The end

"It will be over before your ad break", pleaded hubby as I stopped at Sony Max when I was flipping between the final over of a not-so-interesting IPL match and the climax of an unheard old movie. It was only then did my grey cells start setting to think hard on how obsessive we were to know THE END of anything and everything. More importantly, it is the result that matters irrespective of performance.


As suggested in a Tamil movie, in a race, the winner is one who reaches the end line first, not the one who leaves the start line first. Similarly in examinations, the highest scorer in the final exam is deemed to be the most brilliant student irrespective of the year-long performances. We are judged based on the end result. If so, what is the plight of a person who had put his maximum efforts all his time but couldnot perform adequately on d-day due to unforeseen circumstances? What if a director had spun an exciting plot with interesting characters but made a mistake in presenting the perfect climax? Sadly, these people are neglected by the society.


Maybe they are equally responsible for their failures in life. A certain level of smartness is required surely. Ramanujan could get recognized for his mathematical contributions because of his network of professors and friends. Shakunthala Devi was not that fortunate. Anna Hazare could gain media attention by roping in eminent personalities in various fields for his cause. Irom Sharmila has not learnt it yet.


If you think they were not smart, wait a minute. Had we learnt the techniques used for rapid mathematical calculations from Shakunthala or strongly supported the fight against AFSPA with Sharmila, our country would have had much more acceptance in the global arena. WE are the ones who lacked the smartness to harness our resources.


Having said all that, I would consider success not in terms of the goals achieved but in terms of the tough fight fought. It is not just the destination but the journey with memorable moments and learnings for generations to come that would make our short stay in this planet worthwhile.