11th May 2011
Every day I hear from somebody or the other about how the world is going to come to an end in 2012 and how we are all doomed. Some even claim to know the exact date and time and the cause. Some time ago true to their nature the news channels kept ranting the same story over and over again and had panels of ‘learned guests’ discussing when, where, how, what and why, and people could not ignore the possibility of a possibility anymore. Repeatedly shown were gruesome images of trees, mountains, skyscrapers and entire cities all tumbling down like pieces from a LEGO. Smoke and ash and people running helter-skelter. Gigantic waves of water spreading out their arms to one and all in a deadly embrace. Or a huge meteoroid hitting the earth and swallowing in its flames all that crossed its path. All this intercepted with adjectives like “ Vinash’, ‘Sarvanash’, ‘Annt’, ‘ Qayamat’( most people only new this word from Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla’s popular movie), ‘Pralay’ to add to the melodrama. Of course all these images were picked up from one or the other Hollywood blockbuster and while some people sat glued to their T.V sets only to enjoy the ‘visual special effects’, for others it was so much more than that. The aftermath was about to change their lives. While few people have actually stopped living in fear of death, most have just started, believing that what they are surrounded by may not last for long. It is good to see them live more fully and meaningfully. The special effects in their lives have just begun.
Recently Dr. Mohan Agashe ( a psychiatrist and actor) said in one of his interviews that there are some things that you do for your survival and there are others that you do to make your survival worth. Everybody has to earn ( money) to make a living. But everybody also has a desire to do something to make life worth living. I find it slightly amusing when people talk animatedly about the destruction of the earth with sadness in their eyes and a sense of hopelessness. Personally I never thought that it would all end this way. I am always hopeful like Ayn Rand. God would not have the heart to destroy it all. Not that he would have deep emotional attachment to his wonderful creation and the bondages of life on earth. But it’s just a belief - my belief that he’ll continue to enlighten and inspire and guide us in his own way so that we finally find the lost equilibrium. If there is anything that can destroy our planet it will be our mindless and endless pursuits to gratify our insatiable greed. And yet He will show us the way. He will give us ample time to undo our mistakes - be it the Nuclear Reactors, the depleting ozone layer and forest cover or other environmental concerns or the inherent flaws of human nature that are shoving us down that deep dark bottomless pit.
The Creator maybe in a battle of sorts with the human mind and its intricacies- its abilities and reach and power and the innumerable possibilities – From fulfilling the dream to fly, to greater and more complicated medical and scientific inventions, a new bacteria and a new antibiotic. A new antidote - a new venom. The unknown and the discovery. A new challenge very day. A new problem - a new solution - a newer problem. A chase - a conquer. All this as we continue to scale greater heights and yet when all our expertise fail we turn to the One to whom we owe it all.
Our vices and the virtues need to first be balanced before the latter supercedes. And then when we have restored that which we had lost, we may live- happier than ever…………
