Sometime in 2002.
A 10-year old with his mother was looking for the latest Triple-H rank one trump card. Now since, playing trump card was considered as big as a crime as intoxication of some kind, it had to be done in utter secrecy. While the mother was busy bargaining with the shopkeeper for the shirt, the boy goes to the adjacent shop and gets the triple-H trump card. His mother feels a weird sudden change on his face. Unable to understand it, she asks him to stand and measures the length of the shirt on his back. But the kid has nothing much to do with the shirt, he is really proud of his new trump card possession. Things done in secrecy could even then, get done without much issues.
After coming out from the dress shop, the duo walked across the cycle store. The kid had an immense love for Hawk cycles. He asks his mom one. His mom, just akin to any other mother figure said, this isn’t enough for you, we will get you a better one when it’s your birthday. The kid thought it was a good assurance. After all, waiting for a few days for an even better thing is all kids want. So the kid went to the market with two desires – a secret hidden desire of buying trump cards at a price which was well within his reach and the other an open desire of having a cycle, which was way beyond his personal capacity. The secret desire was fulfilled while the one which required assistance was postponed (apparently) saying a better thing was waiting in the near future.
This is a common phenomenon that happens with nearly most of us. Often the things that we really need (not want) are denied to us or taken away saying that a better thing is waiting for us (in the near future). We all know that better thing or the better tomorrow never comes. Sometimes people around us and specially those who tell us that there are better things waiting for you in the near future and that you really deserve much more than this, forget or overlook that a fish does not need any thing more than water. Wherever you take it, the water will be something that the fish will remember, if not succumb to its absence.
I was nearly 13 years old when I got disqualified in the first NSTSE (National Science Talent Search Examination), probably ’05. I had worked hard for it, but I could not even qualify the initial screening. I was really heartbroken, but the teachers consoled me saying that the better was yet to come. I agreed. In that same year, I appeared for NSTSE again and secured an AIR 252. I realised that the better had come. But then I also did realise that this one maybe with “a better score” is not actually better than securing a rank in the “first” attempt. The people who could secure within the first attempt were applauded while those the next year were felicitated by just principal distributing certificates in the office. That’s the difference it makes.
However and whatsoever number of times, people say, the best is yet to come – Remember one thing – What exist now will never come back. We have heard that “time and tide wait for none”. So, if they don’t wait for anyone, why would the time wait for giving you a better moment at a later stage. What is gone is gone. It will never come back. That kid who dreamt for the Hero Hawk cycle and riding that to go the friends place with his favourite wrestler Triple-H- on the 1st position, that feeling is something he will never have. What is gone is gone.
So the next time you try to console someone, don’t say the “best is yet to come”. I will tell you it really doesn’t matter if the best will come. What is gone now will never come. That void will remain. Ever. Instead try saying, “look what is gone is gone, now move ahead. There are OTHER things ahead in life”. Now they are better, best of worse, let the time decide.
Give me a feedback if you feel the same and share your favorite lines (if any). Share the rant with people who are habituated to saying, “the best is yet to come”. Lol.
Always Ranting, Rantzaada.
The 11 o' clock diary 