Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Is life fair?

This Sunday I had been to a Buddhism discussion meeting in my neighborhood, where participants were supposed to discuss and share their experiences while imbibing Buddhist philosophy. I have been somewhat regular with these meetings off late and this time I too shared my experience, which was well received by those present. Rest of the crowd was also coming up with their own take on life and recent experiences, wherein one member was repeatedly cribbing about his life, even comparing it to hell. Upon coming back to my apartment building, I saw him again in the lift and was surprised to learn he lived in my building only. He then invited me to his apartment, which was two floors below mine, and recounted story of his life. He had changed professions and maybe ambitions often, inspite of a good ability was languishing in his job, he lived reclusively alone and seemed to lack contentment anywhere. Well there were many things I shared with this guy, to start with we were from same college, similar backgrounds, aspirations for Civil Services and wasting of time with it, change in careers, only thing he was married and ten years elder but his wife lived abroad. I must have been in his flat for a short while only, but the despair in his life, heightened by irregular career and lacuna of a family life, was all too visible. His place was not bad by any counts, infact well kept for a single guy and he too appeared decent by all counts, but his current lackluster life was indeed pitiable

Even after living his flat I kept wondering about him, I had never seen this guy before though had crossed his flat many times which was mostly locked. During evening walks these days I make a special note of his apartment, which is always blacked out; I know many occupants of my building but this person was never noticed and going by his rant in the Buddhist meeting, his present life condition was indeed unenviable

Going by few similarities in our lives I too can land in his shoes someday but what bothers me is not the fear of it rather do I, or for that matter anyone, deserve this? I know we all get in life what we deserve and not what we desire, but then can life get so iniquitous? As I am about to embark on a new and major chapter of my life, my Muscat Visa should come through in few days, I often ask myself

Is life fair?

15 comments:

  1. The best:
    (Upon coming back to my apartment building, I saw him again in the lift and was surprised to learn he lived in my building only)

    Is life fair???
    May be No when relationships are far due to any reason, when friends are far due to any reason And even when we do not know who is staying within the building or next building or next to next building???
    Is life fair?

    ReplyDelete
  2. i don't think life ever claimed to be.
    The very term is eurocentric. Its ok to be dark, wheatish........all the way through transparent sometimes

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am a very strong believer of Life is what you make of it. I too believe in Buddhist teachings and try to live by them as far as possible. And this man, really needs to attend more of such meetings. It will help him the realities of life and accept them, and make the most out of them.

    Kisses.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's what we've always been told...Life's not fair..I guess by now,you must've had plenty of experiences affirming this fact.

    There is a quote I take heart in when my morale is down "No one ever said life is gonna be fair. They just said it will be worth living", and by God it is!!!

    Every setback is a new experience,that is how we go on living,isn't it? Isn't it from these experiences that we find the strength to go on living after some life shattering experience? Some people cannot perhaps cope up with the dynamic nature of life..they remain behind in the race... "survival of the fittest" dude...

    ReplyDelete
  5. loneliness can be the worst thing to happen to you. and it is definitely not fair

    circumstances arise and at times we create them. everyone is different.. every life is different, the people in his life and the people in your life are different.. maybe he did something to create these circumstances for himself.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It all depends on what color shades you have on. If you decide to play victim and suffer, its your own choice. If you decide firmly to be happy, healthy and content and acknowledge that you are better off than so many others ..its your choice also.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree with LSL above: Life is what you make it.. while a lot of times, things may seem unfair, I know I have quite a fair share of problems, and sometimes life can be unusually cruel but at the end of the day, we have no choice but to accept it and make the most it..

    ReplyDelete
  8. Life is never fair... it's never...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Life is totally worth the pains it gives... Pain/Happiness/Lonliness/Love is all the part and parcel of life and the way we take it is our choice !!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Life is always the same,its depends on our perception to take it as fair or unfair.
    Lets hope muscat part is fair on you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. pesto..life will unfold the way it wants...just sit back and wait :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dont you think life is what we make out of it ? we can either live in darkness or make an effort to let the light in !

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have seen life extinguished away...It is better to live it to the fullest...and treat everyday as if it were the last!

    ReplyDelete