Beyond the Finish Line

A child is born into this world every second. He goes through an upbringing shaped by the circumstances and capabilities of his parents. Some are born with a golden spoon, and for some, even a spoon is a luxury. However, each child comes with a purpose — a destiny waiting to be fulfilled. Some enjoy all the luxuries in life, and some are not so fortunate. Opportunities come to many; some grab them with both hands, while others, for reasons of their own, let them slip away. And within a few years, they bloom into adults — some carrying the burden of the past, while some learn to walk their way through thick and thin. All are fighters. They have to reach somewhere. Whether they are successful or not, that is not entirely in their hands.

Now this is where I have a problem. And this is not limited to me alone. I have seen this happen with my generation, and the one before, and the one after. Be it at school, university, work, or sport — every soul puts in its best to achieve a goal. Some have it easy, some not so much, and some eventually stop caring. But those who set their eyes on a goal put in their blood and sweat to cross that finishing line. Yet in every sphere of life, there is only one winner. The rest come in second.

What is this worldly obsession with winners? Why are only the winners celebrated? Are the journeys of the rest not worthy enough? Why are they not given the appreciation they deserve? They have put in almost the same effort as the winner — sometimes even more — it’s just that they were a little late in crossing that finishing line.

It irks me when the efforts of such finishers go unrecognized. I have seen many go through this, and I can relate to it. Some take it with a pinch of salt and set their eyes on the next goal, repeating the same grind again and again. Some are fortunate enough to cross the finish line first. And some get so dejected that they abandon all their hard work and eliminate all future goals.

I wish to see a world where every effort and every success — be it minute or gigantic — is celebrated and applauded. A world where we acknowledge that every failure, every setback, is a pillar towards success. A world where every being matters. Because sometimes, just one word of acknowledgement can make a world of difference.