You are Krishna!! You are Unique!!

I am recounting a story I heard a friend share with colleagues at office. This was his farewell speech on his last day with the company. The copyright for this story is truly his. He will have this and many more such tales published in his own book of life. I am borrowing this story as it touched my heart....this is a story I want to remember.

My friend's father is an upright, righteous and straight forward officer of the Indian Administrative Services. In this age of corruption, as my friend puts it, he is proud to say that his father did not build his own house. In a day and age where there are many in the civil services who have multiple houses made of their second income, this talks a lot about the man's character. My friend's siblings were extraordinarily brilliant in school and college. They did well in terms of education and jobs. My friend, though a hardworking student was not the topper of the class. He got whatever he did in life through a lot of effort. Nothing came easy or on the platter.

My friend had ambitions of getting into the Indian Administrative Service following his father's footsteps. However, on his first attempt, he failed and was very depressed. He walked up to his father and in his depression shared the sense of unfairness he felt after all his efforts came to naught. He asked "Father, why is it that it is always me who misses out? Why is it that my brothers and sisters have it so easy with school? Why do they have it so easy with the best jobs? Why is it that they are so fair, charming and smart, while I am not? Why is this whole world going against me?" His father replied, " It is not that you are not fair, charming or smart. You, my son, are different. You are unique. You are Krishna!!". His father celebrated differences and taught my friend these values too. This shook my friend out of his self-pity and gave him courage to face the world. Today, he is a top honcho in a well respected corporate and doing very well for himself.

He learnt one thing from that evening with his father. Celebrate differences. Play to your strengths and bide your time. Good things happen if you will only let it. Good things happen if you believe in yourself and in the difference you make. And all this without falling into a trap, without ever falling into a never-ending cycle of self-pity. Thank you my friend for sharing this lesson.