For the sake of those behind, it worth going forward.
While undergoing postgraduate studies at KCL, early morning classes were a normal thing. So, one of those days I had a morning class but decided to go two hours ahead to have time to conclude on a paper I was working on before class time.
I boarded the Underground and, while trying to change lines from Elizabeth to District at Whitechapel, I had to use the escalator. Being rush hour, the station was filled with human beings, leaving literally no space for fast walk or free swing of the arms.
In traditional British escalator etiquette, those who are standing on the escalator do so on the right, leaving the left side for people who are walking or climbing the steps of the escalator.
While not really in a hurry, I took the left, which was free as all the steps on the right-hand side were filled with people standing. The escalator is conservatively above 60 steps. So while I climbed, I heard voices behind me, meaning that I was being closely followed by many people.
Midway on my ascent, I felt the sweat on my face and started feeling the pressure on my knees and legs (from the earlier one-hour walk I had done as part of my early morning exercise).
At that point, I really felt like stopping. Because I had no reason to hurry; I had already done my exercise, so why was I stressing myself again? Just then, I overheard the gentleman behind me on the phone telling someone to wait, that he would soon arrive at where they had agreed to meet.
I turned and saw many people on the left side still climbing. At that point, I knew that if I stopped, I would cause a problem as those behind would be forced to stop too and there would be stagnation.
I realised that I had no personal reason to keep climbing, but I had to do so for the sake of those behind me. I kept climbing. At some point, I even tried to go faster by jogging on the escalator till I got to the top.
My takeaway from that experience is that in leadership, the leader may sometimes not have personal discomfort or challenges, but must act in the interest of those behind him/her, whose future and lives depend on his action or inaction.
So next time you don’t have a personal reason to take up a fight, or you need to act in defence of a cause, check for those behind and around you (your relatives, community, the future generations). Act for their sake and in their interest.
You're reading from your handsome friend John Petra.peace 🕊️ and love 💕!
