Stop worrying, Start living!!!

How will you describe "LIFE"?

Life is really a big maze with puzzles at all levels with transparent hints which are hard to locate against the opaque harsh black and white background. A single life’s duration is not judged by the span of one’s breathing. But it is judged by the number of footprints it makes in those hearts who have contributed in any way to her very existence. It’s a slice of bread which gets coated with layers of happiness, sorrow, friendship, jealousy, truth, lie, and loads of love topped with a slice of humanity making the "sandwich" complete.

But this definition is only ideal in nature. The correct implementation and practical execution of it is hardly attended to. Starting from the very second of being conceived, the very first lesson that the embryo learns is, “Life is a race!” In this extremely fast society, if you are not open to changes, if you are not updated, if you don’t acquire a social status; you are termed to be a social outcast. A social status hardly complies with your norms, your wishes --- it is largely influenced by what is glamorous, what is high-statured. People grumble over this sad, pathetic situation but in reality hard take action to curb this menace. Pressure from parents, teachers, peers makes a child vulnerable to becoming a competitor and excelling in all that he does. But in this process of excelling and making others happy, he makes a huge sacrifice of giving up “LIVING”. He drifts apart from his family, friends; misses the small talks, the random laughs; forgets to take out time for himself.

I listen to stories about youngsters or the so-called heirs of the family, who in the process of getting addicted and engrossed in winning this race get totally engaged in their ambitions that their want for success blurs their complete vision, making them go blind in their personal life. They are never satisfied, never actually happy with what they have achieved. They ignore their friends, their well-wishers who have helped them selflessly, take for granted giving time to their family. The only thing that holds importance in their life is their work and of course 'salary' which grows at a accelerating rate.

But in this maddening race for materialistic luxury, they start losing their own identity, their own desires and passion. Just to get the smell of paper notes having a distinct numbered value, they overlook the small things of life which come easy. They “dedicate” themselves completely into earning a decent social status and slowly they grow hungry or rather greedy in earning a higher and still higher status, all the while neglecting their humane needs. But before they actually realize, they have suddenly grown old and are on the verge of resting in peace. They are so engrossed in implementing E.S.Hooper’s words, “I slept and dreamed that life was Beauty; I woke – and found that life was Duty.”  that they forget that there is a family to attend to, children waiting to be taken to the fair, wife waiting to be praised, friends waiting for a reunion and their very passion waiting to be nurtured.

A man once said...

"First i was dying to finish my high school and start college,

and then i was dying to finish college and start working,

then i was dying to marry and have children,

and then i was dying for my children to grow old enough

so i could go back to work,

but then i was dying to retire

and now i am dying...

and suddenly i realized

i forgot to LIVE!"

Please don't let this happen to you. Appreciate your current situation and enjoy each day.... old friend!

"To make money we lose our health,

and then to restore our health we lose our money..

we live as if we are never going to die,

and we die as we never lived... "

So, in the end I would just like you to ponder upon some basic questions. Is being a human with rationality, feelings and above all respect for those who hold you as important for life so unappealing? Is going beyond the bundle of paper notes and maintaining social status so hard?

The Language of the Heart!

Man continuously tries to define and redefine himself.  The fire of love encircles us all. In our desire for basking in that glory of love, we cross all boundaries, overcome all obstacles, defend ourselves from the challenges of all the whirlpools trying to engulf us and stand triumphant. Love is such that it can be found at the most remotest of corners; at the most dreadliest of circumstances.  It is not confined by mere human boundaries; rather it patches up with the one true caste of humanity that exists and spreads its roots.

This circle of love gears itself up for the various phases of an average human being. Starting from the tingling of the heart muscles in response to that particular, cute, slightly sensational stimulus, to courting the beloved and executing the biggest deed one has been sent to this earth for ---i.e.  Marrying the beloved. Marriage in its very name holds an essence which is embodied in every individuals soul from the time the umbilical cord was cut. It is a bond which fills the woman's forehead with the sacred vermilion  makes a man complete by being his mother and wife at the same time and scientifically fueling the progress of the species.

But as the saying goes, "You can control the mind but not the heart." Likewise, man somewhere or the other even if he draws a line cannot control this wild tender emotion which controls the sail of all the other emotions and anchors itself into someone's heart and soul. It does not discriminate in terms of caste, creed, race, colour, nationality, financial condition but rises above these worldly discrimination onto a level where there is pure pleasure, where tranquility and subtle gestures are given importance to! So, the mere divide that is created by us only.

Love is the stepping stone to marriage and inter caste marriage is the alter for it. For when two people rise above the level of Divide, they are bound to be made one by this custom. Inter caste marriage brings with itself several advantages. It provides an exposure to the rituals and customs of the spouse and brings with itself an aura of majestic wonders. Nothing can be more rewarding than sitting in a room and realizing that opposite to you sits a person from a different ethnic group whose cultures, rituals and maybe approach to life differs from you but who has vowed to enrich his life by your presence and work towards making a footprint in the process of discovering you. You tend to become rational in your thoughts and actions, you tend to adjust, you tend to think beyond the normal social circle, you tend to be virtuous rather than being sceptical. As put in," Intercaste marriagelead to the possibility of bringing intelligent and more advanced progeny due to the distant gene combinations. Inter-religion and inter-continental shall be even better."

But are these situations enough to sabotage the institution of marriage? Dissolving all the meager notions and beliefs and rituals thriving for centuries is it actually possible to ignore the arranged-astrologer-consulted marriage concept? Instances are not rare where we get to hear the compulsions on the wife in general are put to give up her religion, her beliefs and adapt to her spouse's religion and customs. Many a times the situations turn grave and result in dire consequences. The composure is lost, the promises neglected. Confusion, misunderstandings creep in, unjustified loopholes are attended to. But to what avail! The domestic peace is lost and the child is the main sufferer of this wedge in the family.

But as a silver lining, the inter caste marriage dogma is proving to be a success. When the world is progressing fast as a global village and accepting, acknowledging and respecting the others' culture is becoming a norm, can we as humans not think more rationally, more humanely to bring about world peace in our own way? Where the younger citizens of our country will belong to a state called India!!!