Where’s simplicity and innocence gone? Where are all those who lived life with the basics and were seemingly happy and content and unbothered about what tomorrow or the day after day holds out?
About twenty years back I would regularly visit the Bhai Vir Singh Sadan situated in New Delhi’s Gole Market. To be nearer precision, I used to spend hours in its library. And during those visits to the library I would have those long and short conversations with the then librarian, Jagjit Singh Anand. He was a very fine person, knowledgeable and spiritually inclined. One afternoon, Anand asked me, what in my opinion, could be considered the biggest blessing for any human being. I recall telling him, “Of course, health.”
He shook his head and said, “No …the biggest blessing for a human being is not being complicated, because complicated characters not just ruin their own lives but also of all those around them! They demolish and ruin peace of mind and just bring about negativity.”
Anand’s simple stark words of wisdom stand out to this day. Sit back and introspect how complicated characters around you can make everyday life hell…hellish! Sadly, in today’s world, complicated characters and situations seem growing at some maddening pace. Multiplying, spreading out, causing mindless destruction and disasters.
Ask yourself: where’s simplicity and innocence gone? Where are all those who lived life with the basics and were seemingly happy and content and unbothered about what tomorrow or the day after day holds out? Where are all those who’s who of yesteryears who carried the guts and grit to stand for the disadvantaged? Where are all those men and women who died with simplicity and honesty and genuineness intact; unbothered about frills and fanciful living?
Today, even the weather is getting more than complicated! Whoever had thought that Europe would be hit by intense heat; rising temperatures killing so many in several European lands. And if one were to focus on the South Asian countries, though rising temperatures were part of the summer stretch but this year the heat wave went berserk, killing many more than previous heat waves. Monsoon and winter hold no promises too, as in spite of all the forecasts and weather updates and predictions the fact that hits out is this – we, the average and ordinary citizens, are unprepared to face of the onslaughts, heat or rains or intense cold!
