WED THE HEART TO THE BRAIN

 Technology transforms lives. But is it for the better or for the worse? The globalistechnological revolution has indeed transformed social values and priorities. People of this age tend to live for the present, for enjoyment, entertainment and for self gratification with little thought for others and for the future. This world view can be self defeating if not tempered with wisdom and foresight.

All of us try to seek out happiness in a million ways, often ending up unwittingly in unexpected misery instead. This happens due to an incorrect notion of happiness and a wrong approach taken to pursue the same. It is said that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. What is not said is that all fun and little work can make Jack a misfit? Happiness, more correctly, is like the butterflies that we try to trap. The more we run after them the farther they flutter away.  But when we turn around and apply our mind to the work at hand, they come back and alight gently upon our shoulders. Work has that magical power to bring happiness close.

Real and lasting happiness therefore can flower only on the foundations of disciplined labour. Self discipline and systematic labour therefore shall be the sword and shield that will slay the demons of sloth, failure and sorrow. If we put them on and stride forth brave and steady success and happiness will salute us at every turn and failure will vanish without a trace from our lives.

Years may rapidly roll by and at a time in future, when success embraces our discipline and happiness crowns our labour can we be gracious to all those who are still toiling towards success?. Can we avoid arrogance and insensitivity, at all times, as a pestilence far worse than failure? If we adorn ourselves with the virtues of discipline, labour, humility and sensitivity we will surely shine with a dignity worthy of veneration. We should beware that at the height of success the line between virtue and vice gets very thin indeed. To stay on the right side without straying on to the wrong will take a sound character and solid discernment. Our education should have provided us with the same.  Therefore we should try to be wise without turning arrogant, to be persuasive without getting pushy and to be nationalistic without growing the horns of fascism.

At the end of it all we shall not forget that our claim over our life is no more than that of the air over the rain drop gifted by the clouds unto the ocean only to take it away at another time in another form. That awareness of the infinite mystery of life will keep us safely rooted in humility though we soar on the wings of technology and progress. The future, if there is one, however technologically advanced it may be, will be bright and secure only if the qualities of the heart are firmly wedded to those of the brain. This remains the new challenge in this new age for this new generation.