Time versus time

All of us must have found at some point or the other certain forwards finding there way into our inbox again and again. Some of these forwards carry nice messages and even inspire us to do better.

I was enthused by one forward which through its many examples told that time whether quantified in units of a year, month, week, day, minute or second and these days perhaps even a nanosecond, is crucial. An athlete who lost a race because of half a second, a doctor who is unable to save a life because of a minute's delay in bringing the patient to the hospital and a student who fails in an exam even after months of preparation would be able to clearly tell us about the importance of time. So we should not waste our time and simply let it go.

The second forward had would-have-been-victims (belonging to a company whose premises was in the Twin Towers) of the 9/11 tragedy telling stories how they got saved because little incidents occurred which made them reach their office late. Some of these "little" things were like a man stopping for buying a band-aid for his blister, a woman's son crying and not wanting to go to school, someone missing his usual train, etc. These stories tell us that while time is important we should not fret when even after our best efforts we lose it or get delayed. We should learn to value these little though irritating (at that moment) speed breakers.

I like both the forwards and use them to inspire me depending on the occasion. To keep me on my toes on the work front I remind myself the words of the first forward. And when I happen to miss a bus and reach home/work late I console myself with the message of the second forward saying "this is where God wants me to be". It always reminds me of this quote:

Agar Bhagwaan tumhe wo nahi de rahe jo tum chahte ho
toh iska matlab hai ki Unhone tumhare liye kuch aur accha soch rakha hai.

meaning

If God is not giving you what you are asking for
then it means that He has made some other better plans for you.