Life is not like a fairytale or a typical Bollywood movie that always ends well. Life is portrayed unrealistically. In actuality, there are no ‘happily ever after’s. We don’t always get what we want. Life is full of ups and downs and we are just puppets of destiny.
Every human being on this earth has a specific goal. They work and dream to fulfil their dreams. Some are born with a full package: a good fortune, they know what they want in their life and work towards earnestly. Every individual is born with a specific talent. Cristiano Ronaldo, the professional footballer, can be a good example. What he is now is not because he was lethargic or a mere dreamer. We all dream, but he had the zeal to make it a reality. It was all because of his strong determination and commitment. At the age of 15, he was diagnosed with tachychardia, commonly known as the ‘racing heart’, in which a person’s heartbeat exceeds the normal count. Had he given up on his career back then and not had the surgery, the world would have missed a legendary footballer.
Believe in what you are and what you can achieve. If you are really good at something then you should go ahead and venture in that field. We never know what lies in our future. Don’t let laziness shatter dreams and prevent us from moving forward towards achieving our dreams. Get inspiration and be the channel of inspiration around you. Life is not an easy road where your journey will begin safely and end safely but it is full of bumping roads. At times you will feel low and at times you will fill fine. Your life begins when you start to encounter troubles in your journey and it is upon you how well you treat your problems in your way.
Life is not about what you are and what you want it to be, rather it is about what you can do with it. Life is full of thorns and unquenchable desires. The one remarkable thing which we can do with our limited time on this world is byliving a simple and righteous life. When I was in my 4th semester, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe was prescribed to us. It was about a young man Robinson Crusoe who was told by his father to study law. However, Crusoe was not interested in law. He wanted to explore different lands and become a sailor. He has his own set of misfortunes when he starts sailing, facing storms and pirates, but eventually manages to establish himself as a wealthy plantation owner in Brazil. When he decides to buy in slaves for his plantations, he sets sail again, which results in him being shipwrecked off the coast of Trinidad. He learned that he is the sole survivor and began to seek shelter and arrange for food supplies on this island, which he now dubbed it as ‘The Island of Despair’. Crusoe begins to feel more optimistic about being on the island by describing himself as its ‘king’. He masters pottery, farming, carpentry, and baking. He spent 28 years, two months, and nineteen days on the island as a castaway.
Though fictional, the novel depicts the strong determination of human beings to live and strive on this earth. Each one of us is Crusoe who is struggling for existence in some way or the other. We each have our own problems, the key here being that we must not give up, no matter how difficult the situation is that we are facing. Crusoe’s determination to live was not an easy one, however he succeeded because of sheer determination, much like Dhirubhai Ambani, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Bill Gates, and Mary Kom.
Crusoe’s success inovercoming his obstacles and controlling his environment shows the capabilities of what an individual can turn into, given they have the right willpower. We need to have a positive attitude even during the hard times of our life. As quoted by American animator and entrepreneur Walt Disney, “if you dream it, you can do it”. Life is a full package of joy, sorrow, pain, and success. It however depends on us to alter our bad times into good times. I always say ‘problem’ itself is the other name of life. Never lose hope, and know that in the history of mankind, no one has ever achieved anything through shortcuts.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr. Hewasa Lorin, Anjan Behera, Nivibo Yiki, and Kvulo Lorin. For feedback or comments please email: dot@tetsocollege.org.