Quality and Quantity

It's just like another 'All's well ends well' story...

I don't know, but well, it's been too late to come-
but better late than never.
I mean, to my clearest memory,
this piece of cloth was what my fellow mates and I sought after since 3 years back.
Back then, we're still young and innocent-
to us, it was what that represents everything, or maybe most things,
that you would be in this company.

It was all a series of struggles, and office politics-
I've seen the deepest and darkest of all edges of life;
the good, the bad, the kind, the cruel.
Back then in my journey for fame and power,
I think I lost a lot of that innocence that I supposed to have.

It was hard and terrible truth a year ago,
when i have to come to realise that I was reduced to nothing-
no longer in the competency to strive for excellence,
no longer in the position to vie for the best.
I was, reduced and trampled, further away from square one;
typically, all my merits was washed away in one moment.

There came an 'exile' order by the previous Commanding Officer;
I was appointed to train the elites left over by my predecessor.
It was all laughter and joy, as mentioned-
what matters from then till now,
is the process and experience, not the outcome.

Today when my comrades told me that I'm getting that cloth;
that piece of cloth that got me gaga years back...
well, I don't feel the joy, and neither do I feel the sense of achievement.

Through the months that passed by,
I guessed I really learned a lot.
Well, there's a lot of things in life that couldn't be measured by quantity;
they can only be perceive by quality.
I was so was my effort put in and treatment received from the company;
what really matters isn't the quantity that they gave me,
but rather, the quality that I presented, the quality I received.

Being able to lead a team of elites,
and work with one of the most intellectual comrades...
I guess it just outweighs that five chevrons and a coat-of-arms.
Having it or not, it doesn't really matter;
my quality is not represented on the chevrons sewed upon my sleeve,
but rather, the obedience and respect I gained from my followers and peers.

I'm not thrilled by it- totally.
Using this, I just hope that readers can understand,
sometimes, it is not achievement and effort put in;
certain things couldn't be measured by the quantity you put in and receive,
it could only be weigh by the quality of the whole process.

I mean, I can get an A1 on my CCA report,
but then it's just kind of pointless when no one respects and listen to me.
Conversely, I can fail my CCA report,
but certainly I don't fail completely when I still command respect among my men.

I used to think that it was chevrons that represented everything-
it took me a lot of hardships and effort to understand the truth behind it.

At least, I understand now.

And I remembered when one of my elite asked me if I'm getting a promo,
this is what I answered:

"Staff or sergeant, in the end I'm still your Boss."

Chevrons or not, A1 or not;
I am still who I am;
it makes no difference after all.

The satisfaction of life is accumulated through quality,
not built upon quantity.