Human ambition and happiness

AMBITION is a mirage when death is not minded. However, there is nothing wrong in being ambitious. After all, ambition is the driver of existence, the purpose and the vision. But that purpose or vision must be meaningful and positively impactful. This, I consider a nice colour of ambition.

So, ambition is not bad in itself as a life devoid of ambition is one without purpose. A man or woman without ambition aims for nothing, ventures for nothing and gains nothing. He lives to be exploited by other players in the field of life and consumed by other forces that shape the world.

Our ambition is the height we want to attain, in being the best possible in what we do or where we are, winning laurels and honours, adorning our necks with all sorts of medals and our cabinets with trophies, stacking our lapels with symbols of knighthoods and eminence, standing tall before a mammoth crowd of admirers.

However, the tenor or colour of our ambition should be defined by the peace and progress it brings to the world, the happiness it gives others and the fulfillment it gives us in the joy we extend to others. This is because ambition is noble when it is for the edification of humanity, when it is to the glorification of the power above and when it is for the refinement or perfection of our character.

• Saraki and the tragedy of victory

Since we owe our existence to a Living Being, our pursuit or goal, our ambition should find expression in what gladdens this Holiest of Holy. Is this usually the case? Do we recognise this unseen director of affairs to shape our ambition in the direction he intends?

Many of us want to be somebody without understanding or knowing how or who we want to be like. We envy others and want to surpass them in achievement without appreciating their peculiar pains and limitations, costs and compromises, the sacrifices they offered and sins they committed in their climb up the ladder.

We openly declare before large congregations that God is our refuge and His banner over us is love, yet we stoop very low in certain covens in darkness at odd hours of the night, genuflecting before dead objects and mere mortals, who lack our own gifts and grace, to seek succour and protection because of our ambition.

This is exactly where we all mostly err. It is in our inability to see the reason to be happy and be grateful in spite of our situation or ordeal. We also falter when we see the reason to be happy, in the mindless celebration of our achievement or accomplishment.

It is our acknowledgment of His Grace in us and gratitude to Him every day and in all situations that sustains our happiness. Which of His blessings can we deny? Were we to name them, they would be countless and we would be unable. In this consciousness, awareness or remembrance is the extent of our happiness.

AbdulWarees Solanke,

Lagos.