The idiom The child is the father of man, originating from a poem scripted by the English poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) in 1802, exclaiming the role of man behind the birth of a child has been interpreted in various ways. Its implication that the behaviour and manners of a person during childhood have a bearing on his personality in adulthood is conceded as valid under certain conditions. However, the fact being that a child can never produce a man has prompted some analysts to remark that the idiom is paradoxical, although it has a message that is hidden therein. The conduct of a child indicates what he will become when he grows up. An adult is the product of the habits, manners and behaviour that he inculcated during childhood. It is in this backdrop, granting that what a child learns and assimilates will be reflected in his words and works in later life, particularly forming good habits, that the prescription of getting guided in life by an ideal role model has its importance, in the matter of living a life of discipline and become an achiever in a chosen calling.

Moving from the home space where the child learns by imitating others, the school space serves as the crucible for distilling habits harmful to society to virtues enabling the man to rise to the profile of an asset to the nation. But, in today’s humdrum existence, one has to fall back into past times to land that ideal role model.

Personal accounts of achievers as well as biographical narratives of eminent persons, both living and those of past generations are valuable source of inspiration to all facing challenges and hurdles in the way of reaching life’s goals by pursuing a calling of one’s choice. The avenues of earning society’s accolades being virtually unlimited, the will to succeed seems to be the driving force to overcome diffidence in the face of internal turmoil as well as ridicule and insults hurled by others. Honesty and seriousness in pursuing the chosen calling mark the life of all achievers serving as examples to be emulated.

All said and done, the present scenario of the country’s youth suffering dismay at the dominating presence of leaders with undesirable profiles doesn’t augur well for the country and its masses. Despite the remark on the idiom scripted by the poet, zeroing in on a role model to tread the life’s track for fulfilment seems to be the best perspective.