”…the barrage of macabre, depressing, vapid information that generally stares back at me at the start of the day…” (Quote from a newspaper column) is a sentiment silently echoed by the majority. From terrorism, politics, climate change, sports, thefts, rapes, kidnappings to dysfunctional social patterns, indecent and undignified behavior from people in all walks of life to disturbed relationships; news, views and information make most people cringingly reach out for multiple doses of caffeine to encounter the day. Additionally, some grimness sets into the face and lingers in the rear labyrinths of our consciousness for the remainder of the day.
Seemingly frothy stuff also does not escape unscathed. Along with the lovely snapshots of exotic locales you have a worried checklist of dos and don’ts. In itself, this list of dos and don’ts is a helpful tool but the smart, modern mind gets stuck with compliance and fun and adventure take a back seat!
In love? Wait! Did you check whether the X, Y, Z person you are interested in matches the criteria listed in the magazines? Do you even know if he/she is your type? If not, take a quick quiz and be better informed. Still feel a strong attraction? It is only a simple chemical reaction in your body. Not convinced? Do a reality check by answering a brief questionnaire that will decode the feeling and demystify romance. In the final analysis; falling in love? Whatever were you thinking of!
The world of Finance and Commerce is to a certain degree immune from the spectre of overriding realism. This is partly due to the fact that the Economic tableau looks bright and the potential is promising. But it is equally true that ‘numbers’ are magical – they can be juggled, manipulated, interpreted in your own fashion and creatively dressed up to enchant; until the bubble bursts (as we have witnessed).
Advertorials and advertisements seem to be the only category inhabiting a perfect world, wherein everything from liposuction to buying your dream home is as easy as snapping your fingers and life is always gung ho!
Amidst all this, what is the role played by the recipient? Typically, the build up of negative angst is a great ‘coffee’ conversation topic and after satisfactorily lambasting the break-down of all that is good and right, there is little else the average person can do or does. Robert J. Oppenheimer says, “the optimist thinks that this is the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears it is true!’ So what is the way out in this ever imperfect world, overrun by physical and mental pollution that is making us gasp?
A shot of unadulterated oxygen that will punctuate the despairing mind-set and infuse a sense of mental well being (albeit briefly). The oxygen can take the avatar of your choice…. A sincere prayer, a walk, talk, jog, muscle-crunching, music, a musing, a memory, a remembered scent or touch of that someone special, a shared smile, people being nice, a day that seems made just for you, good news, a day-dream ….anything that brings a smile on your face and a spring in your step! The tedium of life will always weigh us down. We need to jump up and grasp those ethereal moments. And then, for those few sublime seconds there is perfect harmony and synergy of the yin and yang energies …making us aware that God’s smile is upon us and all is well! Pass on the good vibes before life interrupts and takes over again…
