True & False -Smart & a Half Species!

What is truth? It is a real question that has to be looked at the way our Universe performs. Whatever Universe does is flawless. Why it is flawless, because it always follows rules, it always follows the path of truth. Do we see any accidents in the Universe as we see on our own earth? Do the Sun and the Moon ever ram into each other? At the end of every day, you always get the night and never a day! Why? Because rules are followed to the last T! Do birds wake up at midnight? Never because they follow the rules. They go “home” at the pre decided time which is set by the nature and go to sleep to wake up early morning again as per rules set by the nature. In winter I see birds flying back to their nest maybe at 5.45 in the evening but in summer they fly back at 6.45 in the evening, again following the rules of nature as the days are longer in summer. Classic case of nature’s rules being followed is by Polar Bears. It is a recorded fact that all the Polar Bears in a certain area go into winter hibernation sleep exactly at the same time on the same day!

If we compare adjectives “True” and “False” then true fits the Universe and the only species that fits false in this Universe, is the human race. Truth depicts the Universe and Falsehood depicts the human race. The Universe is existing for millions of years and the time for which the human race exists is blip on that time scale. Human race has evolved from the same eco system as the Universe. But why the human race is so different in comparison with other species!

Is it the evolution of brain? Is it the evolution of physical attributes like being able to walk on two limbs! Is it because humans are the only species who can make use of thumbs of their hands. If we think of brain and body coordination monkeys are way ahead of humans. But what is it that has made humans different- not better! What is the reason behind human deceit? How this attribute is so much developed? From where has this trait evolved? I am not an anthropologist but I am sure studies have been made to study the evolution of human attribute of deceit.

Survival of the fittest has been the motto of the Universe. Right from the beginning, there have been fights on “ownership” of the Eve, later on other “assets” came into picture. In all other species, this is decided by fighting amongst each other to decide. Human society has evolved over a period of time, and has created a system of marriage (trying to follow rules?). Yes rules are broken in the marriage system also but maybe the percentage of rule breakers is still manageable. How do they manage divorce in monkeys or lions? Or they don’t have system of divorce!

Human race has made great progress compared to other species. Is falsehood the attribute needed for progress? I know of attributes like drive, passion, thinking out of box that help one to go ahead of others but human species has a special attribute of falsehood or deceit which is not present in other species. Humans deceive, cheat and in general try to break rules where possible. A lion catches a deer as his prey and will eat till his stomach is full. He will walk away once he is full. A cat will drink milk but when it is done, it will just walk away. We humans also follow rules in initial phase of our life. A child will normally never over eat. The child just refuses to eat when full. But the mother of the child will always think that the child is eating less, and she will force more food than needed. End result the child will vomit.

What is it with breaking of rules? Humans will break rules while driving, while paying his taxes, while he is wooing his fiancée, in short at every stage in life if possible rules are broken. In some countries this percentage is less because Government is more vigilant! We really don’t know if it is necessary to break rules to achieve something. A businessman friend of mine, once showed me the calculation how he could make a lot of money by cheating on paying income tax. A month after this discussion, his whole family was raided by income tax department at 7 am. I met him a couple of days after the raid. He was very sad, naturally! After some time he said that he was very sad. I said that I can understand. He said he was not sad because of the raid. “Expense” for raid was budgeted for. But he was sad because his mother asked him a question, “When we have so much why you are cheating?” He had no answer and that made him sad. Ultimately we have to answer to HIM if not to your own mother (who anyway is GOD), is it not? I always keep on thinking how the world will be, if nobody breaks rules? Is it my utopian thinking?


Life is full of contradictions. We hear or see different signals, we hear different thought processes and observe different ways of thinking. To succeed in life we need to dream and think about future. It gives us such a pleasure to know that our civilization was quite advanced in the past and we have a beautiful heritage. But there is another thought process which suggests that we should live in “NOW” to be really happy.

I remember the fable of Shaikh Mohamad and his dreams. He is a farmer who has some land and animals. One day his wife set a big earthen pot of Dahi or Yogurt. (As we know that in India we “set” Dahi at home, buying Yogurt from outside was not very common till recent times) Our Shaikh is taking his siesta and he dreams that with the Dahi he has, he will make butter milk and also some butter. If done properly he will grow his business and have many buffaloes and lots of Dahi, butter and butter milk. He will become rich doing these things; after he becomes rich, if he finds his lazy wife not doing work, he will kick her and make her work hard. In his sleep he kicks and hits the earthen pot in which there is Dahi!! With this his dreams are shattered along with the earthen pot! This fable tells us, not only to dream but to work on what you hope to do.

Instead of dreaming of future, had Shaikh produced butter milk and butter, in “NOW” time and had continued to do so, he probably would have achieved his dream. Thinking of olden days and future have their own pluses and minuses. But maybe there are more minuses. Today one can be unhappy because what had happened yesterday or guessing what may happen in future. In life nothing is certain except death. No other things are certain and things can change at the last moment for better or worse. But this does not happen with death. When the time has come it has come. Period!

Today one may be sad because he/she lost a wallet last week. A couple of days back while driving someone came and brushed the car and there was some damage to the car. Of course when such events occur we feel sad, at that instant. But if we keep on thinking of these events all the time, then your “NOW” is spoiled. You are sad because what happened in the past. Could we have prevented these two events from happening? I don’t think so. Can we change them now? No. Then why are we sad today? It is similar about future. Will I marry the most beautiful girl I know, down the lane? Will I become an airline pilot, which is my dream? It is great to dream and try to achieve it. But is there any point in brooding “NOW” for things that are likely or not likely to happen?

A persons feelings “NOW” are many times based on what “was” or what “will be”. A friend had an opportunity to go to Germany but missed it because of the boss! But why is he not happy “NOW” though he is enjoying holiday with his friends in Goa! ( Missed Germany opportunity?) I missed on meeting an old friend as our dates clashed so I am sad. Why? Why not just pick up a phone and chat with him “NOW” and be happy? I am sad as I lost six months in life because I was in bed due to illness. But why am I not happy “NOW” because I survived that major health issue? I have known of many people who don’t get their yearly medical check-up done because some health issue may be detected! Stop worrying about future! But why not get yourself checked “NOW”, be happy if nothing comes up, or take action if something comes up and then be happy!

The human nature of thinking about what happened in the past and what can happen in the future, comes in the way enjoying life. Forget the past and the future, we can enjoy “NOW”.  Past is writing on the stone and we can’t change, future is like writing on the sand on the seashore. The writing goes away with every tide and the slate becomes blank. So is our future, we think and hope that so and so is going to happen- writing on the sand! Next day situation changes, it’s the tide that has come in, so you write again. When we know that this is going to happen then why worry about it!

Over a period, I am coming to a conclusion that all of us must try and start thinking like a child. Become a child is my mantra for happiness.

As William Wordsworth says in his poem Rainbow “A child is the father of the man!”. There are so many things that you can learn from kids. Instead of learning from kids we try and mold the kids to behave like adults! I am currently staying next to my daughter; her daughter is 2 ½. This baby just breezes in our home. Do I see her brooding any time? Does she look bored any time? Does she look worried any time? Never. The reason is very simple. She is happy with what she has, she is simply enjoying the current moment. She is enjoying ““NOW” all the time!  Friends it is with us to be happy by being in “NOW” situation always!

Interpretation of the proverb “A child is the father of the man!” in the Poem Rainbow :

People’s personalities form when they are children; A person will have the same qualities as an adult that he or she had as a child. (From William Wordsworth’s poem, “My Heart Leaps Up.”) In Bill’s case, the child was father of the man; he never lost his childhood delight in observing nature.

The poem Rainbow

My heart leaps up when I behold

A Rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began;

So is it now I am a man;

So be it when I shall grow old,

Or let me die!

The Child is father of the man;

And I could wish my days to be

Bound each to each by natural piety.

By- William Wordsworth.