If you ever look up for help, look up to yourself

A vivid introspection, one I hope you'd enjoy reading
They say that ‘every man leads his life on his own, and no matter how many of his acquaintances can help him through troubled times, no one actually does. But the quote is telegraphed really, conveying no moral of note, unless put to test in the real world’s scheme of things. This statement is not plain black and white; there are many different shades of grey, waiting to be explored. It is one thing to say that you’re independent and can suffice your needs and/or wants, but, it’s quite another, to actually do so. For instance, we need the guidance and wisdom of our parents to learn the ways of the world, the support of our friends, to help us through torrid times, etc. So we’re all acquainted with the fact that we need various people to help us at various junctures of our lives; that we keep on denying this all throughout our lives, is a different matter.

Having said this, the problems often arise when we start depending on others a tad too much, and they start becoming an indispensable requisite for the fulfillment of our wants and desires. Now, here I’ll also like to include the want for the acclaim of our pals, colleagues etc. in our achievements. All of us, to an extent, desire to be lauded for our achievements, by others. Not for nothing, ‘success of a person is often owed more to the ones who praise his achievement’. But, then, it’s also true that a failure finds itself alone, with no one to stand by. ‘So, those who can pump you up to the ninth cloud in happier times won’t break a sweat in digging you a rut, when you screw up’. Now, does that sort of a situation deter one’s commitment towards life, and work? Well, it’s only human to feel disgusted when you fail, but, the sooner you realize a defeat has too insignificant an effect, when considering your entire life, the better it is. From each defeat you learn, and from each success, you earn, that you must always remember.

It’s an old cliché, but it often holds true “A rich man has a thousand friends, while a poor man dies alone”. Even the most intimate of people turn their backs on you, when the chips are down. Therefore, that I must say without an iota of doubt, among all our character traits, its self reliance, that separates, the best from the rest, or the men from the boys, so to speak. Its one thing to fulfill your social obligations or to help others, if need be, but, quite another to expect the same from them. The truth of the matter, my friend is that ‘what goes around doesn’t always come around’.

Though, emotional fools may argue all their lives, over this, but as a rationalist, I believe that we should consider our acquaintances or friends as phases in our lives, which keep on chopping and changing to suit our interest and needs, and only one guy, in say, a thousand has somebody to actually stand by him, in troubled times. So, if you ever feel downcast and lonely, and want to look up for help, look up to yourself. “Let them plan and let them conspire against you, let them play the game of chess. After all, once the game is over, the king and the pawns go back into the same box.”