Ride On The Bus

Says Oprah Winfrey .... lots of people want to be with you in the limousine. Those are the days of your success. The spotlight is on you, your phone never stops ringing, invitations arrive unasked, and every achievement seems to attract another admirer. In those moments, it is easy to believe that you are surrounded by loyal friends and well-wishers.

It is only when your chips are down and you are no longer doing well—when life compels you to travel by the public bus instead of the limousine—that reality quietly reveals itself. Many who once walked proudly beside you will suddenly turn away. Some will pretend not to recognize you. Some will tell you they are busy. Others will become too busy to even return your calls. A few will even rewrite history and behave as if they were never close to you in the first place.

Uptime friends are rarely around during downtimes. Adversities and Bright times are testing grounds for character.

Ironically, many of us spend years mourning those who left when times became difficult, while overlooking the few who quietly stayed. The real lesson is not about betrayal; it is about gratitude. The departure of the many helps us recognize the value of the few.

Life moves in cycles even in the Corporate space. Today's limousine can become tomorrow's bus, and today's bus can once again become a limousine. When you are doing well, are well recognised, promoted, thought of well by the Senior Managers, you will be recognized differently by the rest of the organisation. But when Sr leadership by-passes you, does not considered you good enough, does not involves you .... the hiss message goes out and people who were your well wishers suddenly vanish from the horizon.

Those who understand life know this well. They neither become intoxicated by success nor destroyed by failure. They cherish the people who remain constant through both seasons.

So when life places you in the limousine, enjoy the ride but do not count the passengers. And when life asks you to take the public bus, pay close attention to who chooses to sit beside you. They are not merely travelling companions; they are the people who truly belong in your journey.