Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans-photo by Unsplash
Life is often said to be full of surprises, but sometimes those surprises take the form of profound ironies that leave us questioning the very nature of our existence. Today, I want to share with you the real joke of my life, a journey of aspirations, setbacks, and ultimately, unexpected realizations.
I term it to be the joke of my life because only after I attained 60 years I could realise that it is quite natural for everyone to toil hard for his dreams to be achieved within a stipulated time frame as per his stage in life. Now, despite putting in all efforts for your dreams to be achieved if by any chance you come out to be an exception to that and did not get what you wanted-you must not get into any depression or sadistic mood. Yes, one thing is but natural and that is to get angry with yourself or lose cool for some time. I could also realise the same way during my earlier phases of life since I could not become a doctor as I tried my best to get the admission in Medical.
My youthful aspirations:
It all began in 1979 when I harboured the dream of becoming a doctor. I had worked tirelessly to secure admission to a medical college in my home state, believing that my hard-earned marks would pave the way for my future. However, fate had other plans.
In 1979, I had to apply for the admission in the medical college in my home state. I had secured sufficient marks, which would have made my admission as per merit normally. Since there were different quotas fixed for the admission and the government had conducted an interview for the Same-I was not selected in the normal procedure. There were quite a few people who had marks but did not find their names on the selection list.
Most of the students filed writs in the High court whereas we were four students with higher marks who jointly filed the writ in the Supreme court of India, thinking our case would be stronger and the Apex court would be giving a fair decision in our favour. I still remember those days my mother being a single parent to me and my little sister had to encash the FD prematurely, which she had saved in adverse times to give the heavier fee of our Advocate of the apex court. Our advocate, Mr. A D Singh, was a known advocate those days, and he had convinced all four of us that the case would come in our favour only and it was just a matter of time.
Now the Apex court also took two to three sittings for our case, so the time was getting extended and the new year session had to start immediately. During this period only merely based on our case going on in the Apex court, the students in the high court were given the provisional admission in the medical college till the Apex court judgement came.
The Irony Unfolds:
There were exactly 56 students who had filed their writs in the High court of J& K State of India. Surprisingly, all the cases were being filed in the High court based on our writ of four filed in the Apex Court. As the luck would have it, all these 56 students were given the provisional admission by the state government merely on the plea that they had to start the new session and had requested the MCI to give the special sanction for the extended seats of 56 students whose cases were being fought in the High court mainly on the Supreme Court case being heard during those days. Whereas we four who had filed the case in Supreme court had to wait till the final judgement came.
Although the judgement came in our favour and the students were to be taken purely based on merit, the state government did not heed any attention to that judgement and there was a contempt of court. As a result, all those 56 students were adjusted by the state government and regularised, whereas we were left high and dry.
As fate would have it, our victory in court proved hollow, as the wheels of bureaucracy continued to turn against us. While others were granted provisional admission, we languished in uncertainty, watching our dreams slip away. Forced to adapt, we veered into different paths, embracing unforeseen opportunities amidst the wreckage of shattered dreams.
Time changes drastically and you learn a lesson:
Therefore, with the passage of time, all four of us went into different streams and I started serving in a pharma company.
It was exactly after four decades when I was about to get retired. I was working in the multinational pharma company. I came across one of my old college mate who had taken the provisional admission. She had become the head of the department and I had met her in connection with my medicines’ supply to her medical college and attached hospital.
I was feeling very much defeated and depressed in front of her only because I never gave any such importance to her in the past merely because she was not worth it looking at her overall calibre. Maybe this was my immaturity and my way of thinking was too much vindictively poised that I could not help control myself.
Although I behaved very well and showed all the humility and affection because of her that time but in the heart of hearts I was feeling very sad as if I had lost something precious long ago and I was still repenting for the same. Most importantly, for no fault of mine.
Conclusion:
It was after almost forty years I realised that whatever happened, it happened for the good and I had no option but to term it as the joke happening to me in my earlier career building phase. In hindsight, I’ve come to understand that life’s twists and turns, however ironic they may seem, often lead us to unexpected destinations. What I once deemed as a joke played on me by fate, I now see as a lesson in resilience and acceptance.
As the adage goes, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” My journey, filled with its share of ups and downs, has taught me that destiny has a way of revealing itself on paths unknown to us.
FAQs
1. How did the author’s aspirations shape his life journey?
The author’s dream of becoming a doctor set the course for his early ambitions, but unforeseen challenges redirected his path towards a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
2. What role did the legal system play in the author’s journey?
The author and three others sought justice through the legal system after being denied admission to medical college despite meeting merit requirements. However, the outcome left them disillusioned with the system’s ability to uphold fairness.
3. How did encountering an old college mate impact the author’s perspective?
Meeting an old acquaintance who had achieved success in her chosen field served as a catalyst for the author’s introspection, leading to a realization about the futility of holding onto past grievances.
4. What lessons did the author learn from his life’s journey?
The author learned the importance of resilience, acceptance, and the unpredictability of life’s twists and turns. He came to understand that destiny often reveals itself in unexpected ways.
5. How does the author view the ironic events of his life in retrospect?
Despite initially perceiving life’s ironies as a joke played on him by fate, the author now sees them as valuable lessons that have shaped his journey and contributed to personal growth.
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