Don’t miss the forest for the trees

I came across this phrase while reading a book today. My first impression was a smile and within a short moment the smile kept broadening and I felt how clever the phrase was.

So many times, with the way we are brought up and the society has tuned us, we have been told to focus  on the details, being perfect, not making any mistakes and the rest would take care of itself. We have been extraordinary as specialists, we have been really good at identifying where things can go right or wrong and making a meticulous effort at that.

I believe it is an amazing skill to do that and I have always had a great admiration for  the same. Sometimes though, it makes me wonder, is that all that is required to make things work, to make life beautiful?

Looking back I realize, the greatest focus was on studies, if we got great marks, we got great jobs and society will respect us. That was a good logic to start with but now I think, was it really only this much? I mean, if I try to look at my life, there are so many varied aspects – the physical being, emotional set up, the relationships, finances, business, striving for self satisfaction and so much more.

I often wonder, we have been very well trained to look at ourselves in one front but I realize that it has only been a professional front. What about the other attributes which make our life a holistic picture? I cant accept that life is only work, that seems so specious in so many levels.

It perhaps makes sense knowing that studies and getting a job were most important ideals of a previous generation where it was so scarce and it took the highest position. But now, we are in the new millennia, where jobs are not that hard to come by, there are so many various options we can live our lives with, and if we miss out on one choice, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the others are bad. The distinction of loss has come down to a very small level now.

And it makes perfect sense and thankfully so. We don’t have to strive and make our lives a mechanical aspect. There is so much more, so much more that makes it a complete circle than just a piece which in the end is just a piece. It perhaps makes most sense not to lose out on the big picture while we strive hard on the small ones. There are far more important things to be interested about :)