Thursday 10 July 2014

Being Human...

Its been raining non-stop for the past couple of hours or so,here in Mumbai.It might be the ickiest feeling to walk in the rain,with the mud splattering at your ankles and all,but watching it rain from windows is an entirely different affair.Sitting at the window,just taking in the atmosphere,the gentle spray on your face and the wind working its magic,fighting to cool off that steaming hot cuppa of coffee before you finish it!Boy,one has to be a cyborg to not "feel" THIS amazing in this atmosphere!
  So,thats what I was doing,sitting at the window,drinking it all in,from the comfortable confines of my humble abode;And I saw a kid running out into the rain-He was a shabby boy,must have been ten years old,with dirty old clothes and a ragged appearance.Needless to say,he had no umbrella or rainjacket on him.Intrigued,I lean out further to see what he is doing out there in the rain,for the boy did not frolick about in a childish manner,and did not seem to find any particular pleasure from the downpour.Infact,he was looking about in a very determined manner,very unlike children of his age.He finally found them stuck in a puddle,two sick little puppies all drenched to the bone,and carefully tucked them under a car,on a tarp which was there by some divine intervention.(I think he put that there too).The answering smile he gave to the little barks coming from under the car was so dazzling,it made this little guy look so angelic that I HAD to capture a photo!As I finally found my phone after rummaging through lots of stuff and pointed it at him,he caught sight of the camera and scurried away shyly!
  You must be surprised why I wasted your time with this surprisingly strange incident,but read on,it will get you thinking,as it did to me.We gaze at the outdoors from our cozy havens and compose poems about the beauty that nature bestows upon us.The next second,our precious phones ring,informing us of a change in plans,which were not-so-important to begin with,and we grumble,thinking we are the only ones who have got it bad!Life always deals us a poor hand right?!But do we ever stop and think about the shabby boy on the streets who ventures out to do a kind deed,not even bothered about catching a cold in the deal!Has kindness really become so expensive?Wait,how could the poor little kid afford it then,when we can't?Somewhere in a remote shack,a girl is fighting against abuse and misbehavior.Fighting,I say,fighting bravely;while a girl with well-to-do parents attempts suicide next door,just because she doesnt get to go clubbing with her friends!An angry drunkard beats his hungry kids to sleep,frustrated even under the foggy daze of alcohol clawing at his mind,because he cannot feed them;and passing by on the muddy Mumbai roads is a young couple on their new motorbike,distraught because their toddler barely knows them and snuggles up to the babysitter who takes care of him when mum and dad are busy making money!Even me,I am afraid I have got a touch of this as well,(Fact is,we all have),I searched for my phone but wouldnt have gone out myself for those puppies.Even in those beautiful instances of humane actions,I acted like the materialist the world is trying to forge me into! These are just some examples,and I'm sure there will be more like these.We are becoming a cold,calculating species,ruthless in our endeavours,tireless in our efforts,to reach that one ultimate goal of personal economic gain,which keeps on increasing as we reach closer,and swallowing all other "human" emotions except the very basic ones,of greed and lust for power.Animal instincts kick in,and money seems to be the only motivator.Ironically,the day the national budget is announced,I wouldn't speak fiscal deficits and GDP,for that surely is not my place.But yeah,we have all wondered at some point whether there is a point to it all!Whether all the running,the competition,the ruthlessness are going to pay off,and whether we will be around to reap the fruits if they do pay off!
"You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you"I read that somewhere,and isn't it so very true?!People dont need money,money can be made.Its love and happiness they need!(Yes I AM saying this,at the risk of sounding like the cheeziest individual on the planet,but i'll take it.)So this rainy evening,why dont we just stop and breathe for a while?Lets just enjoy the simpler pleasures of human existence,marvel at the wondrous creations of God that we all are,express our love,share our joy,do a kind turn,help a fellow in need...!Anyways theres not much to do except surfing the internet or watching television right now,with half of Mumbai rushing back to their nests,(or already there),and the other half huddling around in streets looking for shreds of warmth,dry surroundings a distant dream in their eyes;right?
  P.S:This is another sudden outburst,it can have something to do with the fact that I am all puffy nose,blotchy eyes and throbbing head-the effects of a terrible cold.Sometimes the weather makes a person gloomy,sometimes it makes them rant!Or this sudden burst of perspective might be the after effect of watching TFIOS!Our problems seem nothing as compared to theirs!And the best adaptation I have seen till date,it just brings the book alive onscreen.Watch it.Comments and criticisms are always welcome.Thanks for reading,stay blessed.
xx

No comments:

Post a Comment