It is more meaningful when we humbly accept whatever comes our way, while blindly trusting the hand that has given us this beautiful life and this experience (The author is an Evangelist of Human Spirit, a Performance Enhancement Coach and a Reputation Consultant. He can be reached at avis@imagequity. in ; http://sixsigmaforthesoul.blogspot.com)
MY cousin was promoted last year to the middle-management of the HR function of her organisation. She never relished the opportunity when it came to her. Reason? She had been a career accounts person and did not think she fitted the bill in HR. She lamented that she lacked both qualification and experience in HR. She wanted to stay with her specialisations: book-keeping, documentation and process compliance. For the first few weeks in the new role, she sulked; trying to avoid responsibility or postponing important business travel or finalisation of her goals.
The company's CEO, who had, in fact, recommended her for the promotion, summoned her and requested clarity on why she was resisting this opportunity. My cousin presented her case saying she felt her career was in jeopardy. Unmoved, her CEO went on to outline the reasons why my cousin was chosen for the HR role: "You have great people skills. We value your ability to resolve interpersonal and interdepartmental issues to get work done. We need a face for HR. We could not have found a better person even if we had head-hunted.
Finally, in accounts, you would have remained an officer, but in HR, you could rise to being a CEO." My cousin got the point. She worked hard and has since been promoted again as DGM, HR.
The moral: When we accept what comes our way, there is joy and fulfillment. Let me further explain this truism through a story that I learnt from Osho's readings.
A slave had served his Master faithfully for years. So diligent was he that the Master rewarded him by taking him along on a tour of the Amazon jungles. They camped at night and walked, exploring nature's pristine beauty, during the day . The loyal slave never failed in his duty to his Master even though the trip was his reward. He would feed his Master, make his bed and keep him warm at nights by stoking the bonfire.
Impressed further by his service, one day at lunch time, when they both spotted a big, exquisite, colorful fruit, the Master insisted that the slave have the fruit first. When the slave was shy to take up his offer, the Master said, "My dear son, you have served me well. Go on, eat this rare fruit first, and give me a small portion at the end." The slave reluctantly agreed. And had a go at the juicy fruit. As he devoured the first few slices, the Master asked him how it was.
And the slave replied: "Extra-delicious". A few more slices later, the Master again asked him how it was and the slave gave the same reply . Big fruit that it was, larger than a pumpkin, the Master got the same reply time after time. Soon, more than threefourths of the fruit had been eaten by the slave and the Master began to worry that he would not get to taste it. "Slaves will be slaves," he thought, "Selfish and greedy ."
Losing his patience finally, the Master snatched the last slice from the slave and bit into it. He shrieked in horror throwing the slice away . It was the bitterest fruit he had ever tasted in all his life. He looked at his slave in dismay and asked him: "But didn't you say it was extra-delicious?
Didn't you seem to be enjoying it? How and why, my son? Explain." "Master," replied the slave, "All my life you have looked after me. Whatever u have given me has only enriched you have given me has only enriched my life. So, when you gave me this fruit to eat, its bitter taste did not matter to me at all. I just blindly trusted the hand that gave me the fruit."
Huge learning there from the slave's attitude to life and his Master. There's great joy in accepting. Let's stop resisting life's vicissitudes. It is more meaningful when we humbly accept whatever comes our way, while blindly trusting the hand that has given us this beautiful life and this experience.