Which Side is Greener?

My role- model and mentor from my company,a 35 year old man was diagnosed with Cancer.I was shocked…scared…depressed….worried…Till I met him and then I was inspired! I always had great respect for this gentleman….but now I am in awe of him…what an attitude to life! Amazing…

There he was sitting on a chair and smiling…laughing….telling jokes…and stories despite the dreadful diagnosis of having a tumor very close to his heart and undergoing killing chemotherapy treatment with all its horrible side effects…he was sitting there thanking God that he has money for treatment; thanking God that the diagnosis was done on time…here was someone who was counting his blessings and taking what life is presenting to him in his stride…hats of to him!

I have read a lot of inspirational stories on positive attitude in life etc etc…but here I saw someone living it…and it was great…

And it made me think….And that's what I want the everyone to do…think with me…

Think of all the things that make you feel miserable ….depressed ….. unhappy….envious..?

What is it..?
Bad Ratings at work?? Does it really matter in the bigger picture of life…? Even if it does… Look at the people who don’t have jobs..

For all the married folks…
Do you feel your husband/wife does not understand you and care for you enough….. Look at someone who is a widower…or someone whose husband is a wife beating Drunkard…and you will thank your stars….



For the bachelors...
Do you feel your parents don't give you enough space and freedom... think of people who do not have parents…or who have parents who are ill and you'll thank god for your wonderful fortune that you have people who care for u……

And all of you'll who are parents…
Do you feel that your children don't listen to you? don’t study enough ? Are not making the required grades ? Look at people who cannot have children or have children with disabilities and you will automatically thank your stars…


Do you feel you don't earn enough….. well if you compare yourself to Ratan Tata or Amitabh Bacchan….no you don't….but u are a rich man if you compare yourself to the servant who comes to clean your house….its all about which side you look at….


At every given point of time there would be people who are worse situation then you and yes a lot of people who are better off then u too. You choose which side you want to look at. The laws the cosmos will not allow you to be at either end of the spectrum.

So whenever you feel you are in a bad situation with no way out… “look at how it could have been worse”. Search for the positive and you will definitely find it!

Its very truly said that we may not have a choice to what life brings to u but we definitely have a choice in how we react to it!

All this is nice to say and good to hear but can I follow it word to word in my day to day life? Can I be like my mentor and smile despite all adversities?

Honestly Maybe not but you know what I am sure going to try!!

On this note…I want everyone here to take a second here and say a silent prayer….Thanking god for all the great things in your life.

And Remember….You choose… which side is greener…..your's or the other!

Its only a perspective.


This was a speech I had given long back at a Toastmasters meeting in Hyderabad...I may use this as my Project 3 speech at the Mumbai TCS club sometime