The Book of Life

In a broader sense, life works the same way. If you want to fly at “29,000 feet,” remember that others are also flying at that height. In such a situation, you have only two choices: either ignore others and go ahead and then perish while setting a false example of sacrifice; or show the “miracle” of adjustment—either by flying lower to get ahead or by delaying your flight by “half an hour.” In both cases, you succeed and reach your destination safely. POSSIBLE AND IMPOSSIBLE F ormer Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in January 1966. After his death, the Congress Party made Mrs. Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister. However, she remained in conflict with Morarji Desai (1896–1995), because he too wanted to be Prime Minister. After the 1967 elections, Morarji Desai was made Deputy Prime Minister. But Morarji Desai considered the post of Deputy Prime Minister beneath him. So, the struggle continued. Former Information Minister Inder Kumar Gujral wrote that in 1969, Mrs. Gandhi, through him, offered Desai the position of President as a greater honour. Gujral says that when he presented this proposal, Desai immediately replied: “Why not she herself?”