The Mystery Called Life!

Quite some time ago, a friend of mine called and complained non-stop about his boss. ‘Rakshas hein rakshas, juice nikhal deta hein! (in Hindustani, a fiend who drinks your blood!). Kabhi kabhi man karta hein, bhag jaon yahan se (feel like running away from here!). Like in all such situations at work place, he also had a ‘friend’ to pour his heart out (apart from ‘tele’ friends like me). Since it was some time since we had spoken, I rang him up to say ‘hi!’ He almost broke down on the phone. Here is what he told me.

His sister was due to be married and everything had been arranged. As the marriage was to be solemnized in the groom’s city, a bus was arranged to convey the bride and family to that place. The joyous melee in the bus turned into a nightmare enroute. Driver lost control and banged into a huge tree. Apart from others, the bride got crushed between two seats. The rest was mayhem.

An sos was flashed for the treatment. Some help came from here and there. The ‘trusted’ friend of his office was no where to be seen. Considerable money was locked up as advances to the hotel, marriage hall, caterers, et al. He was in a spin.

And then the ‘rakshas’ appeared in the hospital. After confabulations with the doctors, he handed them a cheque sufficient to see her through o her health. As the dumbfounded friend kept looking on, the ‘rakshas’ wagged a finger at him before leaving and told him to rejoin duty the day she is stable!

‘Yaar, mein jaan bhi dei dun uske liye, tho bhi khum hoga (I can even give my life for him, friend). Bloody hell, to think that I was cursing him all the time those days!’

Human beings are the most complicated things that God ever made. Though HE is supposed to be in every thing, how He will manifest, what He is capable of doing and in whose heart you will find His reflection – well, that perhaps is the mystery called life!

The 'Friendly Colleague'!

It was quite interesting. I mean the way two colleagues were vying with each other to have the boss’s complete attention. Competition in the office and professional jealousy is something that most of us live with everyday. Some of us cope with and some loose out. At the end of the day, however, one finds that the winner is actually equal to the loser (or vice versa).

There are reasons for saying so.

First, look at what every boss actually needs. He needs out put and achievement of goals. If one thinks that he became boss just to fulfill his personal needs, well, there are better myths to believe. He was an achiever and therefore he reached! He knows that you also want to reach and it is but natural that you have to achieve first.

Second, look at what you need. If you are looking for a life long friend by cozying up to your boss, well, it is better you give it a second thought. There are better avenues to make friends. Honestly, you are actually looking for becoming a boss your self. There is nothing wrong in that, by the way. Every reasonable man must want to grow. It is just that you got to work to become what you want to be!

So how do we balance these aspects. Simple –

First, be a professional in your field.

Second, be nice and courteous to your boss.

Third, remember, he wants results more than friendship.

Fourth and last, if it so happens that you do become friends, consolidate the relationship by all means (after all good friends are hard to come by!), but do not mix work with friendship!!