A couple of months back, in a small accident, I fractured my shoulder. The independent person in me suddenly found myself restricted by many boundaries. The smallest things like driving a car were impossible for me due to this which confined my movements. Also, the extra outfit called the shoulder immobilizer acted as another hurdle while going out. Still, I could manage a trip during Diwali with my family and another Trip to Alibaug with office buddies. However, such things impact the psyche of any person in a subtle way even though others may not be able to see, on the face of it. The fractured shoulder made me realize again how it's very easy to break something but difficult to join. It would have taken hardly 30 seconds for the left humerus of greater tuberosity to fracture, but it will take more than three months for the bone to join completely. Since this is a bone, it can join and heal with time. But there are certain things that cannot join once broken, like relations or friendships.
On the philosophical side, If I may say, things
get worse with time if not mended purposely. I remember when I was in college,
some of my mechanical engineering buddies always used to talk about breaking
each other bones for trivial reasons. And some of those got their own bones
broken during some worse fights just as we have seen in movies like RHTDM.
Since I was representing the college in cultural fests then, I was a bit away
from these ugly fights. I used to think that picking up fights was an easier
but a destructive option. However, it's very difficult to channel our energies
during college days for a constructive purpose. The Yuva Manch movement I
joined during my college days was an example of a constructive effort that gave
an opportunity for many young collegegoers like me to write for leading
newspapers. It also developed leadership skills within us and paved a way for
careers in the media sector for many of my friends then. This movement made me
realize the importance of joining people known as networking (in today's
business lingo). Recently this movement released its first edition of Diwali
magazine Jiwalag under the banner of Aamhi Yuva for which I had written an
article about 75 years of Industry in India and interviewed the Member of
Parliament, Mrs. Supriya Sule, who is the recipient of the Sansad Ratna Award.
Getting an interview with one of the busy MPs became possible just because of
the right connections and rigorous follow-up with the right people.
Twenty years back, the communication tools were
quite limited and so were the opportunities. Back then, most of my classmates
chose to go for higher studies in the absence of decent-paying jobs here.
However, one renowned company from the engineering field wanted to visit our
college for campus placements (the term was not very well known those days).
But the placement officer was not sure if he would be able to gather enough
students for the recruitment process. When I got to know this from him, I
promised him to bring at least 30 students from the available students and he
looked surprised. He asked me,
"Atul, don't you think these students would be a competition to you?"
"Sir, even though they are my competitors, they are required for the process. And I know my strengths, so I shall get the job if it's my day." I answered.
Bookish it may sound but the campus recruitment
process was attended by 40 students out of which only four could make it to the
company. Needless to mention I was among the lucky four. That's the power of
connecting and I still believe in it.
In the age of WhatsApp, it's very easy to break
up with people on the issue of politics, religion, or ideology, but connecting
with people is not so easy. So, the very message that we learned in our primary
school still holds relevant, 'todo nahi jodo'. And do respect those who take
initiative for 'jodo' or joining (No political reference please).
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