Life...

What’s "LIFE" all about..?

Its not just four characters in English put together. Well, that’s a strange question that often triggers my thought process and bothers me so much, to ensure that I have a sleepless night. Such is the intensity of the meaning behind LIFE.

I still remember those days of childhood when I looked up to parents or teachers to think when will I be equally matured and independent to take up life’s decisions as they would. The answer I got whenever I tried to dig into their decisions was that I would understand all that when I grow big. For them it was just a consolation to evade my questions, but for me it was something more. So when will I grow big… The only thing that was making me feel small was that I was still going to school. So the obvious answer that I found to myself was that I would have grown sufficiently big when I finish my schooling, when I become a graduate. But did schooling really meet my expectation in making me feel Big..? The most obvious answer you would also agree upon is NO. Most of life’s lessons are never thought in school. Now that I am a graduate and have started shaping my career have I grown big? I’m confused to answer this question. Now I realize, my idea of “BIG” was wrong. Its not just graduation that makes one matured. Learning seems to be a life long process and now I am disappointed that I wouldn’t be here on earth when I would succeed in having fulfilled my dream of growing Big.

The idea is to visualize the past to the best resolution, anticipate the future and act the present. Well isn’t that pretty complex… This reminds me of one of Einstein’s statements, “There are two ways to look at anything in this world. One is as if everything is simple and the other that everything is complex.” When you think of everything to be simple you are comfortable and when you think of the latter, you become restless. I’m sure many people are sailing in this boat today.

But so strange is this world, I have seen a huge crowd of people who have never bothered to even think of what life is. For them life is routine and are driven by “Take it as it comes” attitude. May be the thought needs to be inculcated in one, through his childhood environment. That does not mean parents can force their ideas on the child, rather the child will gradually absorb it from what he/she sees day in and day out. Not all can grow up to become a Newton, Einstein or Bin Laden!

Set your goals, know your limitations and be ethical in marching towards your goals. There is no reason for us to have a single goal for Life, but have multiple of them staggered through out and you have an opportunity to implement your previous learning. Along with achieving your goals, co-operate with all people who come across your life and make Life on Earth a pleasant experience, a joyful journey and not a race towards death. Live and Let Live.

Cheers,
Chethan.