"Tomorrow is my last exam Dad."
"Great, and I can see that you have been studying very hard over the last so many months."
"Yes Dad, but tomorrow, it will all be over. And the result is out in another 10 days. I am really excited."
"You should be!! So, lets go out tomorrow and celebrate once you are done with your last exam."
"Sure, but Dad, result will take another 10 days."
"That's fine. Our celebration has nothing to do with the results."
"What does that mean Dad? I mean, what if I do not get the first rank? Our celebrations can never be the same in that case Dad."
"So what, We we will not be going to celebrate results, we will be going to celebrate your effort dear."
"Celebrate effort? But everyone wants to know the result, not the effort Dad. I mean, it is the result that matters after all. So, why should we not celebrate results, and celebrate the effort instead?"
"Reason is simple dear...You can only control your effort, but the result is in someone else's hand."
"Means?"
"See, when you prepare for an exam, the preparation and effort is in your hands - the way you plan, the way you get organised, the hard work you do for the entire year, the way you execute your plan, the way you strategise - almost everything is in your hands - and if you have prepared well, you have done your part of the role."
"And our result depends on our preparation, isn't it?" She was quick to state.
"Yes definitely, our preparation is one of the inputs that determine our results. But that is all it is...just "one" of the inputs."
"And what are the other inputs?"
"So many of them....the mood of the teacher who sets the examination paper, the mood of the teacher who checks your answer sheets, even to the extent that the level of the student whose exam answer sheet was checked just before yours, and then there are so many other factors which you just do not control dear.."
"Hmmm..."
"Therefore, we should just be satisfied if we had made a good attempt and preparation. Our happiness should never be linked to the result..because our result may not always be a true reflection of our effort, and therefore, our capability."
"You seem to be right Dad."
"So, we are going out tomorrow. I see that you have worked hard, planned and executed well for your exams, and that is what we want to celebrate. You are already a winner in our eyes..results may or may not be in line with that."
"Get your point Dad. We will go tomorrow."
We booked the latest flick in the town. We started 15 minutes before time from our house. Everyone was excited for the movie. The songs were already a great hit. As we were driving towards the cinema hall, As destiny was to have it, we got stuck in a completely unexpected jam on the way. The jam looked bad.
I was getting slightly agitated, but then my daughter kept her hand on my lap and said,
"Dad, that's OK."
"No, but we might miss our movie. We booked it in advance and we were out of our house just at the right time for it."
"I understand Dad. And that's all that matters, isn't it?"
"Means?"
Whether we are able to reach on time or not, whether we miss the movie or not, all that is not really that relevant. We planned it well, and executed it well. The result is not always in our hands anyways - just like the traffic situation here. Isn't it Dad?"
I smiled, and relaxed.
I was stunned, amused but happy that a lesson has been so well learn, so quickly. That's what children can do to you. They can surprise you with the speed at which they can learn new things. These life skills will help them lead much more happier lives in future. It was time for a bigger celebration !!
The book Happiness Unlimited shows you many such lessons to lead a happier, contended life.
Cheers
Manoj Arora
Stay happy.... always !!
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