Aim in Life

There’s this memory in my mind, which keeps coming back. And it’s been getting more and more frequent lately.

********

It was a room in a high school – a group of around twenty girls of grades 11 and 12 were sitting there in a circle. There was a teacher – or perhaps a moderator. And a single question: what is your aim in life. It was passed around the circle. Answers were pondered, dreams were shared. Until finally, it was the turn of one of the younger girls – a quiet one, rather lost in the new crowd.

Softly, embarrassedly, she read off a paper: “My aim in life? To be remembered by people in such a way, that every time they think of me, it brings a smile to their face.” With that, she ducked her head, avoiding the eyes of others in the circle, and remained quiet for the rest of the session.

What is wrong with you?! What kind of a stupid aim was that?! she yelled inside her head. Listen to the rest of them…ambition, leadership, love, family, success – these are aims. Making others smile – that’s not an aim!!!

Why can’t it be an aim? It’s what I want from life – to bring a smile to the people around me.

What are you, the happiness fairy?! Seriously, get off the bloody rainbow. Open your eyes. People aren’t just nice to others for no reason.

There is a reason – it makes me happy!

You’re seriously demented. This conversation is over.

Looking up, she realized that people were getting up and moving towards the door. Scrambling up herself, she continued to avoid eye contact as she fumed inwardly at her indecisive mind. Just as she stepped outside, one of the seniors stopped her, smiled softly, and said “I’m sure you’ll fulfill your aim. For what it’s worth, I’m definitely going to smile whenever I think of you.”