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The Need To Stay Relevant


The life long struggle to stay relevant keeps us all engaged. In fact, once basic survival is taken care of, the struggle for relevance is the only struggle that concerns us all through life. We care about only those who are relevant to us, and are cared for by only those to whom we stay relevant. The day we are not relevant to anyone or anything we are no good to the world and cease to exist.

We are relevant to those who depend on us for their happiness, security, success or even entertainment. We are also relevant  to those who rely on us for their income, their well-being or upbringing. When we fulfill another person’s  emotional needs, we are supremely to them. Give someone the feeling that we understand him/her more than anyone, and you instantly become indispensable. As a guide and master who shows people a path towards well-being and success, we become very pertinent too. Love is the universal way of staying relevant, we are of importance to all those who love us, and to those we love as well. We are most relevant to those we help make feel significant.

The fear of becoming redundant is a great driving force. The more relevant or useful we are to an increasing number of people, the more successful and popular we become. We are relevant only  when we fulfill the needs of others.

We tune out of people we cannot connect in any way, or who are of no use to us. Sometimes, someone important at one time, loses relevance along the way.

The story of a “nanny” is an universal truth and known to all. What happens when we meet her as an adult ? At best, she becomes a case of charity for most. What about the school teachers we admired and observed over ? Or, our best friend from school ? The good old times serve as link for a while, but no matter how hard we try, there is little to connect us besides that.

That is the way of life !

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