BETWEEN TWO OPTIONS

Impractical Expectations

MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD (died 1958) wrote about himself: ‘People did not give due appreciation to my abilities.’ Maulana Azad recognized that he had certain abilities, but regretted that people failed to recognize them and hence were not utilised.

Maulana Azad was not alone in thinking so. History has many people who felt that their skills and abilities were not truly appreciated and utilised, and left this world with this feeling. Such people seemed, on the face of it, to have complaints against others; but in fact, they alone are responsible for how they felt.

In such matters people have just two options. One is to accept an establishment made by someone else. The other is to create one’s own world and to live in it the way one wants to. There is no third option.

History has many people who felt that their skills and abilities were not truly appreciated and utilised, and left this world with this feeling.

This world is competitive. It is impractical to expect others to realize your value and relate to you the way you want them to. Nothing of this sort happens with anyone. The best you can hope is for others to acknowledge your deeds.

In this world, no one else can do your work. As the saying goes, “Do or die!” You cannot be in between.