A Jonathan Livingston Seagull in all of us.
I finished reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull (by Richard Bach) only very recently. I had heard a lot about it and so many times that even without actually having read it I had discussed the core theme on many occassions by the coffee corner, only to make a factual error or two in the end which exposed my ignorance.
It talks about a seagull who refuses to accept that seagull's have been bestowed with the ability to fly only to be able to find food and survive. Jonathan Livingston liked to fly and, like every individual who has found his calling, wanted to be a perfectionist in the art of flight. He used to practice for hours. Instead of just flying low enough to manage to scoop a few surface fishes, he practiced diving from 10,000 even 20,000 feet to reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. And one day when he managed to break all speed records and displayed his skiils to his flock, he was convicted with having gone against the traditions of the Seagull community and was outlawed. But Jonathan did not give up, neither did he accept the orthodox rules to continue being a part of the flock. He spread his wings and glided through the blue sky in pursuit of the ultimate in the art of flying.
The writer goes on to suggest that in every human being lives a Jonathan Livingston, a part of us that is eager to spread wings and glide through the blue sky in pursuit of that which is dear to us, in pursuit of that which is the only thing that matters, in pursuit of that which if achieved would make every other achievement or non-achievement meaningless.
But what is that pursuit. It is not a hobby, it is not an interest, not even a temptation. Many people call it "Calling". I was first introduced to this concept by a guest lecturer in one of the philosophy course that I attended during my college days. She described it as a natural inclination towards an activity where you can contribute because you have been bestowed with the natural ability to not only pursue that activity but also re-define it and set new standards.
This is why you were born and if you manage to pursue your calling then it would not matter what else you do in your lifetime.
Those people are fortunate who have managed to find their calling in their lifetime. Many a times it is not the pursuit but the realisation of what your calling is that most people miss in their lives.
And if I look at the truly successful people in the world around us, each one of them has discovered and pursued his/her calling. Try imagining Sachin Tendulkar being in any other profession but cricket. How about Lata Mangeshkar as an actress or Dhirubhai Ambani as an IIT Delhi IIM Ahmedabad Graduate heading Hindustan Lever?
I was told when you find your calling everything around you seems to be just at the right position to help you pursue it. Nothing is out of place anymore.
In Last Samurai Ken Watanbe says to Tom Cruise, "Sight of a perfect blossom is a rare one and if you spend your entire life looking for one without finding it then it will not be a wasted life"
Fortunate are those who have managed to find their calling in life but equally fortunate are those who have had the good reason to be able to recognise that there is a natural calling waiting to be realised by them and a life spent in pursuit of the discovery of that calling is an equally successful life.
It talks about a seagull who refuses to accept that seagull's have been bestowed with the ability to fly only to be able to find food and survive. Jonathan Livingston liked to fly and, like every individual who has found his calling, wanted to be a perfectionist in the art of flight. He used to practice for hours. Instead of just flying low enough to manage to scoop a few surface fishes, he practiced diving from 10,000 even 20,000 feet to reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. And one day when he managed to break all speed records and displayed his skiils to his flock, he was convicted with having gone against the traditions of the Seagull community and was outlawed. But Jonathan did not give up, neither did he accept the orthodox rules to continue being a part of the flock. He spread his wings and glided through the blue sky in pursuit of the ultimate in the art of flying.
The writer goes on to suggest that in every human being lives a Jonathan Livingston, a part of us that is eager to spread wings and glide through the blue sky in pursuit of that which is dear to us, in pursuit of that which is the only thing that matters, in pursuit of that which if achieved would make every other achievement or non-achievement meaningless.
But what is that pursuit. It is not a hobby, it is not an interest, not even a temptation. Many people call it "Calling". I was first introduced to this concept by a guest lecturer in one of the philosophy course that I attended during my college days. She described it as a natural inclination towards an activity where you can contribute because you have been bestowed with the natural ability to not only pursue that activity but also re-define it and set new standards.
This is why you were born and if you manage to pursue your calling then it would not matter what else you do in your lifetime.
Those people are fortunate who have managed to find their calling in their lifetime. Many a times it is not the pursuit but the realisation of what your calling is that most people miss in their lives.
And if I look at the truly successful people in the world around us, each one of them has discovered and pursued his/her calling. Try imagining Sachin Tendulkar being in any other profession but cricket. How about Lata Mangeshkar as an actress or Dhirubhai Ambani as an IIT Delhi IIM Ahmedabad Graduate heading Hindustan Lever?
I was told when you find your calling everything around you seems to be just at the right position to help you pursue it. Nothing is out of place anymore.
In Last Samurai Ken Watanbe says to Tom Cruise, "Sight of a perfect blossom is a rare one and if you spend your entire life looking for one without finding it then it will not be a wasted life"
Fortunate are those who have managed to find their calling in life but equally fortunate are those who have had the good reason to be able to recognise that there is a natural calling waiting to be realised by them and a life spent in pursuit of the discovery of that calling is an equally successful life.
How do I know I have found my calling? It will probably be like finding your love. You never know until you find it.
I am gone looking for mine and wish the readers all the success in finding theirs.
Amazing! The blog is so beautifully written that not only one is tempted to appreciate your writing skills rather it also compels me to go a step ahead and gives me a feeling that this skill( WRITING)of yours is your CALLING...So please continue writing so as to prove me right :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a crisp writing piece.Perfect!!!Your wide interpretaion of the seagull story to the real life made me think about my "Calling".Thanks for this and keep up the good work :)
ReplyDeleteIn a society where others decide a person's future (including his/her love [:D]), where people like to remain confined within the boundaries drawn centuries ago and where the flock is much more dense than elsewhere, finding one's calling becomes even more difficult.. I can imagine the sense of achievement one would feel when he finds his calling.. and begins his journey..
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