Yes-to-No

There are a number of occasions in everyone's life, I am sure, where we come to a decision of saying No but never actually do so… And the reason almost always is a fear of loosing something not-good-to-be-lost...

Exactly in a same situation I am and still failing to announce a No as yet… Price at stake: my job…

That reminds me of a story… A story that I was told repeatedly as a child… I failed to understand the substance of that story as a matter of practicality till I have started coming across these Yes-to-No situations… I am still under the impression that trivial particulars linked to influential people & great leaders are deeply embroidered for commons… But sooner or later, I’ll know why!

Coming back to the story - a simple story… of a child… of a student and a teacher… of commands and retaliations… of Yes’ and No’s… A student (just like me!) was once asked to clean-up “shenganchi tarfale” as he was pointed tossing those in class, by his teacher… A reply was a courageous No… why a No? ‘Cause he didn’t do the mess… someone else did…! He had to take a beating from his teacher, but never did clear the mess which was not his responsibility at first place… must have taken a lot of guts… (Esp. with conformist Indian schools of 19th century!)

I always thought that the story has become legendary because the child was none other than a great Indian leader, scholar, Nationalist, revolutionary and freedom-fighter लोकमान्य बाळ गंगाधर टिळक… But seems like I was wrong (as most of the times!)… The story is legendary by itself for a Yes-to-No factor in it… It really takes a lot to give a No when you are afraid of loosing something… and it’s not a person that made this story so celebrated but it’s his personality that did… Yes-to-No personality…

Well… I gotto run somewhere cutting this short… Actually, to make somebody believe it’s even worth a job to say Yes-to-a-definite-No…!!