大象传媒

Abdul-Rehman Malik, journalist and broadcaster

Chris, I have to admit, I鈥檓 always a little nervous before I come in here on Fridays. There鈥檚 always such a great line-up and for all of my professional pretensions, I confess to often being more than a little starstruck. I try to be cool, but it鈥檚 just an act. Inside me there鈥檚 a fan that just wants a selfie.

So imagine my surprise when just a few moments ago, Will Smith passed me in the corridor 鈥� and left the building. Didn鈥檛 anyone tell him that I鈥檇 prepared some brilliant quips about Fresh Prince and Bad Boys? This was my chance 鈥� no offence Hugh, Phil and Ronan 鈥� to make my mark on Hollywood royalty. And now I鈥檝e missed out.

Growing up, most of my school day afternoons in Canada were spent watching a TV show called Polka Dot Door. From time to time, while one of the two hosts wandered off, a madcap character called Polkaroo would appear and entertain us with silly games and then disappear just as the other host returned to exclaim, 鈥淧olkaroo was here?! And I missed him again?!鈥�

If Polkaroo actually popped up somewhere today, his picture would hit our social media feeds so fast that we鈥檇 all feel like we were missing out. Someone鈥檚 with him, I鈥� d moan, but it鈥檚 not me.

We all suffer from FOMO 鈥� or the Fear of Missing Out 鈥� once in while. Currently, though, the condition seems epidemic. I have friends who quit checking Facebook, because it made them feel their lives are inadequate compared to the fabulous time all their so-called 鈥渇riends鈥� seem to be having.

The trouble is that FOMO can quickly turn into AMO 鈥� Always Missing Out. We鈥檙e so concerned about being absent; we lose the ability to enjoy the present. Wonders pass us by while we鈥檙e busy looking at a screen.

鈥淵ou,鈥� advised the Persian mystic Hafiz, 鈥渃arry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy.鈥�

Life is about what we do 鈥� and often about what don鈥檛. It鈥檚 the food that feeds our creativity.

Phil reminded us 20 years ago that you couldn鈥檛 dance into light if you haven鈥檛 experienced a little darkness. And almost every great blues track Hugh plays is to my ears borne out of some regret or missed opportunity.

So, thinking about it, I鈥檓 not too upset that I didn鈥檛 meet Will Smith, but if you don鈥檛 mind Chris, could you let me know if he ever comes in again. In the meantime, perhaps someone else would like to take a selfie with me?

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