Desires
"It's not fair; I have to work on Sundays", I exclaimed. "I don’t get to go to my hometown" a friend said emotionally. "I do not get paid like him", cribbed a friend. All of us had different reasons. But we felt that life was being fair to us and our simple desires were not getting fulfilled. I truly believed that I was unlucky, and so were my friends. But God plays his strange part in bringing other people's simple desires in front of us and showing us that we are one of the blessed ones to be what we are.
The other day I saw a very old person in a temple. He seemed to be about 80 years old, and was an orthodox vaishnavite - dhoti clad, 'kudumi' (tuft of hair) and the traditional 12 thirumans adorning his body. It seemed as if the sole purpose left in his life was to worship God. Then I saw him lean over the grill before God's statue and squinted trying to concentrate hard. It was evident that he was trying to clear the blurred image that his retina was picturing. Age had diminished the power of his vision and had taken away what should have been his main desire in life - to see God everyday.
When I came back home pondering over the incident in the temple, a neighbour - a 50 year old lady - asked me to teach her to use the internet. Nothing big; she just wanted to know how to browse through a matrimonial site to check for prospective brides for her son. While I was teaching her I was continuously amazed at her interest in learning and at the awe she exhibited being exposed to the facilities provided by the internet. When we were done with the understanding part she went on a conversation with my aunt during which she said that she would like to have another birth so that she can satisfy her desires to learn computers and to learn to ride two-wheelers and speed across the roads. To most of us the internet and bike are parts of our every day life that don't command much of our attention. But to see that there is a generation of people who miss all these is disturbing. Are our desires really as genuine as theirs? I know that I'll have another Sunday to laze off, my friend will have another holiday to visit his native place, and the cribber will get another job that pays more. But will these elders get a chance to experience life as we have it?
The other day I saw a very old person in a temple. He seemed to be about 80 years old, and was an orthodox vaishnavite - dhoti clad, 'kudumi' (tuft of hair) and the traditional 12 thirumans adorning his body. It seemed as if the sole purpose left in his life was to worship God. Then I saw him lean over the grill before God's statue and squinted trying to concentrate hard. It was evident that he was trying to clear the blurred image that his retina was picturing. Age had diminished the power of his vision and had taken away what should have been his main desire in life - to see God everyday.
When I came back home pondering over the incident in the temple, a neighbour - a 50 year old lady - asked me to teach her to use the internet. Nothing big; she just wanted to know how to browse through a matrimonial site to check for prospective brides for her son. While I was teaching her I was continuously amazed at her interest in learning and at the awe she exhibited being exposed to the facilities provided by the internet. When we were done with the understanding part she went on a conversation with my aunt during which she said that she would like to have another birth so that she can satisfy her desires to learn computers and to learn to ride two-wheelers and speed across the roads. To most of us the internet and bike are parts of our every day life that don't command much of our attention. But to see that there is a generation of people who miss all these is disturbing. Are our desires really as genuine as theirs? I know that I'll have another Sunday to laze off, my friend will have another holiday to visit his native place, and the cribber will get another job that pays more. But will these elders get a chance to experience life as we have it?
posted by Jammy at 4:19 PM
9 Comments:
a Very nice read...maybe, our generation gets impatient too soon; maybe we really need to re-evaluate what is it that makes our life beautiful and delightful...my reckoning is - i haven't thought about it in a looong time..
thought provoking one ram. Maybe we cant really help them fulfill their desires.. but can do what little we can to keep them happy :)
Dude even me working on weekends and even today on a holiday. (well that was jus to give u company). As far as ur post is concerned well it jus seems so "thot provoking" (for the lack of words) cos u are ignoring the basic rule of comparision - a common unit of measurement. U trying to compare people far apart in their life cycles. Am sure wen they wer young they did their part of cribbin etc and am sure wen v get that old there will be hell lot that we wud like to experience and learn. Its jus the way of life i guess. (ok that was a lot of gyaan, but cudnt help it.. jus felt like it.. he he he)
@Kedar
Thanks
@Heidi
Yes, we should do whatever we can, and more importantly try to celebrate our happiness rather than crib over our unmet expectations
@Fidodido
The comparison is just to bring out the fact that we are at a better position compared to some others, and that we should be happy with what we have rather than be sad with what we don't.
Nice post Jammy.
But I suppose everyone loves cribbing and thinking that he is the unluckiest person in the world.
@Vetty
Yep, people like cribbing. But I just marvel at the fact being unhappy makes people happy.
Some of what I wanted to say has been said by fidodido.
So I'll just summarise the lessons to keep in mind:
1. Be happy that you are still young to experience new things.
2. As we keep getting older, always be receptive to newer experiences as time is limited and the world is an inexhaustible mine of experiences.
good one Jammy. am slowly trying to get rid of this feeling of being dissatisfied with life and to enjoy the moment as it comes. i feel it's not very tough, atleast not at this stage of my life...
@Jammy,
A very nice one da, we always feel like we r the suffering men, but when we c poeple who suffer more than us, ours seem so little as though we were a li'le bit blessed :)
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