I am what I am

I would rather be disliked
for what I AM,
than liked
for what I AM NOT...

Change is the only thing that is permanent...

Without change, chances r we'll be kicked out of the race...

But there is a huge difference between the changes intitated by ourselves for ourselves compared to the changes that r initiated by ourselves necessarily for 'others'....

The number of ppl who change themselves to impress others and someothers who change bcoz they managed to reach a certain level of success continues to amaze me.....

I am also astounded by the number of ppl who will stoop to underhanded tactics to achieve their goals n dreams... Integrty n ethics seem to be sadly disappearing from some ppl's lives....

I have certain beliefs n i am not going to change them on my journey towards success... If i have to 'sell my soul' or, to put it another way, compromise the essence of who i am, to reach success, then i think it really is not worth the compromise...

Talking about change i am reminded of a beautiful story here....

Once Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was sitting near a river. He noticed a scorpion on the surface of the water, fighting for its life. Without a second thought, he ran to the water and tried lifting it from the water… but when he tried lifting it, the scorpion stung him a couple of times. Unable to bear the pain he let the scorpion fall inside the water again. While he was holding his hand in pain he saw the scorpion drowning further down the river. He put his hand inside the water and lifted the scorpion again and ran near the edge of the river to save it but again it stung him a couple of times. He had to drop the scorpion again. But still without losing heart he grabbed a twig that was drifting nearby to lift the scorpion from the water and saved it.

A disciple who was watching all this asked Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. “Oh great master, I had been watching you trying to save the scorpion. But without a hint of gratitude the scorpion had been stinging u back every time u tried saving it. Y did u have to save it at all?”

For this the great master replied saying, “It is my nature and my duty to save people from distress. It is the nature of the scorpion and its duty to sting anyone who goes near it. So when the scorpion did not try changing its nature and give up on its duty just bcoz I was saving it, y should I change and give up on mine just bcoz the scorpion was stinging me?”

When i heard this story, something shifted inside me... Something that is very basic and human which makes us to change ourselves depending on the situation and the reaction of others....

I can understand that in today's world it is highly difficult to lead a life without change... There r even so many management books encouraging us to be flexible which i vouch for wholeheartedly...

But let us learn to draw the line between being flexible and not fluctuate.

Let us be refined but not redefined.

Let the changes not dilute the very essence of our soul and what we are inside.