New Delhi, May 5 -- The benign question posed to almost every child, "What do you want to become?", is almost an insult when directed at an adult. Life seams to teem with possibilities when the child is learning the ropes of social etiquette and waking up to economic realities, and then, it seems, life has a trick of denying more than offering.

When was the last time somebody asked you, "What do you want to grow up to become?" Or have already grown to your fullest, awaiting the inevitable? Remember: It's not over till it's over.

Let's reflect on the nature of responses to such genuine inquiries: "I want to be a doctor". "A pilot." "A businessperson." "An engineer." "A politician." "A cricketer." Or any of the several professions in vogu...