Moving Cheese

When we are little we constantly think of what we will be when we grow up. We study, go to music and sport lessons, learn how to eat properly and are chuffed every time a parent or teacher comments on how charming or well mannered we are.

As we grow, we have other aspirations… The best university, the nicest car, the hottest companion, a great job and oodles of money.

Some of us make it… get it all or almost. Some just don’t, no matter how hard they try… life just isn’t what they aspired it to be.

Was it their fault? Are their parents to blame? Did their government not provide them with the opportunities to succeed?

The result…. Haves and have nots.

My question here really is do we ever stop aspiring for better things?

A very loud discussion with friends over whether Dubai was heading towards becoming a city strictly for the rich, told me that there are many among us who positively believe that those down on their luck do not belong.

And since they are from different countries anyway, if they can’t afford to live here they should leave.

Another person, however, pointed out that we all want more, the idea is to go out and get it and if here is not the answer then the whole world is out there.

Got me thinking of a book I’d read about a year ago, Who Moved My Cheese, an insightful parable by Dr Spencer Johnson that helps people manage change and move on.

And today Vikram, one of our reporters, has written about the sweet aspirations of four low-paid labourers to mark May Day.

This certainly made me think that no matter how big or how small, we are all human beings. We aspire to different things during different phases of our lives and although some of us are better educated or more successful we are not really different.

The challenge here is to get out there and get the cheese we want and not wait to be served.

Write in and let us know what you think.

Nirmala Janssen
editor@alnisrmedia.com
www.xpress4me.com/letters