Life is... NOT being on the centre stage all the time.

( A special dedication to all my busy friends out there… )

So, how important is recognition to you? How important is it to be on the centre stage and in the lamp light? Ask any of my colleagues today, and chances are that they would rather be at the side line. So we are not ambitious ( that explains why we are not involved in Putera UMNO’s North PoleJump project – other than the fact that we are not Mat Rempits ), we prefer to remain obscure, overshadowed by the rest… Let us be. Leave us all alone. Call us anti-social, pessimist etc….

Why is this negativity? Simple…. We are tired of running around and looking after other people’s welfare, interests, well being but are THEY doing the same thing to us? ( Minus the lip-services… ) It’s time to be selfish, to focus on me, myself and I. Less on you, yourself.

Being academicians, our main responsibilities would be: Being involved in the teaching-learning process ( before, during and after ); producing and preparing the syllabus, updating our notes, students’ attendance etc etc etc., conducting research, all the stuff that an academician is supposed to handle. Right? Wrong. You are lucky if you could spend a few minutes going through your previous lecture notes for the purpose of updating, but most often than not, you would be so tied up with other nitty-gritty details such as being involved in this and that event that would be attended by Datuk So-and-So ( or better, His Royal Highness himself ), which would be held at the prestigious Putra World Trade Centre or any 5-star hotels, in which there would be a live TV coverage, just because a famous celebrity is going to perform and the list goes on and on.

Of course – you would be highly responsible for that. The event would be attended by certain VIPs but you would be the Super VVIP. It’s true that you might not be occupying the centre stage or the VIP seat ( which of course, would not bear your name ), but the responsibility in making the whole event a success is literally on your shoulders. Should you decide NOT to help in the event, the whole thing might be scrapped off and fingers would point at you! In order to restore peace and solidarity in this whole universe, you decide to join in the project. Oh well, just once – it won’t hurt, or so you thought. You’re wrong. That one particular time will lead to the next and the next and the next times. The institution might change its name for the tenth time, but chances are you are still around and still running around whenever there are events, activities, projects!!!

Yes, everybody knows your name by now. But is that what you really want? Is staying back long after work with only your Windows Media Player as your mere companion your idea of happiness? Is neglecting your loved ones ( or being neglected in return ) your life-long objective? All those sleepless nights thinking whether your ISO procedures would be audited by the ever famous Mr. M or finalizing the event agenda for Datuk So-and-So’s approval – are they worth it?

Chances are – they are not. There’s more to life than just being on a stage, at the centre stage in particular. Sometimes, being a spectator would give you the happiness that you deserve – much more than being the main key organizer. Stop and smell the roses.