Let’s recall our school days and the way everyone looked up at the person with awe, when first three position holder’s names were announced (at least it was in my school !) in the morning Assembly post the exams or competitions. Sadly, today we have the dubious distinction of being 71st in the Paris Olympics medals tally taken with the fact that we’re the world’s most populous and fastest growing nation. What’s tougher for our pride to endure is we’ve managed six medals in all (one still on trial)& there are six star performers who secured the fourth place and were edged out of medals by narrow margins. Our logicas loyal fans- why couldn’t they have strived a little more !
At the highest level where seconds& inches can make a difference, fortune & fortitude play a part on the finishing line. Let’s not forget two historic ‘close misses’ resulting in heart-breaking ‘fourth’ at Olympics – ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh (1960) in the 400m race falling short by a mere 0.1 seconds & legendary PT Usha (1984) in 400 m hurdles by 1/100th of a second ! Coming ‘fourth’ is tragic, ‘so near and yet so far’ the loser isn’t less deserving, just there’s no place on winner’s podium for more than 1,2 and 3!
That doesn’t mean that the fourth position is less vital, not only in sports but in life’s other spheres as well.Let’s look at the ‘Fourth Estate’, the prestigious name bestowed on the ‘Press’, the veritable powerhouse called the media that’s being now given many names by various parties & who’s over dominant role in influencing views is palpable.
Coming to ‘aamjanta’,people (seniors) while booking flights, opt for seats somewhere not right in front and too far back, fourth row would be fine ! Ditto for a sold out movie theatre, quite a few have seen a film sitting in the fourth row when they were the only tickets available. If you’re fourth in a very long queue (in a bank counter or for a job interview), chances are you’ll make it with some luck ! In cricket, a batsman coming fourth (at two down) is probably the most valued player. That’s where Sachin played !
What about those who are fourth in the family lineage ? After all it’s the eldest who’s expected to lead by example and many do ! But here are virtues ascribed to the Fourth born children -they often develop the ability to deal well with people, with all of those personality types growing up. They may turn out to be great thinkers& able to manage challenging situations. They may even be analytical, hard working, pushy or passive.
Being the fourth born, a boywith three elder siblings (sisters) and one younger sister, I was treated the same in our family with liberal parents, except that I had my own wardrobe and never had to wear my elder sisters’ hand me downs ! In all humility, I may possess some of the above virtues but as our dear Dad had always wanted, we all big turned out to be compassionate &humane ! Being fourth wasn’t such a problem !
Working on Living 