Directionless!!!

“Your biggest competition is with those, who do not have the knowledge or skill that you possess. You might have the best skills needed but they have smartness to prove you wrong. You might have all the knowledge to prove your point but they have the skill not to let you speak. You might be good but they will make you lose confidence on you. Till date you competed with your friends who are learning the same skill that you are learning. But now the situation is different. Your journey starts here to compete with those who are of not your type. I wish you all the best and there is no question answer session after this. Now your questions must be directed to the world and your answer will come in the form of experience.” , Principal of the engineering college spoke his last few words of wisdom to the students graduating from college. A grand non-alcoholic party followed this and couple of friends went to the hidden spot to start their alcoholic party. I had no difficulty in choosing which one to go as my mind and soul both were in agreement. Manu my friend was with me and we had started our career discussion while others were busy with remembering all challenging yet memorable days they spent in college.

Manu was a bright young man. He was sincere and very hardworking, I always saw him as my ideal but never followed him because it was hard to follow. He had cleared all examinations that would guaranty his stability for next 2-3 years. I never appeared any examination for further studies and wherever dared to appear, failed badly, so I became unstable the moment college disowned me. No future certainty, no answer to parents questions, no clear cut plans made me feel very week. I was silent and not able to speak, where Manu continued sharing his great plans which had little chances of facing failure. We finished our party sometime close to midnight. Some other friends who were equally bright as Manu, called Manu for a plan to go to their post graduation college together. I found myself odd man here and I walked to the hostel alone.

On my way I found one middle-aged person sitting on the culvert. It was surprising to find somebody sitting there at midnight. I went to the person and asked him, “Who are you? Why are you sitting here at this hour?”. Not sure if I would have done this if I would not have been drunk.

He said without turning his face towards me, “How will it help you if I answer your question?”. I said, “Not sure!!! I feel you may help me find my direction and define my future”. “Are you sure? You feel like this? I do not look like anybody who can make anybody’s future.”.

I laughed and said, “When you are directionless and hopeless, anybody can give you direction and hope. It’s easy. When you have choice you need to be careful. So, I am sure that I feel you can help me in finding a direction.”

He turned his face towards me and said, “You are the person I was waiting for since past several years. I am sure if you would not have drunk, you would still have asked me this.”. I was awe shocked to see the person. He was none other than our principal. Effect of alcohol vanished in a snap and I was dumbfounded.

He said, “I am giving the same lecture on every farewell party since past one decade and sitting here and waiting for one student to come to me. But I found nobody till date. I was watching to see who is confident and who is overconfident. I see almost everybody is overconfident about their future and they know what they want to do next. That is the problem. At this early age if you are so confident about your direction, then you are going to go directionless at some later stage in life. That would be more dangerous. I want students to find themselves helpless, directionless and  confused. I want them to find opportunity in every nook and corner. I want them to confidently make eye contact with the strange problems and not to ignore or get scared of them. I want them to struggle. And, I am happy to see such attributes in you. My only advice to you is, you are in the right direction. Good Luck.”, He went and sat in his car which was parked few meters away.

Namaste!!!

– Stray Dog