Safety of Ports or Sea of Opportunities?
Life is no different.
Caged in protective
environments and living off what has been inherited is survival, mere
existence. Repeated setbacks and failures are integral to chasing dreams and fulfilling them. Triumphs over tribulations sweeten success to no end. Poise with which setbacks are handled and the determination to get back on the
feet to persist with the fight set victors apart from the vanquished.
Setback and spring back! The innocuous catapult
has a lot to teach.
Scenes Behind Success
The pellet and the target grab
all the attention. The straining structure, stretched strings and soft seating are
seldom seen. It is the pellet’s impact that is always discussed and not what
got it there. Without untiring stems, instantaneously retracting elastic
strings and a secure seating, the pellet could have never taken flight.
It is the success
and fame of an individual that we notice, admire and envy. Success pushes the sweat and blood, toil and torment into
the shadows. Glitz
and glory, covers wounds and scars.
What better an analogy than a catapult?
The Skelton
Take a look at the catapult.
The most striking
aspect about this very rudimentary weapon is the skeletal construct consisting
of a stem, the lower straight part branching out into two hands at the top. The
stem and the two branches have to be strong enough individually and
collectively to withstand pulls. Short stems are unstable compared to longer
stems and may not generate enough throw. Long stems leverage launch better than
short ones.
The branches
symbolise the domain of our skill sets, competencies, aptitudes as well
as physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual assets. Though we may not be equally competent in
all the assets we possess, each one has to be individually strong enough to
withstand the demands made on it, internal synergies making the union better.
The main stem
represents our values and belief systems, inherited and acquired. How
deep-rooted the competencies
are in value-belief systems, dictates how well an individual can weather struggles,
stress and strain. Fickle minds, short stems, flip easy. Deep rooted value
systems help leverage unbelievable inner capacities so strong it can weather even
the most terrible of real-life storms.
Fulcrum
A crucial part of the catapult is the joint where the two branches join the main stem. Structurally, it is the fulcrum that hosts three cantilevers straining against each other. In real life, it is the decision center, the human mind where excruciating dilemmas of “to be or not to be” are hosted, churned and handled. It dictates thresholds and tolerance, decides on strive or surrender, opts between flight and fight, choose between morality and convenience, and handles conflicts and convergence. This junction belongs to both the branches and the stem.
Deceptive Looks
The catapult, without the strings, is just
a piece of dead wood. It is the elasticity of this flimsy looking pieces that allows
the catapult to gather energy and garner momentum while being stretched. Under stress
and strain, it actually plots to strike back the moment it can. Its ability to instantaneously
spring back to normalcy gives it the power to throw far and impact the target. It
also defines the limitations of the catapult. Under strain if it breaks, the
catapult is nothing but firewood.
In real life, they define the limits to
which an individual can stretch himself or herself. It defines the tolerance
limits, the breaking points. It symbolises determination and persistency components
of human efforts and together, our endurance. The instantaneous retraction is the ability
to get back after each fall. Every throw may not reach or destroy the target.
But with time each throw does. Spurts of
determination may not guarantee victory but persistence seldom goes unrewarded.
Easily broken strings are nothing but burdens.
Cocoon or Cage?
The seating, innocuous at first sight, is
as important as other components. Though it holds the pellet secure when pulled
back, it doesn’t hinder the pellet’s flight forward. It actually facilitates the
pellet’s release at the right time.
In real life it is our comfort zone.
Whether it becomes an enabling nourishing cocoon that help us emerge victorious
or a debilitating cage the safety of which we cling on depends on us. While
cocooned we prepare ourselves to be launched to the target regardless of the uncertain
flight. The decision to cage or cocoon oneself makes all the difference between
success and failure. The willingness to abandon comfort zones and launch
oneself into the vast expanse of uncertainty is a key factor in achieving
success in life.
Search
Individual strength of each part of the
catapult is important but its shoot efficiency comes from how well the parts converge
and generate synergies. More than the excellence in one individual
trait or few skills, what matters is the collective strength of skills and
competencies and the ability to bring it to play when and where required. But
for longevity of success and good of the society these have to be deep rooted
in strong value systems.
Search. Look inwards.
You may find the beautiful catapult ready to leverage your strengths and launch you into stardom.
Pick up and launch.
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