“Happy in my heart”

ChhoTu wants to be successful. He is a tea stall boy.… He smiles shyly and says the yardstick of being successful is working in an office, and ringing the bell for a cup of tea…For him, success in life is a role reversal…

Amit wants to be successful. He has written his XII Boards. For him being successful in life means getting into IIT.  His big ticket for future.

Mita is fascinated by the world of glamour. For her being successful in life means being rich and famous.  

Success has different meanings to different people. Merits of different kind are necessary for the kinds of success one aspires for. But merit and networking are not ‘either or’ choices, the ability to network is a merit too, as are looks, personality, intellect, and articulation, among others. The ‘only’ other factor which is not a merit in an individual, but is crucial for success of any kind,  is luck.  

But what is success ‘in life’? Do all of us run the same race?

I think it is the story of the elephant and six blind men, AND a blind judge.

I might say that I am successful in life for I earn enough for leading an honest and comfortable middle class lifestyle. But the blind judge says no, you are a failure. While you sweat in out in Delhi summer, your neighbour holidays in Europe.

I might counter the Judge saying that I am still successful in life because my parents gave their today then for me to have an education to become financially secure and earn social respectability today. I have come a long way from where I started, that is success, though I can not still holiday in Europe. The blind judge says no, it is not from where you started, it is where you have reached. What is this animal called social respectability? It is money that defines success. More money means more success.

I keep quiet out of courtesy and deference; he is after all the judge, though he is as blind as I am.

But in my heart I feel that success in life means truthfully being able to say ‘no regrets’, and being at peace with what you have. 

__________________________________________________________________

This blog was written in response to Rajee Kushwaha's invitation to debate at

http://rajee.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/05/let-us-debate-contest-1.htm

The topic for debate was "WHAT DOES MATTER FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE ? IS IT MERIT OR NETWORKING?"