During the last few weeks, we’ve tried to answer some very pertinent questions. It is pertinent to note these questions and the responses. I always like to take these questions head on.
Q. Why are we taking ourselves through these struggles for essentials of life like electricity, water, cooking gas, vegetables, which we could take for granted in Mumbai? Or What was so wrong with the life we were leading for so many years that all of a sudden we decided to give up all the comforts, security, company and live a lonely life, working hard just to be able to survive? Or What is so wrong about accepting the system of the mainstream?
A. Our decision was aimed at making life better. Better may mean more convenient or yielding better results, but not necessarily so. In our case, better meant living what we feel ‘correct’. The struggles for essentials are incidental. One has no option but to accept both sides of the coin. We felt very strongly then and continue to feel so now that we have no compulsion to put up with the polluted air, the mediocrity at work place resulting from the single minded pursuit of ‘more’ profit, the indifference to the harm done to the natural endowments, the blind-folded race for more marks, the unquestioned subordination to the evaluation parameters of ‘success’ and many more facts, which we couldn’t do much about, staying in the system. Giving up comforts and company were not the objectives. We can and will continue to make life more convenient, secure and enjoyable without doing anything we feel is incorrect. We will accept with gratitude everything from the mainstream life, which we feel is ‘correct’.
Q. Now that we’re conscious of what we need not ‘put up with’, is it not possible to live the life we want in Mumbai or any other city?
A. Partly, though not completely. There will still be factors beyond our influence like air & water pollution, the company our children keep, the higher cost of living, and many more. We will continue to have very few or no company. We will also need to give up of a host of advantages of our current lifestyle offers.
Q. We’re not able to give our children all the education we’d planned and it is clear that on our own, we will not be able to. If they go to a regular school, the peer pressure and competitive environment does push them to do better. Even if there are many disadvantages of the education system there, at least it will get them to give it their best. Here we can shield them from the disadvantages, but they’re losing the interest to learn.
A. Largely correct. But because we’ve not been effective in this area yet does not make it a better option to go to a regular school. Anything external acting as a stimulus to learn or do better has a limited life-span. When the stimulus origins from within, the ability to learn, the pace of learning and the quality of learning is exponentially superior. We need to keep trying and improving what we can do. That spark from within can ignite any time. Besides, what they’re learning on their own, just by living a life of this sort of a life is invaluable.
Q. All this seems correct logically. But it doesn’t seem to be working out as we’d have liked to.
A. If we feel happy about our decisions, we’re enthusiastic and can take the most daunting challenges in our stride. If we don’t feel happy, logical arguments don’t help. But, escaping unhappiness here is not sure enough to lead us to happiness elsewhere. We cannot also lose sight of the many aspects of the new life, which we and the children are enjoying. We surely don’t want to give them up. What appears likely is that the difference of opinion with the founders and the unpleasantness is the cause of soreness. It may be time to explore other options, but without giving up on what gives us happiness here. We’ve worked hard for it. Let us choose happiness elsewhere rather than escaping unhappiness here. Till we find an option, let us enjoy the exploration. We will definitely enjoy looking back at these days.
