The Night's Not A Bad Time To Work!

I had the (dis)pleasure of staying up late in the night a few days to conjure this essay for the next day’s All India Essay Writing Competition conducted by no less an organization than the United Nations itself. The topic was 'Do Unto Others As You Would Have Others Do Unto You' (well...I know it's a lame topic...that's what made me think of putting up an out-of-the-blue script...) Well, this is what I managed to come up with. Read and judge for yourself if I’ll go a long way in this race…

"The two pugnacious beasts tugged hard at each other with the air of extreme malevolence in their eyes. An oblivious onlooker would’ve been possessed by absolute perplexity at the scene, for there seemed to be no tangible reason for the deadly wrestle. And yet, they were entangled for a long time in a fierce grapple that seemed like it would last for eternity. The end seemed far and nearly impossible…

Residing two million kilometers away, I am Sameer Dharur, a miniscule constituent of this great planet. Over the course of my 15 years of existence, the world around me has taught me several things, few of which will play a pivotal role in propelling me to pinnacles of incomprehendible levels, while a few others will certainly go a long way in nourishing this habitat of ours. Besides the expatiated Value Education classes and the countless ‘seminars’ that I’ve had to attend on similar lines, the very experience of spending 15 years of absolute ‘humanness’ has taught me certain things of great value—things which can scarcely be acquired from titanic books. Education imparted by the greatest institution in the world…

As I sit down to pen this essay, several thoughts (some of which might seem entirely irrelevant to the context of things) cross my mind. Grisly images of scarlet haemoglobin spattered across debonair streets of great cities, wonderful memories of Roger Federer holding aloft his 15th Grand Slam title, crippling memories of the Indian Cricket Team crashing out of the T20 World Cup, joyous memories and images of my country soldiers returning triumphantly after conquering battles of great significance and pride, tear-stimulating memories of my losing competitions that meant the world to me, all make an untimely entry into my mind right now (I seriously doubt if it’s in the right place). But as I sit back and ponder over the bizarre phenomenon, I cannot but notice one common thing in all of them—passionate emotion. This is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools we are all armed with; tools that are so potent and capricious in nature that they can go a long way in ascertaining where we’re headed. Tools that can make or break one’s life…

Glancing at the newspaper this morning (with my cup of steaming Bournvita in hand), the headline read, “Pak Budge; Say They’re Committed To Bringing To Book 26/11 Culprits”. The chuckle that fizzled out was impromptu. No, I wasn’t indulging in my favourite pastime of using Pakistan as my punching bag, but the precise pretentiousness of the occasion dawned on me. Until a day before the meet was scheduled to take place, Opposition parties of the country were boisterous in their vociferous disapproval of the deed and believed Pakistan should be isolated and kept at bay. But the Prime Minister of the country thankfully had other ideas, was bold enough to renounce the agitations of the groups and went ahead with the pretentious meet. It did yield extremely positive results. The relationship that was a true embodiment of virulence was now mended, with similar resonance from the other end as well. The mere intention of going ahead and shaking hands with the volatile neighbor did everything.

I remember my History teacher elucidating one of the best chapters of our syllabus a few weeks ago. While it was the conciliatory intention of the Indian Prime Minister that fixed a relationship that was for decades one of extreme vitriol, it was that one malicious ill-will of Otto Von Bismarck that brought about one of the bloodiest wars in history. Both these scenarios have one thing in common—the eventual outcome of them was a function of the instigator’s endeavours. In other words, the bottom line of both the tales is perceptible and simple—‘You get what you give’.

The line might sound way too clichéd and one for the Moral Science text books. But the line is now a universally accepted axiom. I suspect you will find that the pragmatic manifestation of this philosophy in the modern times is a statement—that this is a universal axiom, a phenomenon that will be THE catalyst of human demeanour as long as the day breaks and the night falls. It is seen between two innocent kindergarten folk in the tussle for a pencil, in the soccer field between two passionate footballers, between two debonair diplomats under the lavish arc lamps of 5 star hotels. But it is a phenomenon that travels far beyond the realms of a kindergarten classroom or the length and breadth of a football field. It is the factor that ascertains the relationship between you and the rest of the society. It is a factor that will play a rather influential role in determining if you can enjoy days of harmony with people around you or if they will sink you into an abyss of intolerability. It is natural human tendency to give people what we get from them. It is natural human tendency to treat people with the same spoon as we have been treated with. It is natural human tendency to ‘pay back in the same coin’. It HAS become natural human tendency to embrace wholeheartedly the policy of ‘Tit For Tat’. I suspect it would be safe and pious to state that one would do himself a whole lot of good using this tool in the way that would bring to him the greatest contentment. All that is required is good will and the intention to be considerate to fellow men and women. All the malice that exists in the remotest corners of our heart might very well be packed and flung away from our conscience. That is vital to foster fellowship and harmony in this world. And that will be an asset of immeasurable value to us, for we’d be able to heal the world and make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race (yeah…MJ did get something right after all…)

Like a guerdon flung from the thresholds of randomness, a seductive fruit caught the attention of the two ravaging beasts. The momentary pause was just the thunder before the storm. Maybe it was mere instinct. Maybe it was intentional tact. One of the two plunged onto it and gulped it down even before the other could contemplate going for it. It went for the profited instead and pinned it hard to the floor with fire in its eyes. Once again, the end seemed far and nearly impossible…

Destiny had done its job."