Raj, Kshipra and me (M. Rajkumar and Kshipra Katakwar - my batchmates at NITIE) were sitting in the mess waiting for our '5th meal of the day' (night mess... another habit of NITIEans) to be served when Kshipra blurted out - "The tragedy of life is that one gets used to it".
And suddenly I realized - how true! Everyday while returning from office when I get on the Mumbai Local I see numerous faces - most of them are tired, sweating and stressed, and on every face you see the expression of acceptance - acceptance of their life, acceptance of the crowded local, the sweat and the stress that their life comprises of! These are not happy people (not by their looks at least) but they are not sad as well - their life is still; constant . . . . should we say lifeless? I wonder! None of these mortals would ever want to create a revolution but they would also not be a hindrance to it. They are like a buffer solution - oblivious by what goes on in their surroundings. But mind you, this unaffectedness is not a sign of divine realization - these people have just got used to life! Life which is supposed to be like a river - vibrant, dynamic, fast moving and even violent in some places has become 'lifeless' for these people . . .
My reading about these people might be wrong . . . but on the outset at least these people don't seem to show a river-like life . . . . I just hope I am wrong . . . more so I hope I would never join this mass of people who have got used to their life!
Indeed - the tragedy of life is that you get used to it!
And suddenly I realized - how true! Everyday while returning from office when I get on the Mumbai Local I see numerous faces - most of them are tired, sweating and stressed, and on every face you see the expression of acceptance - acceptance of their life, acceptance of the crowded local, the sweat and the stress that their life comprises of! These are not happy people (not by their looks at least) but they are not sad as well - their life is still; constant . . . . should we say lifeless? I wonder! None of these mortals would ever want to create a revolution but they would also not be a hindrance to it. They are like a buffer solution - oblivious by what goes on in their surroundings. But mind you, this unaffectedness is not a sign of divine realization - these people have just got used to life! Life which is supposed to be like a river - vibrant, dynamic, fast moving and even violent in some places has become 'lifeless' for these people . . .
My reading about these people might be wrong . . . but on the outset at least these people don't seem to show a river-like life . . . . I just hope I am wrong . . . more so I hope I would never join this mass of people who have got used to their life!
Indeed - the tragedy of life is that you get used to it!
i think they are too tired to think of life (or anything for that matter) and therefore are in state of 'mindlessness' surrounded with a 'chaotic white noise'! ...
ReplyDeletechill ... enjoy the chaos and sync your frequencies with the 'noise' to get a feel of bliss!
i don't quite agree with u on that one. what is tragic about getting used to life? is it that u looking for continuous change all the time? i would say the tragedy of life is that "u never know when change creeps on u". it is too dynamic for one to keep a tab. and which is why one slowly, but surely does not keep a tab. and which is when u see souls moving mechanically in local trains. they don't know of an impending disaster!! they are surely aware of the silent revolutions happening around them, along with them. but some may, some may not be able to arm-twist these revolutions to their wish, to their benefit. thats all i have to say on that one
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