Family over everything? Career over all others?

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The sun shines its rays very early, perching into the room through the windows and signaling the beginning of a new day. He brings himself to open his eyes for the umpteenth time after much failed attempts and finally catches the glimpse. Oh! It's few minutes past 6. That alone sends a spontaneous jolt to his brain, sending him panicking into the bathroom. 15 minutes later, he is already approaching the door all dressed up. He had slept very late yesterday and only has had about 3 hours.

His face could tell tales of discomfort, lack of adequate sleep, poor nutrition and even unhappiness but he has to continue the struggle because although his future looks bright, it is still shrouded in uncertainty - over many things. He doesn't even have the time to pause and appreciate life for a moment, to take a break from the clusters of work and relish some comfort, he constantly has to strive.

But that... That day was his last day at work. He was offloaded like a bag of rice off a truck and discarded like a used polythene bag. He had been a square peg in a round hole all along but he had to beg for mercy and invoke his employer's pity - which could only tolerate low level ineptitude. His plea for compassion could only last for so long before the inevitable. Well, that was it.. The bell that ushered in loneliness and depression. He had no one to fall back to.

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For the umpteenth time, his plan fails. He had been overwhelmed with his kids' birthday celebration that he failed to see it coming. Yesterday was indeed hectic but he had a great time, albeit, at the detriment of his business. He strives to prevent an emotional outburst - he was a man after all. The sad thing is, it is always the same story, he has always been deeply engrossed in family activities that his business suffers. He had planned a strategy that will take care of that - not for the first time though - but it always comes to nothing, biting the dust like an offroad vehicle skidding of the track.

His wife had left him; the circumstances that led to that is wedged in a lot of complications - it was inevitable. Stuck with 3 kids he so much love dearly, he would do anything for them, even sacrificing his business time to see to their comfort. Ironically, they all depended on the success of the business - there was no Alternative source of income.

No one needed to tell him that as long as his 3 kids are still overly dependent on him, he would remain short-handed. Each attempt by him to circumvent the situation met a roadblock so he gave up trying to fight on two fronts. He faced his family squarely and he had financial support from friends.

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In the above two distinctive situations, which do you think was better? I say the none. Family is important, career is equally important. With family, you have people who might truly care for, and cherish you; you have people to fall back to when things go awry. Even when the grimm reaper comes knocking? You don't just go like a fowl. Family is strength, family is love.

Career gives you an identity in the outside world. A good career secures your future and possibly the future of your generations. You wouldn't just be nobody with no achievement, you could be someone your reputation to complement. Not only does it secure your basic financial needs, it also opens the door to opportunities that may not have been conceived or thought possible.

The important thing is to strike a balance between the two, you don't necessarily need to trade one for the other before the river flows. It is not impossible, it just requires conscious efforts. Hey! The bad side of either is not an experience to wish for because they are both important. Depression could just be a one ft away,

it could just be..