Who is successful?
I had a discussion with my friends over the weekend, and the topic of good grades in schools arose. My friend reminded me of our classmates who were toppers in the class. He asked me, “Where are they now? They are nowhere to be seen now.” He implied that though they were academically successful, they are not successful in real life. I didn’t say much, but I started thinking that It was quite possible, someone who didn’t do too well in academics could do better in real life situations. I believe The grades in school do not reflect the true potential of an individual, as the school system measures only a small fraction of the intelligence spectrum. Real life situations require a lot more than language and math skills.
Then it started bothering me that If money were the measure of success, my school teacher who taught me, was he considered not successful, as he didn’t make a lot of money by teaching us; the rmp doctor who treated me when I was sick, was he a failure as he didn’t charge my parents a hefty fee. My grandma who told me countless stories and listened to my silly stores had very little money, was she a failure?
Can money really measure a person’s success in life?
Then I remembered Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote on success:
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Raj H.
Raj's Ranch 