The Lotus!

sarajara · Nov 27, 2014

The world is so busy... It's filled with all chaotic things on earth. It's too difficult to recollect any thing that happened more than a week back. We forget the vendor who sold us sweet ripe fruits the other day. We get up in the morning as a big competitor. Competitor as in what?!?!! yeah what else?, to cook good in time, that too identify the items that the kids would rather not discard in their boxes when back home, cook something nice and satisfactory for our dear husbands who are busy with their meeting calendars.
Ladies busy with true cooking and office works, men occupied by the official schedule , the pain of getting to office on time, etc.... We run to complete our works in time, run to just be done with our works, run to get the groceries. And veggies, we run to find that moment when we are done and can just pause for a while... But hmm that's close to some miracle happening..

little do we put our minds yo what we do, what we talk, it's become very common about arguments and fights, abuses, venting out physically and verbally, think that we all do great work and manage to do many things and have a superiority complex and a big ego...thinking that we are dolls on the gopuram(temple tower), that bears the gopuram. Little do we know that the gopuram bears the dolls.

Likewise the world bears us and is flexible enough to allow our circus with its Sophistications. We keep thinking that we are great doing many things and we hardly know how good we really are. We woulda have put all our skills to cook a healthy meal, that would have left our lil ones feeling like it was something that is anew invention that is devoid of taste. We would have skillfully coined a reply mail and would have sent it to a group if people that would have contained the ones not intended to receive them. We would have promptly cleaned the home and wouldn't have noticed that our cleaning would have left some dust in the balconies of the lower floor flat.
There are a few people who differ in this chaotic world. The vendor who picks out one of the rotten veggies you had chosen; the druggist who gently reminded you to avoid a banned drug and suggested a better one, the doctor who shared dome good lifestyle changes instead of writing a big list to fill his pharmacy cash counter;the conductor who promptly gives you back the change in a jam packed bus....

They all stand out... As a lotus in the dirty pond, while the others swim like mosquito larvae thinking they are gold fish beautifying the pond, while the real ones put their mind and heart in doing a Work more meaningfully and thus making this world worth living.

Let's stop running and start living.

VaniVyas · Dec 1, 2014

Very nice write up.... It is so true that we are so busy in our rat race...

At times I forget even to say a bye to my family members while rushing to office. Things like will I reach office on time, what is the first thing to be done, when is the meeting etc.. These things take priority in the brains.

madhuprabha · Dec 1, 2014

Hello Sarajara,
It is so very true that we forget to appreciate the nicer and finer things in life. In this journey of life, we have to remember that the destination is as important as the journey itself.
On the way to the office, I often take tender coconut. The vendor from the first time I purchased has had a smile on his face and always after I finished drinking the coconut will say 'Please come again mam'. There are three coconut vendors in the small stretch of road, but only this person had these kind words and not just for me, I observed that he told the same words.
Now he has become my friend and I feel happy to purchase the coconut from him.

rgsrinivasan · Dec 1, 2014

It is obvious that those people who you mentioned, did such kind acts not on the business intention, but just on the ethics that they had been sticking to. I feel that the greatest appreciation for one comes from within and that happens only if one is honest. We live in a competitive world where the means are ignored and only the end matters, but there will be at least once in our lives where we might have pursued something earnestly, without being mean. The little victory that we had, will stay for a long time than the bigger ones which are achieved otherwise. Nice, feel good blog, Sarajara. Thanks. -rgs

jayasala42 · Dec 1, 2014

Dear sarajara,
Very nice write up.There are so many unsung heroes even these days who have real sincerity and no pretence.
Regarding Gopuram and the dolls which you have mentioned, I am reminded of a fanciful conversation between two stones, one intended for serving as decorative doll, and athe other one to serve as foundation stone.

We see so many magnificent buildings with style and architectural beauty, not only givine elevation to the building but to the entire street on which it stands.

The decorative stone started boasting:-
"Many people appreciate the mind bogging height,the shining tiles, smooth paintings , interiors and the fanciful sculptures.But nobody cares for you."

But the stone selected for foundation replied thus;-
" No doubt the stones intended for decoration are the fortunate ones.
But I am more lucky and gifted than what you are.
I desire that I should bear the weight of the building or tower without expecting any other person like mansion or tower to support me.

I want to get buried a few tens of feet unseen below the earth so that the tower may rise into hundreds of feet, stand tall, visible to the entire city.

I want to go unsung so that the dolls like you may be appreciated by all.

I want to get hidden under the dark earth so that my fellow friends like you may enjoy the sun shine, breeze and soothing weather.

I want to get completely buried yielding place to the other generation.

If a beautiful tower or mansion is to be created certain stones should go beneath the earth."

The decorative doll remained stunned.

If we want a great noble society to be created, a few individuals have to forefeit their lives in the altar of sacrificial fire.They are like muddy bricks burnt in superheated kilns.

We enjoy so many rights and freedom behind which there have been many souls who have sacrificed themselves.Truth is ever hidden and invisible.

Our country striving for top rank, needs many such foundation stones to remain hidden, unimpressive to make the nation rise to an expressive height.
.
unfortunately there is tuff competition for occupying the decorative tops.Only a handful come forward to be the foundation stones.
Even crores of decorative personnel cannot make a cultured society without the help of a handful of sacrificing brick like persons. This idea has been beautifully conveyed in a Hindi essay" neev ki eent"( Brick in a kiln), I read long back.

Jayasala 42

Jayasala 42

Kamla · Dec 3, 2014

Dear Sarajara,

Loved your lotus analogy!

Often, those who we don't think much about are the ones who will add to the quality of our life. We may eat at a five star hotel but what good is it if the waiter is not courteous and concerned about the guests. We may pay the bill but with frustration if the service stinks. When the service is good, we do feel happy and even tip them generously. When we come out, we are only mentioning the five star's name and its pomp and forget all about the server! He is just doing his duty!

I agree that today's life is hectic. Everyone is so immersed and involved that little things like a ladybird sitting on the petals or a cooing bird just does not register. But mind you, if they stop existing, we will certainly notice their absence, never mind how busy we may be! It is just that in the struggle to catch that bus, we may ignore the little wild flower on the street corner.

Lovely snippet and congrats on being nominated to FP by RGS! He does notice!

L, Kamla

Viswamitra · Dec 5, 2014

Dear Sarajara,

It is a great write up rightly ended up in the FP section. After all, our perception of the world is directly proportional to our positive mind. The world becomes a better place to live, if we are happy about everything we do everyday. Character building is a life-long exercise where it is not important to be without any blemish but what we learn out of our mistakes is important.

Our mind is a strong tool that can take us in the direction we focus on. Even a most testing and hostile environment can bring the best out of an individual to be different. It is all in the mind. Jews who were in the concentration camp even after facing humiliation and uncertainty about life, have created some stunning literary work that is treasured even today.

Lotus looks everyday for the bright Sunshine despite housing itself in muddy water. It is a perfect example you have given in your write up to mention how to be unique and different. We need to only seek the best qualities and keep enhancing our character everyday and keep reducing our expectations. That is the goal for success. In simple terms, keep giving more to the world that bears us than what we take from it.

Viswa

shyamala1234 · Dec 5, 2014

Dear Sarajara,

The little something extra, walking an extra mile, a little more smile and courtesy and most important of all, honesty and sincerity in one does...these make a lot of difference for the world. Real Lotuses in the world!!!
Thank you for a good one.
Syamala