Invisible people in your life

A few years back, I was enjoying an evening in one of the biggest malls in Dubai. It was a maze full of confusion, with escalators, lifts, snake-like corridors, and multiple exits. The luxurious displays in shops, the array of scintillating lighting, and the dazzling sound all around mesmerized a person even more. 

I saw an old man sitting alone on a chair in one corner of a pathway. He reflected signs of desperation and sorrow on his face. I guessed he was from India. I could not resist walking up to him to know his problem. The man had lost his sense of direction and knew not where to go. He was searching for the parking slot where his car was parked. After a bit of interrogation, I suggested the most appropriate path. Of course, I sourced help from the locals to guide him in the right direction.

Years have passed, and I have never ever met that person again. Nor will I ever recognize him if he comes to me. However, I sincerely believe that the man reached his destination safely. I played a small role in making his life easy!

Two decades back, I started my entrepreneurship by selling car loans. I had the franchise of a few multinational banks. During those days, I met one learned administrative officer posted in the government. The meeting was for a different purpose, but it helped me develop a bond with the visionary thinker. One morning, when I called on him to discuss some plans, he posed a question to me. He asked, “Ajit, how many car loans will you have to sell to reach the moon?”

That was a turning point in my career. I started thinking about how many cars I needed to sell to reach the moon? In fact, I wondered, what was my ‘moon’ all about? Was this business of ‘car loan sales’ the goal for me? Am I disproportionately contented about the current situation of my business? I realized there could be much bigger aspirations lying untapped for me!

I must confess that question was a transformation landmark in my career journey. I might have never changed my entrepreneurial path if that question had not been asked!  

Friends, In the two stories above, there is a similarity. In both situations, an unexpected supportive intervention is delivered to the beneficiary. In both cases, the person who gives an insight is not a friend or a known well-wisher. Once the job is done, the person disappears from the protagonist’s life. 

Once, when I was a student, I was in Bhopal. I had to board a train for some very urgent and essential travel. When I reached the railway station, the train had already started moving out of the platform. I was late. I ran like mad and somehow came near the train. By now, the train had gained sufficient speed, and in all my youthful madness, I was on the verge of jumping and pushing myself into the running train. 

Someone caught me from the back. I missed to board the train. When I turned – it was an old man – a senior citizen. He admonished me, “Your life is more precious than travelling by that train. Take rest and find an alternative method to reach your destination.”

If I had jumped, it would have been a devastating decision. I do not know who that person was, but he appeared like a God-sent person. Once he offered his help, he eventually disappeared. 

Our success is never on all our own. Whatever we all have achieved is never a function of solely our individual efforts. Many invisible hands make their silent contributions to our achievements. 

I am sure you also have realized that many invisible hands are responsible for achieving safety, accomplishments, and joy in your life today. We owe a lot to these secret people in our lives. Let us offer heartfelt gratitude to all such invisible people who play a vital role in shaping our lives.

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