Monday, March 28, 2011

Thoda hai... Thode ki... Zaroorat hai...

It’s a dog’s-life and everyone’s competing in this rat-race to leave others behind to rot and find that cutting edge over them. Avoiding the mouse-traps and fighting the odds till the very end. Look what have we reduced ourselves to?

Whatever happened to the philosophy of “Thoda hai… thode ki… zaroorat hai…”? these days no one seems to be content with little. Everyone wants it big, no matter what! Seems like “big is beautiful” mantra, for whatever reasons applies to everything in life. Right from the obvious ‘thing’ to homes, incomes, TVs, holidays, luxuries, necessities, people, support (mental, physical, financial or otherwise), kid’s report cards, chocolates, and the list goes on… you name it… and we want it to be as big as possible.

Where are we heading with all these biggies? Perhaps to bigger problems? ‘Perhaps’ or ‘For sure’?? You the mature reader decide.

It doesn’t take Mr. Einstein to figure the outcome of 2+2. But then not everyone has to understand the theory of relativity to explore the unknown mysteries of life. Life teaches all that one needs to learn. And the best part is that it comes one day at a time. Hour by hour, minute by minute, every second, every moment at a time. There’s no multitasking in life. Even if you have thousand problems to solve, your brains can think of only one at any given point of time and space (pun intended on Mr. Einstein).  

The other day “Good Will Hunting” was being telecast on some movie channel. An interesting and touching tale. A young whiz-kid hell-bent on becoming a champion of mediocrity in life by choosing not to explore/exploit the exceptional mathematical abilities he’s been gifted. A desperate math professor who discovers this genius but isn’t capable of engaging him at same level to inspire or motivating him out of wasting his extraordinary talents. A psychology professor, with similar past, eventually finding a way to make this genius realize the facts of life. And a bum, hooligan friend who sparks off the final chain of events and shows our hero the right path. A must have in your collection and a good watch.

Such antithesis exists in life all around us. The key is that one strikes a balance. There’s no harm, in having big ambitions, in fact, having lower aims is indeed a crime. But also be prudent enough to appreciate the little things in life which bring joy, happiness and a sense of camaraderie. These little imperfections and hiccups are the ones which we remember fondly long after.

History books are filled with examples of great conquerors who realized the essence of life only after it was tragically late. Few honorable ones understood and made the best of time they had. Others rose out of nowhere to reach heights unimaginable. The successful ones were not the ones who did different things. They just did it differently.

On one hand we have the one of the greatest conquerors world has known, Alexander who unfortunately died away from his home. According to a legend, it was his wish that his empty hands should be displayed to public during his funeral so that people derive some wisdom from his example.

Other example, Mahatma Gandhi who lived like a pauper all his life. Killed by one of his own countrymen, a misguided one though. But generations grieved when he left heavenly abode. And till this date we don’t have anyone who can equal his stature.
Forget about these great men. Keep your eyes open and you find examples, both good and bad, all around you.

We don’t want a world full of winners. Nor, does it make sense to have an army of losers. What is needed is people who think that winning isn’t the only thing. And that loosing ,too, is a part of the game. It’s not the size that really matters; it’s just the matter in your brains. How vast and open it is. 

Again an editorial written (November 17, 2008) for newsletter. The title 'Thoda hai… Thode ki… Zaroorat hai…' is actually a song from yesteryear's (Google search here). And it means 'Have little…need a little more'. This one received appreciation from a top boss at my workplace