One

One.

It's the ultimate number. It comes before everyone else. It is the leader and is vested the powers of leading the group.

Numero Uno

Lets catch a few thoughts of Number One.

When your holidays were just One day away, the thoughts of a long drawn summer vacation would have excited you. And when you just have One more hour of work to go prior to heading home on a Friday evening, the promise of an upcoming weekend must have fired you to do that extra bit at work.

When an upcoming trip to home is just One day away, you would feel exhilarated. And When you are One day from a big day in your life, be it your graduation or your marriage, the experience of feeling a different mix of emotions would be held close to your heart forever.

I wonder what goes through a lady's mind One day before she gives birth to her child. The pride in her mind for nurturing a soul in her body for a long nine months, and the happiness and change the child would bring in her life would fulfill her.

Don't you desire to be number One in everything that you do? As a child, be it sports or studies or extra curricular activities, it was the desire to be number One that motivated the children.

You were told to run a race hard, or build that extra bit of stamina - so that it could take you past the winning post, before anyone else. Digging into the books for a couple of extra hours, or investing some more time in understanding the text would make you excel in studies. It could propel you to be the topper of your class. 

And engaging yourself in a couple of extra curricular passions would give you a well rounded personality - a stepping stone to being Number One later in life.

When it came to work, we did the same. We put in our best. We put in extra hours, and what not. Doing all this, we were told, would help us be Number One.

Or so you were told. And wondering why to take a risk with so much at stake, we did what was told to us. And to look at ourselves today in the mirror, do we really think we are Number One?

If I could sample a 100 people and put the above mentioned circumstances, and ask them to reflect on their current life, what would be their answer? I can say it with confidence - 100 on 100 people would say they are not Number One.

Babies, however, are excluded. They are Number One, always.

Happy Baby

Why would people say that they are not Number One? Because no one can really be Number One. There are people more talented than us around, and it's a fact of life. And around them are people who are more talented than them. 

And around them are people who may not be as talented as them, but lead a simple beautiful life. On realizing this, these people assert to themselves - I ain't Number One.

However, there are a few things where we are Numero Uno's - always. For our parents, we are Number One. Come what may, no one can push us down that pedestal. And for the love of our life, we are more than Number One. They hold us aloft, and hold us in high esteem - forever. 

And few of our friends, we are among the best. They cherish us and we cherish them. Its the mutual admiration which makes us feel happy and proud.

So what makes someone Number One? Nothing. No One can be Number One.

But don't be disheartened. Because being Number One is not a destination. It's a journey. A journey to be cherished for the pleasure if offers on the way.

And there is life beyond One. A happy vacation, an upcoming weekend, a wonderful forthcoming trip, sharing your life with your love, and bringing up the child all epitomize this point. 

One

Would you love to be Number One and see that there isn't anyplace up you can go? I think you would agree with my answer - which is No. Instead, we can possibly crave or desire to grow. Grow every single day, as if we are making our way towards being Number One.

When we have convinced ourselves that this is a fulfilling journey, we will stop looking for the target and instead focus on the hazy milestones that need to be be won on the way. 

With this frame of mind, we can win many many times, instead winning just once - when we reach the target. By creating more winning moments, we can feel happy about our achievements, and feel confident that we are on the winning track.

Being Number One is a passe. Instead, start on a journey towards being Number One - forever.

Being Number One is a Journey