Fly Happily With Time...

As this year comes to an end, once again I exclaim that the year passed by so soon. Each year seems to pass faster than the previous one. Thanks to our life’s pace and the world becoming a global village.

There is a good and not-so-good feeling to it. Good because we need not endure bad times for long. Not so good because we don’t have time to enjoy the good times for long. Lol, I want my cake and eat it too.

However, when I think deeper I realize that when time flies, there is an overall kindness associated with it. How often have we felt the endurance of a bitter phase lasting an eternity? Fortunately, today’s world does not offer us a choice. It pushes us fast enough to move on and quickly learn our lessons whether we want them or not. Thus helping us save the time and energy that we fritter away in brooding over sour experiences. Makes me believe that time indeed heals everything.. Well, almost  :) 

The same cannot be said about good times. Does time fly faster during happier chapters than it does over sad ones? Seems so, it is natural for us to seek happiness always. But how long is long enough? How much time do we need to relish good things/times? Though it’s very relative, I think it broadly boils down to the three beings in us that make us experience happiness for a short while:

• The futuristic being
• The result-oriented being
• The insatiable being

The futuristic being in each one of us is potent enough to let us not live in the present. That way we let the good times slip away, by worrying about them coming to an end, or about the threats to our good times. We are constantly on the run and don't allow happiness to sink in. If only we learn to live in the Now, we will welcome and experience so much more happiness.

Result-oriented being in us does not let us enjoy the process that culminates in good moments. Thus, process becomes a routine and we wait to enjoy life until the result shows. We should start enjoying the process for long-lasting happiness and satisfaction. That way we don’t treat happiness as one-time event but as a way of living.

For the insatiable being in us, anything good is never too much. It just ain’t enough! This one I’m going to attribute to the animal kingdom’s instinct to which we belong. I’m reminded of Mahatma Gandhi’s quote: Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed

Let’s grasp that nature does give us ample time to enjoy. At the same time, it does not let us get intoxicated with the happy and successful moments for long because another bunch of happier moments awaits us. We need to get up and work towards it. Thankfully it’s the right push that nature bestows on us for our own good.

Else, if the hangover of success or happiness prolongs, it impedes our progress and then the days of boredom and dissatisfaction is not far off. Even arms-length happiness would appear distant. Perhaps that is why so many amongst us never repeat another glory as we continue to linger in our past glory while the time waits for none.

Hence, it becomes imperative for us to set off on a process to find the next level of joy and triumph before the spirit and enthusiasm fade off. Let’s get the equation right, enjoy our lives and at the same time be conscious of the time when we need to take the next step. More importantly, let’s begin everything on a happy note and start realizing the beauty that the present offers. Enjoy the whole process including the hardships and learning that may confront us and soon we will have the next level of elation embracing us. That way when time flies, we will fly happily with it..

2010 is knocking on our doors with a promise of greater happiness and good times. Time again to welcome it and experience it happily…

Happy and Prosperous New Year J

Animal Harmony

My friend recently told me that we all are spiritual beings going through human experiences. Instantly I ponder why the world compares everything to animal experiences then?

People say that it’s a dog-eat-dog world and it’s a tough rat race. People think they do the donkey work irrespective of whether the market is bullish or bearish, they are busy as bees, eat rabbit meals, make a beeline everywhere, and take cat naps.

At work, people are strong as horses, sharp as hawks, graceful as a swan, fast as cheetahs, have a memory like elephants, work like ants, and want to be cash cows.

At the same time, one can also find people cunning as a fox, thick-skinned as buffalo, blind as a bat, prickly as a porcupine, and making a complete ass of themselves. People conveniently shed crocodile tears, don’t hesitate to bull s***, make others scapegoats or even ape each other, drink like fish, eat like pig, and get swine flu.. Lol..

Ever wondered what animals would be talking about human beings? Do herbivorous animals talk about fake vegetarianism like humans? Do pigs talk about man-flu? Do monkeys talk about Man-iacs? Does Fox talk about Man-ipulation? Do crocodiles talk about whiners? Do Dogs talks about disloyalty of humans? Do chameleons feel inferior over man’s multiple standards? Do ants talk about lazy humans? Do donkeys talk about stress and anti-depressant pills? Do reptiles think they are less cold-blooded compared to the destruction that humans cause?

On a positive note will animals wonder at man’s intelligence? Did we hurt Cheetah’s ego by inventing machines that can move faster than it? Do birds feel intimidated that human can travel continents faster than them? Do animals feel we can cure all their ailments with our inventions? Do animals feel jealous of our family structure? Do animals feel we humans are blessed for our ability to talk and express?

Holy Cow!!! I ain’t game for this!!! Are we giving animals their worth or are we doing a reality check with animals… Perfect, as long as we strike a harmony with them...  Fascinatingly, it takes one to be human to experience and appreciate the divinity and the beauty of this world.

Being an animal lover myself and having become a vegetarian, I can’t help but wonder at the ability of the 5 sensed creatures. Not only do I find animals being full of life, but I find them very inspiring too.

As my teacher points out, a cattle work in the field all day and feeds a family; A bull pulls a heavy cart to feed a family; a monkey by jumping and dancing as per the instructions of its master, helps a man earn his income; for that matter, we have so often seen the so-called astrologers, whose earning is dependent on a parrot. Strange is the fact that  man – the most supreme of all creatures, still depends on animals for his livelihood. And these examples date back to the beginning of mankind when animals practically assisted man in every aspect of life.. travel, cargo, security, wars, food etc etc.

But today, because Man is the supreme of all the other animals, managed to replace animals with machines. But then does that mean  we have acquired the right to ill-treat animals and encroach into their territories?? We use them for our consumption, lab specimens before medicines/cosmetics are human consumption ready, their body parts become fashion accessories and there is no end to the cruelty that we bestow on them. All this because we are on top of the food chain!! When did we assume that animals don’t have as much right to this planet as we humans do? Humane? Are we really?

Oh well, am I expecting too much… we define cruelty against fellow humans as animalistic… In all probabilities that take priority.. Cruelty to animals will fall way below the agenda.. All for of their inability to cry, talk about their pain, express what they feel??

Perhaps, we aren’t supreme at all!! Perhaps it is our inability to understand the unspoken!!

And I see my puppy next to me waiting patiently for my attention.. Guess it understands that I am  not to be disturbed…

Fall of Fame

Yes! The Tiger’s saga is making me think about it and now write about it.

Tiger woods’ life had all of us believe that he had a perfect life - a great golfing career, a brand ambassador for top brands, a picture-perfect family, a fortune in billions, scandal and controversy-free life. Contrary to that, Tiger’s life proves to be anything but perfect. Tiger did succeed in hiding his dirty linen at least till he became the first billionaire sportsperson.

Not that Tiger woods has done something that most of us didn’t. Almost everyone who is screaming foul at top of their voice has done it. I feel the world need not entrust different moral standards to celebrities. If anything, people are just comforting themselves that they are not alone, they have someone as good and powerful as Tiger Woods does a similar act.

By all standards what Tiger Woods did to his wife and children, is wrong. I think he should be given his space for regret or remorse if any and to get his life back in order. It’s none of my business to reprimand Tiger Woods for whom he sleeps with or how many times he has cheated on his wife and children (though I feel sorry for them). If I have to assess him just for what he does i.e. playing golf, then I think it is sensible for us to judge only his sport and not his off-the-field sports. If he is adjudged “The Athlete of the Decade”, then he deserves it for taking golf to a different level (money & popularity).

But if he makes millions by endorsing products to billions of people on the planet, then for sure his life does come under the public scanner.  I understand and fully endorse the fact that celebrities are entitled to their share of privacy cos’ they are humans after all. But they need to realize that if they have the power to influence people’s choices with their endorsements, then it is not just due to career merit but also because of the image they have projected of themselves. And if that goes wrong, obviously people do have the right to disassociate themselves. Who would want to buy products endorsed by sportspersons who have a bad off-field records?

If Tiger woods golfing merits and squeaky-clean image fetched his billions, he is probably going to lose as much for his tainted image and indefinite golfing break due to his transgressions. Makes me feel that consequences are relative to our lifestyle and status.  Probably his celebrity status is making him go through trauma many times more than an ordinary person would go through for the same misactions.

To add to Tiger’s woes, the count of the women goes on and on. I wonder if he himself remembers them all. What’s with these women? All of a sudden they all want their 60 seconds of fame and $$$ for interviews to trash magazines??

Will celebrities learn anything from it?? Tiger woods should have been a bit more careful. He had Becker, Beckham, and many more with a similar fate to give him a prelude to the consequences. But the difference is that they had a ‘playboy’ image for themselves and the world continued to love them for who they are. Illogical beings that we are, we don’t mind the bad ones continuing to be bad. The problem arises when the good becomes ugly. “You are exactly that Mr. Woods, unfortunately”.

Just one moment of madness is enough for a person to make an exit from the hall of fame. One moment of madness is enough to tarnish years of hard work and laurels. One moment of madness is enough to make people change the way they look at you forever.

How hefty a price this is, depends on your emotional quotient.... 

Mumbai, One Year Later…

The whole nation remembered and marked the first anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai carnage last week. 26/11 to India became equivalent to USA’s 9/11 (except for the dd/mm format). News channels across the country flashed “Lest we forget”. For once I felt if public memory is really short? Do we as a nation fail to remember these events and have given the media the responsibility to remind us?

Time again since India’s struggle for independence we saw new heroes emerge with every crisis that our country is pushed into. And we have seen so many crises that for us the latest attack on our cities becomes the one which we recall. All other previous attacks quietly find a place in the history books. So are the martyrs…

Before 26/11, it was our very own Mumbai’s 7/11 (this time mm/dd format – perhaps the media looks at its convenience or wants 11 to be constant) that shocked the nation. It was 7/11 that was equated with the 9/11 of USA… But for most of us 7/11 is almost out of our memory and I will not be surprised if another attack (God forbid) will soon push away 26/11 to a similar status as happened with a number of other cities that became victims of terror in between.

Mumbai, more than any other Indian city, has been a chronic victim of terrorism dating back to March 93. With every terror attack, we end up taking pride in the ‘Mumbai Spirit’ for the way the city resumes its normalcy.

To me ‘Mumbai Spirit’ is clichéd. Agreed, the vibrancy and energy of Mumbai are one of a kind, but does the city have another option. It has to move on. Do people have a choice? They have to move on. Somewhere over time, for us these attacks have become a part of our lives to the extent that another such attack does not really shock us anymore. We expected it. And this is what is of grave concern!!

For once let’s take pride in prevention instead of recuperation (which happens anyway).

After 9/11, the USA has not witnessed a single attack of terrorism. India on the other hand has been extremely vulnerable. Bangalore, Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmadabad, and more new cities get added to the list along with Mumbai.  This is where I think we need to look up to USA’s 9/11. Like the USA we need to stop another 9/11 instead of equating every next terror attack to 9/11.

9/11 should not be synonymous with the worst attack; it has to be synonymous with the last victory of terrorism and a new beginning to enhanced security and peace of the nation and its people.

We as a nation should not be proud of creating new martyrs; we need to ensure that the sacrifice of the existing martyrs does not go in vain. Else, with every attack we will only be adding names to the list of martyrs, only to be forgotten soon. 

This has to stop before we take martyrdom for granted before the children of our soil think twice to serve our country before our calendars end up showing only the horrific past of our nation.

How you and I can make a difference? We can play our part by being responsible citizens and co-operate with the security systems of our country. In addition to being more tolerant of people irrespective of religion, nationality, and creed, it would be right for us to stay united internally instead of dwelling or clashing over regional differences. United we need to stand to fight terror. In short, treat the nation as you would treat your home.

I strongly sense a need to think progressively, instead of looking at the past to celebrate martyrdom and display our hypocrisy. If anything we can do to make our martyrs and their families proud, we need to stop another attack. Give ourselves the secure and peaceful nation that we so deserve…