To Err is Human

I was desperately swapping channels today trying to arrive at some program which would provide some entertainment to this entertainment deprived soul. The first scan was rather hopeless. I stared at the remote control of the set-top box that has been recently installed, and the number of buttons that it has, could easily take half of my lifetime to get a hang of it (exaggerated, of course). I deliberated if another navigation though the 200+ channels was worth the effort or should I learn the functionalities of the novel equipment I held in my hand to kill time. My mind decided against the latter and I scrupulously started jumping channels with a hope to land at a temporary destination.

By the grace of God, I was successful in finding a program which, for sure appeared to keep me occupied till it ended. Nope, nope, it wasn’t any cricket match. Good guess- I must admit, given my apparent interest in the game. The place were I stopped at had a sportsman issuing a public apology for his unethical behavior. Yes folks, it was the ace golfer Tiger Woods on screen with a morose look on his face, with a deadpan expression reading sheets of drafted apologetic comments to his family, friends, sponsors, and not to forget, his fans.

The vociferously roaring Tiger on the golf courts appeared to have mellowed down completely and the emotionally drained champion appeared lost in the woods. His flings with a host of women invited international criticism and the greatest sporting icons of our century crumbled down in despair, and his attempts to save his falling marriage in the wake of sexual allegations have proven futile.

He admitted his wrongdoings to the ease of access he had to the women involved. He claimed that the fame and money he possessed were the culprits for this bait. He compromised on the integrity and honesty that one should be characterized with. The Tiger erred. The Tiger treaded a wrong path and is now mighty apologetic about his unethical behavior.

We too, at times, tread wrong paths in our lives. It may not be the same magnitude as that of Woods, but we surely do. Only thing we need to watch out for is whether are deceiving or offending someone and would that person be hurt by our pernicious actions. If the answer is yes, we should try to stay away from such misdoings.


We all make mistakes. We all will continue to make mistakes till the end of time. We are humans and to err is very much human. Few mistakes are pardonable and a few are beyond repair if damage is caused. Limit your mistakes and that will limit your troubles. AMEN!


-Sandeep Mahagaonkar

Life

I’m not in the best of my moods today. I’m disconsolate, very disconsolate. There is a feeling of heaviness in my heart and my breath seems to have lost its normal rhythm. There is a long grueling battle going on in my mind. A quest on the vagaries of human life and death seems to have risen in my mind from nowhere. Today, I heard the news of my colleague’s wife passing away in an accident. She’s is survived by her husband and a little baby. The news has been very painful and my heart felt condolences go out to my colleague and his family in these grievous times.

When we hear of such unforeseen tragedies in life, we literally slump into a mournful state. Even in the greatest of joys, such news’ wrecks havoc and we start pondering over the most obscure event in this universe- Death.

A chill does run down through the spine when we think about all this. Few people question the will of God and few accept it as their fate. A few get depressed and a few get a spiritual awakening. A few see this as a natural phenomenon and get over it quickly whereas a few take years together to come out of the grief.

Life is a precious thing. Our near and dear ones are more precious than anything else in this world. Their happiness, their joy, their satisfaction should mean the world to us. The best time to think of them and love them is when we are with them. Rest all is immaterial. Go to your near ones folks and tell them how much you love them and how much they mean to you.


Remember the following lines from Bhaja Govindam:
 punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
punarapi jananii jathare shayanam
iha samsaare bahudustaare
kripayaa apaare paahi muraare

 Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari! Redeem me through Thy mercy.


-Sandeep Mahagaonkar