Walking Stick

Do you think only really old and doddering or physically challenged people require one ?

Wrong.

We all do.

As a child when examinations rule our life....we NEED a syllabus.

As a "grown up" when the ups and downs of life threaten our sanity....we NEED a cigarette and a drink.

As an old and retired heart ....we NEED...... GOD.

increasingly grey

Nowadays it is difficult to make generalisations- we cannot say that our times terrible...to be honest it isn't. In ways more than hundred it is better than the times in which the previous generations lived.
In fact we have a much wider perspective about most things - we can simultaneously state the pros and cons of anything- praise the former and criticize the latter with the same intensity (all professional turncoats aren't we?) we realize that no one is good or bad.....no time is good or bad....no circumstance is good or bad.... all are shades of grey. Something like, when there is inflation we feel the pinch of high prices while businessmen gloat in high profits !!!
So it is indeed difficult to be unsatisfied about anything whole heartedly - its as much white as it is black. We have all come in terms with it.
So, is this why no urge to change drastically ? Is this why black prospers foiled by the white? Yet again I dare not give a "general" answer!!!!

“We live in a time when we hear whispers but are deaf to screams!”

a futile mental pre occupation

Don’t we often wake up and blink – with a distinct blank expression on our face? Probably still in the hangover of some dream which seemed so very real?
Really dreaming is quite useless - you are left neither in the present nor in the future but in some unreal world....
Come on how many of us really chase a dream now – do we dream in the first place?
It is a waste of time, a disruption in routine when it’s at daytime and at night – if it’s vivid and amusing (in our sleep), it’s entertaining- that’s it.
It is pointless dreaming. Long ago, many people used to dream – most of them pursued it and few of them materialized it and yet MANY people used to dream.
Now, we have progressed as a human race. We know it pays more to do the everyday work than “dream”. It’s dangerous to dream today – we might wake up and blink with a blank expression on our face. Reality is so very different.

Dadabhai Naoroji in the 19th century realized the ill effects of the British imperialism and came up with the theory of “Drain of wealth” theory.
It’s time that “we” in the 21st century realize the ill effects of neo colonialism and come up with the “drain of brain” theory!!!

post NBY phase

There was a time when everybody began to realize that we have all become selfish human beings who love saying “it’s not in my backyard.” And so turn a blind eye to most problems. I think I came across that term in Environmental Education. Ah! EVE - a direct result of this realization. “Make everyone aware of the growing ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS and make EVE a compulsory subject in all classes!”
It definitely made all of us aware - we all wanted to know – “will EVE be counted in our aggregate?” Never mind that. That was the “Not in my backyard phase”. But this “revolution” set ground for the next phase in the history of mankind – “in my backyard era.” A definite positive change!
Now we are extremely aware of what’s happening in our backyard. Dare anyone trespass and we rush to buy candles. If a bill is passed that affects XYZ, then XYZ will hold protest rallies till the media is bored of covering the issue.
We are all living in the post not in my backyard era aren’t we? No wonder our daily planner looks like this:

Friday
6.00 am: work out
7.00 am: leave for work
10.00 pm: come back home (buy candles on the way back home)
11.00 pm: leave for party at ABC’s place

Saturday (day off)
10.00 am: wake up
10.30 am: pick up dress from tailor
11.00am: leave for rally
5.00p.m: have a bath
6.30 p.m: leave for boss’s party

and so on...!!!

Now we all know what’s happening in our backyard – for that’s all we care about!

CONDEMNATION

A minibus sped past me. Freshly painted in red and yellow with a face of a young lad at the back – in a suit foolishly smiling at all who wish to look upon him. Beside, in bold letters – a name – of an institute – possibly a mushroom institute where people rush to do an MBA.
On the side of the bus in bold: Bagha Jatin, B.B. D Bag......
Lucky souls they were – even after sixty to seventy years after their death we remember them – don’t we? We have named places after them, we still have a chapter on Revolutionary terrorism in our history syllabus and oh yes, we recall their names everyday....
"Ashun ashun, Bagha Jatin, B.B.D Bag.... astey ladies ache......"
Indeed they were lucky souls – they were born at a time when people were silly day dreamers – who were foolish enough to chase their “impossible dreams” and tactless enough to lose their lives in the process. And the stupidest part of the whole thing was that they did it all – not for a better job – not for a pay hike – not for a better standard of living- but for some vague “cause”....
And we are foolish enough to remember them aren’t we?
To be honest after all they did, what did they gain? Weeping mothers and shattered widows – and what did we gain? Well, mushroom institutes where we rush to do an MBA!

Blessed are those who have faith on the bullet
for they have a path to follow.
Blessed are those who have faith on the ballet
for they have a path to follow.

Bless those unfortunate souls who have faith in neither.