Defining Success

Continuing from where I left off last time, with a loaded question on the definition of success….

I apologize for being so hopelessly moralizing, but certain things don’t fade from the mind so easily, especially when the reality of life strikes you so hard in times like these. And what a blessing this blog is, for some like me to dump all woes, disburse thoughts and voice views! It provides fomentation to the thought-swollen, fatigued mind and a lurching spirit. It feels like going out to the end of the universe and bawling your lungs out, with no one to chide, no one to take offence, no one to be pleased.
Now to the point…
Yesterday, a metro bridge under construction fell in Delhi. That admittedly is nothing new in a country where rampant corruption almost guarantees public disasters of this kind. Nor is the resignation of someone at the helm owning responsibility so rare in a country where such acts have become if not pure charades, at least mediocre stunts.
But what set the resignation of the grand old Rail man (I am so tempted to call him India’s Dagny Taggart) E. Sreedharan in the wake of the bridge collapse in Delhi is the manner in which the nation responded to his uncompromising stance to quit. The nation stood up in unison to back Mr. Sreedharan, to absolve him of any responsibility for the slovenliness at the work site, and there was not a single soul that wanted him nailed for what had happened. What a refreshing contrast to instances where the public sentiment generally bays for the blood of the helmsman after such occurrences!
Held in unparalleled esteem by an entire nation not just for his technical prowess, but also for his absolute integrity and a spotless career, Mr. Sreedharan stood tall as a true leader who the people could not dispense with. A nation could not let its dreams come crashing behind a collapsed bridge and it chanted paeans to his ethical probity in unequivocal tones. The Delhi government lost no time in refusing him leave, for where would it go to find a replacement to such unmatched amalgam of competence and complete honesty? What a rarity to be found these days in high places!
This is success. Unadulterated. Inspiring. The kind that wins you admiration brought by immaculate reputation. The kind that makes you an icon for what you are than for what you have acquired in terms of countables. The kind where, not a blot, nor a blame comes between you and your lifetime. The kind that makes you utterly indispensible to an entire population.

I have found today, one example of success to live by. My search for more will continue..