Sour Grapes…

When I was just a little girl, I was told by my mother, that “Adversity has its advantages”.

We were going through very adverse times, with financial restraints, Dad’s ill health, a legal dispute and so on … The list seemed never ending.

Out of the blue, one day, mother sat me down and told me, very simply but firmly,

“Listen here, do not get restrained or bogged down by anything, just go on, adversities in life are a must, cause you will never be able to shine and glitter if you are not put through red hot flames.”

I looked at her in disbelief.

Wondering whether there was another adverse effect coming out of all the adversities we were then facing, I told myself ” Oh, no looks like she’s lost it too.What am I to do?”

Well all I did was tell her this, “Mum do you not think you are going too far with all this philosophical teaching?” As she looked into my eyes in curiosity, I continued

“I’m sure at this point you are thinking like the fox , who cleverly labelled the grapes he could not reach out to as sour.  To you today favourable times seem like sour grapes, as you know we cannot reach out to them and they seem far away. ”

She sighed,but looked at me with that meaningful smile of hers, telling me silently, “One day you will agree with me”.

Today I do, as I realise now that what I felt then was far from true, the truth is not bitter, it is a sweet realisation, that no matter where you are, what you are, sweetness, sourness, or bitterness, underline you.

The truth is this, it is only in adversity, do you get a chance to see the underline beneath the circumstances,and that is when and only when do you catch a glimpse of the truth, when you can watch the reality of life.

Now again there is a cache here, the one my mother told me years ago.

Take it or leave it..

As adversity sets in, you can open up to seeing the silver line underlined between the pain, hurt, and suffering.

There is a chance, and you got to make your choice here, see it clearly as it is, or fill up your eyes with tears of sorrow, pain and self pity, and get so blinded by the pain that you cannot see the actuality which stands beneath.

Well favourable times, obviously leave you with no choice but to enjoy it till it lasts, and leaves you asking for more. During those lovely favourable times, you are still gripped with fear, the fear of losing the sweet taste of nectar.

The assurance of continuity always grips us, and no matter what you do, reality alludes us during those times.

Today reality stands facing us stark on the face, as for the first time we are all , all of mankind into the same situation, locked in our homes. Funny is it not?

No not so funny for some, too limiting for others, peaceful for some, depressing for others, terrible for some, terrific for the others.

Some find it scary, others are reassured.

Your reaction to this situation can lead you to knowing  you.

Did you find adversity sour, bitter, a suffering which made you always feel “Why you?”

Or did you take it in your stride, and learn something out of it, knowing very well that this too shall pass, and you will definitely take something valuable out of this too?

Well if you turned down adversity like sour grapes, and took the support of the sympathy devil, feeding you sweet poison, then you missed out on taking advantage of adversity, thus turning this period into a nightmare.

But to the ones who took adversity in their stride, they will take this too in their stride, and will shine through, knowing that this too shall pass leaving behind a silver trail only they can see and follow.

For a start can we put away that demeaning habit which gets us to hold the TV remote, the whats app and face book information , for sensational news of who did what and why, what is happening and contemplate on what will happen. Are we squandering our technological brilliance in obscurity?  Are we using these for sensations to feed our sympathies and whet an appetite for the growth of pleasure instead of happiness?

Come on guys, we can do without sensation, false messages and forwards in our lives, and the more we listen and read the more we fall prey in the hands of a world cashing on our susceptibility.  Yes the same news is repeated  over and over again till it enters your brain and gives you some news to exchange at the coffee table, making  you feel well informed, and important. Beyond this if we could be helped with all this, we wouldn’t be here together, sitting in isolation without the coffee table.

Just before I end, I want to put across to all of you, that being in a never before situation as this one all together, confirms we are one.  It is the faith we have in one another and ourselves, that will tide us over, on to a new horizon which is the zone we are destined to reach together. The zone where the grapes are sweet.

Come one and all!  Let’s keep up the spirit, the positive attitude and not give up.

Let’s do what is required now, staying home, and enjoying this part of our journey with the same gusto as we would with the exploring out of home journey.

Then our grapes can never be sour…