WHAT IF - OLD OR NEW, OLDY OR YOUNGSTER, PAST OR PRESENT?

From Sampath’s Desk:

 

WHAT IF - OLD OR NEW, OLDY OR YOUNGSTER, PAST OR PRESENT?

         

Revolutionary things and sea changes had taken place in all walks of human life over centuries. Nowadays trends change just by the turn of a day. Today a lad may even decry the past world and the forefathers, as is the wont with every generation bursting, "Damn the old good (bad) days, oldies, let us mind only the present and look forward to the future. We have had so much progress, development, and advancements as on date that we are able to visit even the Moon and reach out to Mars. Why talk of the days of Hyder Ali?" But, trying to completely ignore the significance of past history, elders, forefathers, and lessons we get from them is preposterous.

 

We do observe the oldies saying, "in those days, I was ……… / it was like that … / there used to be .….., etc.", eulogizing themselves and the past times they lived in, the talks about which the younger generation may not be comfortable with.

 

“Oldies, stop the gab! We know better than you. Don’t harp on the past; live in the present”, these acerbic, incisive and trenchant remarks of some youth against elders are common. Generation after generation, the loquacious and garrulous youth would explode much to the chagrin and dismay of the otherwise halcyon elders. The cycle of the younger generation chiding elders may perhaps go on in an endless spiral through generations. However, when they grow into elders, they might perhaps have to face the same music from the younger generation at that time. The phenomenon is perhaps prevalent in all echelons of the society transcending all barriers - rich or poor, educated or uneducated - continent, region, country, language, religion, community, race, creed, etc. Only the degree of the sneering rebuke may perhaps vary depending upon the societal strata, standard of living, and lifestyles of families. People act and react on different wavelengths. Easy taking children are carried away mostly by emotions, teenaged by logic, youth make a blend of both, and elders, understandably go by experience. Mistakes are upsetting when they occur but years later, the load of past mistakes wisely called ‘experience’ makes us smarter and smarter as one gets older.

 

A discerning mind can well see that nothing has really changed. It is like the same old wine in a new bottle which the younger generation claims as symbolizing the so-called modernity. For example, sense of humour has not changed for aeons. People with a natural flair still talk with a sense of humour and crack jokes or puns, as has been the case with every generation though expressed 'à la mode' i.e. in an ultramodern way.

 

Original things and values never change. For example, there is no substitute or alternative for mother's milk for the child from which it gets natural immunity against diseases. It is unadulterated. Mother's love and affection for her child haven't changed for ages. It is unique. But with more new,  modern and trendy things chipping in, the way of showering love and affection may differ, according to times, status, age of the beloved ones, situations, etc.

 

Lisp of the child is original, delightful, and blissful. It is an unmatched joy-giver. Even the best of music with a great entertainment value is no match to it.

 

Times keep on changing and we, with the times; but it should not be to the extent of denigrating, belittling, and scoffing off elders who have more mundane world knowledge, experience and expertise to properly advise for successfully tackling life challenges.

          

Proverbs came to be coined as end-product out of the collective wisdom of the society handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. Most have a positive edge and some do have a negative tinge. We do see even in this modern age many proverbs holding water, making an effective sense and playing an advisory role.

 

Let us look back into the past for positive lessons, deploy them to enjoy the present and paving way for a bright future.

 

R.SAMPATH