In good olden days I still remember when i was a child,I used to visit our neighbour's house with my parents.And that used to be so much fun.Parents used to sit, talk, laugh over cups of tea and snacks used to be served for us.We children played a lot --hide and seek,ludo,carom---or simply innovated games like--'dark room'(where we tried to find another friend in the darkness of a closed room,usually played in the night.)The electronic media --TV,computer games and the age of Nintendo ,psp,PlayStation's had not arrived.
Today i feel ,children still enjoy --play-- but mostly with some or the other gadget and parents do sit and laugh and talk(not necessarily over cups of tea???)
I feel in metro cities we have not only stopped visiting but also stopped caring about our neighbours.
The debasement of our relation with our own neighbours (immediate or otherwise) by a grossly commercial ,materialistic and insensitive world is a fact that we all have to accept and admit.
Last Sunday I was actually awakened to this truth and my hopes of spending a peaceful day with my family was shattered.
My maid ,in all her endeavour for a "Diwali cleaning drive"happened to drop some water from my 3rd floor flat on to the 2nd floor balcony .This had an immediate reaction from my 2nd floor neighbour.The head of the family-a respectable 50 + gentleman not only started screaming(which can be understood --out of shock maybe)but stated shouting,abusing,calling names at us.
It would have been simpler if he had just given us a chance to say sorry.
I feel we are losing contact with the -TRUTH.
We know,have heard several time "LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR"
To see the TRUTH does not depend on intellect.It depends on being with contact with the truth--and a silent and quiet mind to receive it.
bye. take care.
I remember those 'good old days' too.Coming from a small town Kharagpur,where there is just the Railways and IIT,I remember how hassle free our life was.There was less awareness of "status",life was simple,happiness wasn't directly proportional to money,neighbours were extended family.There was no identity crisis,each family was unique and belonged.Yes,there were fights and 'getting hurt' and the occasional show off's but it was"all IN the family".
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