Half Glass Full

                                                       Half Glass Full

The present PM’s unsavoury remark at the former PM  shook me up. Though prima facie, there is nothing objectionable in PM’s statement as political  punches and counter punches go, it was certainly distasteful and lowered the dignity of the Prime Minister’s stature.  Of course PM was not apologetic as he said those who attack should be prepared to be paid in the same coin. The difference is the former PM, Man Mohan Singh never indulged in personal attack on the current PM and only referred to demonetization policy  as  an organized loot. He never took any personal name and it is well within the rights of an opposition leader to fault a policy decision in terms that may not be music to the ruling party. But to take the name of a person-and that too someone who had occupied the chair one presently holds and make personal and unpleasant attack and of a repugnant nature is lowering the dignity of the House and of the PM’s position as its leader.

 This once again brought me back to my perpetual lament for the loss of beauty and grace in modern life. I had been repeatedly making the same plea in all my writings for a restoration of those early post- Independence days when the conflict of views between Prime Minister Pandit Nehru and his Home Minister Vallabhai Patel, between Nehru and Rajaji who broke away from the Congress to form the Swantra party , between Nehru and our first  President  Rajendra Prasad – to quote a few –never descended to the low level of opprobrium and political sideswipe. Of late, I have started sounding lachrymose over Paradise Lost and desperately desiring Paradise Regained once more. The result had been personally disastrous for me- I who had been a people’s person slowly began to withdraw from life, started avoiding people and even close friends and got into my shell struggling desperately to emerge from it. I lost my cheer, my equanimity, peace, enthusiasm for life,  happiness and above all the one thing that I valued most, my humanity.  I frowned at the carefree younger generation who were perpetually exploring fresh avenues for unalloyed enjoyment, swearing by the new acronyms LOL (laughing out loud) and YOLO(you only live once) though deep inside I was envious and longed for the soaring of my spirits like theirs.  I tried to justify my negativity quoting Edward Bond who said “We are optimists by nature and pessimists by experience” and the oft quoted aphorism from the Ecclesiastes: “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”

It was fortuitous that my friend called me from Kolkatta yester morning soon after I got up with Beckettian wryness that the Sun rises, having no alternative on nothing new.  She spoke to me about her life in Kolkatta,  the active literary and theatre life there especially during winter months and how one got a fresh breeze of joy and cheer attending the various talks, seminars and workshops in the city. She said that despite the dreariness of the existing mundane reality where political slugfest is a way of life in Bengal, these literary events and theatre festivals displayed the Kolkattan’s innate sense of culture and their love of arts and books, theatre and cinema. She found a large number of young people crowding these places and participating in the events with a sound knowledge of art, books, drama, music and films. She said talking to these youngsters revved one’s love for life. She added: Though we see a large number of our youthful population wasting their time, we can find solace looking at a few bright young men and women who have the verve, vitality and versatility to take the plunge and expand their horizon. Every generation throws up a new set of pioneers who are in the vanguard of path- breaking change in human activity, culture and civilization. My friend spoke not to sermonize but to share with me the joy she had experienced when she met with  young people willing, enthusiastic, unafraid  to take the challenges of life. Her talk had a new vigour as she pointed out  there is no point cribbing about generational change because change has to happen; otherwise life  is one monotonous tedium. One does not have to regain the lost paradise but build a new paradise that will last till the next generation steps in.

I realized that I have been the proverbial cat which thinks the sun has set the moment it closes its eyes. I had closed my eyes and found the world dark. I had to open my eyes to let the light in.  It is the same old story that I know and everyone knows about the half full and the half empty glass. The acrimonious low level debate in the Parliament made me realize the futility of riveting my attention on incivility, insolence, indecorousness, discourtesy and rudeness and then crying where is gone civility, graciousness, decorousness and courtesy? I had momentarily forgotten the number of outstanding students, academic colleagues and friends from professions other than academic who had surged forward to make the world a little more bright and lively.  Some of them have excelled as administrators, some have contributed to academic research, others have proved to be great singers, artists and sportspersons. Do we regret the fab four of Indian cricket- Sachin, Dravid, Lakshman  and Kumble- have retired? Haven’t they been replaced by a new set of players led by Virat Kohli?

Sainas and Sindhus are emerging as the new stars. So are the new boxers, wrestlers and athletes trying to build a new sporting nation. So do we have new artists, actors, singers and

dancers. One generation departs after doing its best among a host of average or below average people. Another takes over. What is constant is the striving for excellence amidst mediocrity.  Why not see the half glass full but only look at the half glass empty.

For the first time in the last couple of years, I felt no sense of shock and anger over the political barbs in the Parliament or the uncouth gestures of world leaders following Donald Trump’s self- aggrandizement. Thanks to the morning talk I felt a sense of freedom from my own servility to pessimism and gloom. The phone rang and I picked up with a new felt enthusiasm. The caller asked me if I would attend a meeting scheduled to discuss art and aesthetics in contemporary world. I promptly said ‘Yes” and added (I am sure, much to her bewilderment) “Look up, the stars shine still.”

Thank you my friend , a million thanks to you. You have taught me to log in and not log out of life.