It was exactly 5 p.m. when he knocked on the door. Much to one’s surprise, I was sleeping at that time, since the air outside was a little chilly and my inert body craved the warm and comforting embrace of the quilt. Anyway, the constant, loud knock made me hurry to the door. I just opened it and turned back to my bed without glancing at him, already aware of his daily routine.
He entered the room, his voice faltering as he spoke, “Bhai, I have been rejected by this company as well.” “Why…what happened?” I asked with my eyes half closed, as if a good sleep was much more important to me than listening to someone’s problem. Then, I closed them completely and, hence, couldn’t hear what he said. Just a few minutes later, I could hear the sound of his weeping echoing in my ears. I sprung out of bed with my eyes wide open in shock and felt my heart skip a beat. It was so painful for me to see a man bawling like a baby on a phone call.
The other person on call might have been one of his parents, for no matter how grown-up we are, there’s always that inner child within us who seeks emotional and psychological support from our parents. I felt sorry for him, not only because he cried but also because he tried so many times, and each time, his efforts ended in smoke. He made so many attempts, but destiny never paid him back. His self-esteem and courage evaporated like fog. Indeed, rejection can be really tough to swallow sometimes, especially when we give our all and showcase our best.
It was, of course, the final straw for him, and after that, he couldn’t contain the river of tears flowing down his cheeks. I was overwhelmed, unsure of how to console him. To be honest, comforting others is not my strong suit, as I believe that words can never compensate for the pain other people are going through.
We can’t even capture the depth of their suffering. However, we are still supposed to try, because sympathizing with the feelings of others does alleviate their pain. Offering some words of consolation soothes their wounded hearts. So, I stood up, patted his back gently, and said, “Dear…Don’t let today’s setback bring you down or make you anxious about what might happen next. Life is just like a roller coaster, full of ups and downs. Look at the sun. It’s about to sink into the horizon. But the one thing we can be certain of is its majestic rise tomorrow. Just like that, our time to shine will come. The sun of our glory will surely rise with a brand-new beginning. Sooner or later, success will come our way. That’s just how the world operates.”