It is possible to score goals and lose the game. It is possible to win battles and lose the campaign. It is possible to make money and miss a fortune. The short-sighted man suffers, no matter where he is found; he may see some things with excessive clarity, but he fails to get the true perspective which will enable him to arrive at wise conclusions. He gains one thing, but he loses something better.
This is a very common error. The student makes it when he forgets the life-goal in thinking of the medal or the scholarship. The saint forgets it when he thinks of today and forgets the greater tomorrow. The businessman misses his way when he choses a present gain and forfeits ten times as much in the future. The youth makes such a mistake when he marries a girl of good look, and forgets the character which will be necessary to command his respect for forty years to come.
Man was made to think and unless he uses his brain he will stumble into no end of unseen morasses. There is a future, and it cannot be evaded; and when it is reached it cannot be changed, for we are just deciding what it shall be. We are our own destiny-makers. It is well to face the future with care and caution.
Main points of the passage are to be noted down :
1. Winning and losing game and money are possible in life of everybody. A man who suffers from short-sightedness sees only the immediate gain with clarity, but loses something better and greater in the future.
2. The students who cares more for the medal than for the goal of life, the saint who thinks of the present and not of the glorious future, the businessman who for an immediate gain forgoes greater future gain, and the youth who marries a girl of good looks rather than of character, all are the victims of this grave error.
3. Our future lies in our own hands. We are our own destiny-makers. We should face the future with care and caution.
Disadvantages of Short-sightedness
Wining and losing game or money are part of life. A short-sighted person loses the greater future gain for an immediate small gain. The student misses his life-goal for the medal or scholarship, the saint ignoring future bliss for the present achievement, the businessman forgoing a larger future fortune for the present trifle gain and the youth marrying a good looking girl rather than one of character, all are short-sightedness of the respective fellows. We are the architect of our future, and therefore, of our destiny; we should face it warily and carefully.