Once, I was on a visit to the University of Roorkee (now IIT) for some official work. While returning from my morning walk, I saw a game of tennis going on in the tennis courts. Since tennis has been my favourite game, I turned towards the courts to watch the game. Incidentally, the Vice Chancellor and some professors who knew me well were also playing. After finishing the ongoing game, they invited me to join them. Though I was not properly dressed for the game, I accepted the offer and joined them. Soon after the game started, I misjudged a shot coming from the opposite side and fell on the court. The court was a cemented one and in the process my right hand’s fingers as well as the thumb got badly injured. Three fingers of the hand almost fully turned backwards while the nail of the thumb was badly crushed. Though medical aid was extended to me immediately, it took me months before the fingers became functional. Till now, they are not fully normal, though ten years have passed since then.
During the course of my recovery, I learned an important lesson. As mentioned above, the nail of my thumb was badly crushed in the fall. It used to be quiet painful but soon the natural process started replacing it with a new one. It was a slow process and the old nail was being rejected gradually. This used to irritate me and quite often I tried to remove the old nail by force. But it was a painful process and I never succeeded in it. However, this problem constantly drew my attention and I waited for the day when the old nail would be completely out.
It was about six months after the accident took place, when I went to an institute in Faridabad for a lecture. During the journey also, my nail was drawing my attention. But as soon as I reached the room, I noticed that the old nail had fallen out without any pain and I felt very relieved. This process also made me think that all natural processes take their own time and there is no point in trying to expedite them. If we do so, it is only a painful process.
This fact applies to all the aspects of life. We often get upset over the seeming delays in our lives but there is no use of it. All problems of life get sorted out in due course and our undue concern for them is of no use. Therefore, the best way to live is to accept life as it comes. Of course, we have to do our best at every point of time.
