:, “I know what is right but I am not able to indulge in it. I know what is wrong but I am not able to avoid it.” His fallback was his uncle Shakuni…we know the rest.

Arjuna too was in a predicament . His filial affiliations CREATED AN INERTIA  to dominate his sense of duty, and hence upholding righteousness was seemingly a task beyond him.. He needed a fallback. His fallback was Krishna; and again…we know the rest.

 ‘Who is your fallback’ makes all the difference.The fallback need not be a person….it can be a book,a thought,a story….anything capable of influencing our heart and mind.

A MAN IS KNOWN BY THE COMPANY HE KEEPS,so the saying goes.

Choose Well .

P.S.

As far as people go, people help you the way they know to help you.My favorite is my MENTOR THEORY. Mentoring in Europe has existed since at least Ancient Greek times, and roots of the word go to Mentor, son of Alcimus in Homer's Odyssey. Though the actual Mentor in the story is a somewhat ineffective old man, the goddess Athena takes on his appearance in order to guide young Telemachus in his time of difficulty.

To me,a mentor is A FRIEND,PHILOSOPHER and GUIDE….wisened by experience,enlightened in the subject,success being a mere side product ,competence being his byword,brilliance his signature line,last man standing against adversities,refreshingly unbiased,and hurtfully truthful and committed to you.Professional,personal,emotional…the real fallback guy.THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND SUCH. Else we know the story of Eklavya.Passion,commitment ,innate talent,indistractable…going where none has gone before….driven by just an image of the guru.The man who defeated Arjuna. Just don’t give your right thumb when you meet your  Dronacharya finally!

An idea,a book,a thought,a song,a movie….all give us fallback moments.All you need to do is to create a life library out of it….keep a journal…you will be on your way…if not a fallback guy,you will have a fallback journal.Its priceless.I should know.I have one.