Getting nostalgic about the past is a universal feeling. Still, why everyone's take on this is different???
For an instance, two friends, having studied in the same college (few years back) and once shared many a moments of fun and frolic, may now have two varied opinions about those 'gone by wonderful' years. While one of them spends better part of his present mulling over the loss of glorious past and finds it difficult to move on, the other one considers them to be the things of past. He accepts change, takes everything in his stride and gets ahead with life.
What is it that disrupts one person’s natural progression? What helps the other take to change as fish takes to water?
Let’s rephrase the questions…
Is it the psychological frailty of former guy that he can't think straight and always wish to go back in time to relive those 'happier moments' instead of concentrating on 'present'? Can it lead to lunacy in the person with passing time if such problems are not properly attended to in time? I feel the answer is YES!!!
But isn’t getting nostalgic about the loss of ‘footloose life’ common??? The feeling for holding on to one’s comfort zone is natural. But, if not checked in time, it can get worse. Then, how come here both the guys think in a different manner? Is one of them chickening out when it comes to shoulder the responsibilities of life while the other guy puts up a brave front or there is more to the story than meets the eye?
The rationale to the situation could be many. But let’s try to surmise as to why one’s life has become complicated when it should have been as plain as the other’s.
One reason why the latter one turned out to be a street smart (unlike his friend) with the passage of time could be the ‘right guidance’ he got just when it was ‘needed’. Few words of wisdom chipped in from mentors sporadically can make the task of facing the challenges of ‘modern’ life a lot easier.
People should really thank their stars if they have mentors in their life. Because we know well for a fact that life can neither be lived in past nor in future. Life can only be savored in present. It is the ‘present’ that makes or mars you. In today’s world, where cut-throat competition is quite evident, becoming ‘pragmatic’ about life is the thing to be done. A lesson well learnt here by the ingenious guy.
Moving back to the first guy, it can be gauged that his predicament is not irreparable altogether. In fact, he can come out of the whirlpool of ‘nostalgia’ with flying colours. Only a ‘good samaritan’s timely intervention’ in his life is what is required. One who can tell him that cherishing good moments is one thing and getting completely lost in the parallel world of nostalgia is another. Life can only be lived in present and not otherwise. There should be a fine balance between our emotional and rational self. Lopsided cases can lead to dire consequences. One advice…just one sound advice from a seasoned person can make the difference.
But do we have enough sensible souls around today???
What with everyone seems to have busied themselves so much in their routine life that it has started taking a toll on their lives – professionally as well as personally. At times, they can’t even see a troubled soul before them crying out for help! Even parents for that matter, sometimes, fail to see the writing on the wall.
Should it be the case, then we must admit that our troubled emotional self is somewhere forcing us to die a slow death! It is quite apparent in the first guy whose mind is clouded with 'well-spent past' and find himself perplexed when it comes to accept the second phase of life which begins with struggle, sweat and hard work. It is at this moment, the guy needs some emotional support and few words of encouragement and wisdom from family & friends. Worse still, the emotionally disturbed one finds himself surrounded with uncaring people, majority of which know what is what. Even though, they are accustomed to the erratic ways of life and have become wiser and mature with time, they show reluctance in helping the poor guy come to terms with the change in lifestyle pattern. Either they (family) have no time or they (friends/ relatives/ colleagues in offices etc) have become callous towards such useless emotions that retard one’s progress in life.
People live in modern age now. They understand well the theory: 'Survival of the fittest'. Apathy, craftiness and dogmatic approach have become their virtues now.
What does it suggest about modern life where people have no time to discuss emotional issues? In an endeavor to ascend the success ladder fast, people have busied themselves so much that their own near and dear ones are facing the flip side of this rosy picture (so-called success). Thus, more and more people today are becoming vulnerable as their problems are not attended.
In today’s fast paced life, people have become nothing but money churning machines. With no help around, wallowing in nostalgia is fast becoming a refuge for ‘sensitive guys’. Instead of helping them come out of their problems, they are left on their own. Sometimes being nostalgic is good but overindulging in it can expedite one’s journey to the graveyard.
Probably, you will be scratching your heads by now as to why I am championing the case of touchy-feely lots. Reason being, even they are also a part of our society. And these are the people who make us realize that in our ‘reckless’ quest for success, we, as a society, have gone ‘astray’.
So, what conclusion should we draw from the present scenario? When we can partake in social gatherings in times of prosperity, should we not share each other’s sorrows when we are hit hard by adversity?
Why is it said that ‘Man is a social animal’? That’s because no man can live in isolation. The situation changes for worse when social isolation compels a man to befriend nostalgia. Life begins to sink like a stone as the 'FRIENDSHIP’ deepens.
Is there a silver lining in this cloud or are we just fooling ourselves by hoping to find one???
As it is, people in general have become impassive towards basic human nature that, at times, shows signs of momentary lapses.
May be this piece of writing raises more questions than it answers. But, isn’t there a big question mark hanging over the future of our society. As if terrorism, indifference towards each other, corrupt politicians, debauchery etc were not enough. Nobody saw the underlying consequences (degeneration of emotional health) all this long that have begun to surface now.
