Don’t Lose Yourself

There are days that will pull you towards the grey

When one is truly stuck between contrasting views and emotions

When one is forced to take a stand which one would love not to

When one knows that both the parties are right yet one will end up on the losing side

When one knows that the decision will hurt one's near ones the most

It’s days like these that I fear that I’ll lose myself. It’s days like these that it’s important that whatever I do is in the larger good, keeping in mind the fact that all can’t win. It’s days like these when I must ensure not to get my vision clouded. It’s days like these when I must believe in myself and stick to my core

At the end of the day if I can look at myself in the mirror, then I’m sure I’ve not lost myself.

To stick or Not

It’s interesting to see the reaction of people when they are at the wrong side of the stick. The point of leniency, understanding and accommodation creeps in without them following the same principles. Such deviations can be made in societies that value self discipline. Self discipline in society is a higher stage of evolution which is developed over a period of time. Some are far ahead and some are far behind in this race.

Self discipline also comes from habit because that is the only way of functioning one is exposed to. It begins with a stick at times and gets ingrained in the system gradually. Take Singapore for an example. There is a severe punishment for littering, breaking traffic rules etc. there. It’s a stick method. However, gradually it will become the way of living there and the need for such stringent measures would not be required then.

There’s a lot of debate of the measures that Sanjay Gandhi took during the Emergency. He also followed the stick method. However, the objectives for which he was doing it were the need of the hour for a society as a whole. Many people would not agree with it but a benevolent dictator is better than any system of democracy, the only issue being that dictators are not benevolent. Maybe India could wish for one.