It's time to go..

When is the best time to go?

Rather, when is the time to go?

And, how do you go?

Difficult questions to answer. Isn't it?

It's said the first impression is the last impression.

But I also believe that last impression can also be the 'last' impression.

There could be situations when no one remembers how you entered, or when you entered; but everyone will remember how and when you exited.

Not yet getting my point?

I am talking about drama.

I am talking about politics.

I am talking about sports.

I am talking about life.

There could be occasions when we might not be in control of how and when we enter the stage, (for example we do not control the time and manner of our birth in this world), but almost on all occasions, we can sure try to control how and when we exit the stage (for example through our deeds, actions, and words).

When we are in action, whichever arena one may consider, it is very difficult to assess ourself without any bias continuously/regularly and decide that we have had enough and it's time to move on.


Individuals before us have faced this dilemma, and individuals after us will face this dilemma.


It happened with Jyoti Basu in the past (He was the Chief Minister of West Bengal even when he had seen 85 springs, and he still dreamt of  becoming the Prime Minister), and it is happening with Karunanidhi today (When he stepped from the post of CM last year after losing elections, he was 87. He still harbours dream of becoming CM in the next elections).


To an extent, it happened with Dev Anand (He continued to make movies till he died last year at the age of 88; movies which those who had adored him found difficult to digest), and it is happening with Rajesh Khanna today (At the age of 68, he appeared in a 'B' grade movie last year which left his fans disappointed and disillusioned) .


In sports, it happened with Sourav Ganguly in the past (He continued to consider himself 'indispensable' for the Indian Cricket team till the time he was shown the door; though he returned from 'retirement' last year for IPL), and to an extent it is again happening with Sachin Tendulkar today (At the age of 39, he still today harbours dream of playing in the 2015 World Cup Cricket).


There's a saying which I find very apt to describe some of the above mentioned situations:

You should leave, not when people start saying that it's time for you to leave now; but rather when people ask: why leave now?

One possible reason why it becomes difficult for those in action to retire/move behind the stage/exit is that they conjure an image/world of their own, where they think that they are indispensable for the state/sport/stage and that they can still match their heydays.

Along with this world of their own, there could also be lust of power/fame, and the fear of moving out of stage/fear of oblivion that could explain why it becomes difficult to exit.

I guess I have written enough to make your grey cells ponder on the issue.

It's time for me to go !

PS: The difficulty mentioned in my blog is not only limited to the persons named in the blog. Their names were used just to illustrate the point.