By Col Sudhir Rana (Retd)
Why is a job important in our life? A job is definitely needed to be independent. It is a safe way of earning money for our livelihood. Need to work is therefore natural. That is why those who are unemployed have low self-esteem. They don’t have much respect in family or society. If you do not work, life loses its meaning. So, the job gives you a sense of self-worth and being useful to society. Why does someone work? Is work purely a tool to attain financial empowerment and to have more freedom to have choices? Is your job a means to go out into the world, to have more social interaction, forming friends and to become socially relevant? Do you see your job as a tool to deny or facilitate the living conditions of others? Do you love doing the work with true passion or it is a chore which you are condemned to do? Do you have hobbies, if yes what gives you more pleasure, your hobby or your work?
It does not matter what is the nature of your job, what counts is your approach to it. Do you love what you are doing or is it a burden? He is a lucky man, whose hobby is also his vocation. If you love your job, then you look forward to start your day with passion and hope. You do not count your hours or are never too busy. You don’t get exhausted because work is your joy and your passion. You are always exploring to know newer and exciting ways to improve the quality of your work. You are a pleasure and living motivation to your colleagues, bosses and subordinates. You bring added value to your calling. It does not matter, what is the nature or description of your job. You can be a teacher, an engineer, a plumber or a carpenter. What is important is how passionate you are in doing your job. This passion and will to do your job as perfectly as possible is akin to worship. When you pray you are totally focused and devoted to your maker. Similarly, when you are immersed in the job you are doing, it is almost as if you are praying. “Work is worship.” No one will remember you for the clothes you wore, but people will remember you for the kind of work you have done and how you have presented yourself.
Every work therefore must be appreciated and should be done with utmost dedication. An act of doing a job well is an award in itself. Those who love perfection in what they do, are already rewarded. A perfect chair made by an expert carpenter, a sculpture by an idol maker is an act of worship. Sincere, dedicated work is as sacred and spiritually meaningful as a formal religious prayer. So it is important that we do not associate various categories of jobs with prestige and do not treat some jobs with disrespect. Every profession and job is needed by a society. No job per se is “low or high”. No matter what and where someone works, he or she should do justice to whatever work they do. People work really hard every day to earn at least one meal a day. It is unethical to judge someone on the basis of their profession. We must only give respect to the person, who respects his vocation and does his job diligently. It should not matter whether he is a scientist or a sweeper. Doing your job to the best of your ability, with an honest heart, is considered the highest form of duty and service to humanity. Therefore, don’t judge someone based on his occupation; instead, we should admire him because he is working for a living rather than begging.
यूँ ही नहीं होती हाँथ की लकीरों के आगे उँगलियाँ
रब ने भी किस्मत से पहले मेहनत लिखी है|
However, most of us do not pursue our passion while choosing our vocation. Many of us seek jobs, which gives us power over others, glamour, higher social status or are financially more rewarding. Many of us therefore get stuck in the jobs which we do not like. Soon the jobs become boring and burdensome. We get tired and frustrated and unhappy. We somehow complete the jobs half-heartedly, we make excuses, we avoid and as a result our work quality sucks. Because most of us are stuck in jobs for which we are not suited, our output remains pathetic. Our bridges collapse, roads get potholes, food is adulterated and schools do not educate but produce literate halfwits. Our films suck, courts delay justice, police harasses citizens and honesty is punished.
A person who should be a surgeon is a barber and a doctor becomes an IPS officer. A mafia don becomes minister and a liquor baron becomes chancellor of a university. A PhD becomes a bank peon and an artist repairs cycle punctures. Those who are stuck in bad jobs are mostly an unhappy, grudging lot who indulge in office politics, corruption and wastage of time. This type of workers are a drain on any society.
So it is up to you, what you want to be. As parents, we should try to teach dignity of labour and sincerity to our children. They should allow their children to follow their passion. We should treat different vocations with respect. A cleanly swept street deserve as much appreciation as a masterpiece by Hussain.
“The world does not need you at all. The world goes on, you are like a drop in the ocean. A leaf does not move, the wind does not blow without Him. Blessed are we that we are given the privilege of working for Him, not of helping Him. Cut out this word ‘help’ from your mind.” -Swami Vivekanand
Finally, there are some who do not have to work to make a living or still another category that just do not want to work. Are they happy? If they were happy, why then do many of them get drowned in hopelessness, depression or drug addiction? Many of them seek validation through escapism and self-justification. They advocate that, since God provides for everyone, why work at all?
“अजगर करे न चाकरी पंछी करें न काम
दास मलूका कह गए सबके दाता राम।”
