History Repeats

Almost quarter of a century back, when I was working with a large organization in north India I witnessed something that made me laugh. The wife of one of the corporate seniors who was driving the strategy of the group was struggling to cope with cancer. The hospital needed to do a blood transfusion which meant there was need of donors. The Corporate Office spread word to all locations and plants and hunt for donors started. In my location, the Location Manager made an announcement of sorts, and this is what he said” Please send some officer blood to the hospital. There were many of us who fell off our chairs hearing this, coming from the boss who one expected would display a little more sensitivity being in the position that he was in. This and many other experiences made me realize that to be at the top of the ladder requires little or no wisdom as long as you achieve targets.

When I look at the current scenario with this disease not sparing anyone whatever be their level in the corporate world, I get reminded of the incident that happened two and a half decades ago. I see obituaries of so many very well to do people who would have been healthy protected from all such eventualities and who are well covered by all kinds of insurance schemes. I guess these may be economically helpful for the ones who are left behind to pay the bills. The bodies of the rich and the poor are treated alike, as somethings that needs to be feared, something untouchable. I guess the current pandemic brings forth an important lesson for all of us. A lesson in wisdom.

People in positions of power whatever they may be called will realize that disease and death are great levelers especially if it happens due to this disease. Persons who claim to be close to us whether colleagues or family will distance themselves the moment we fall prey to this disease. It may not mean that they would be happy in doing this, but they would have very little options. Those who genuinely love us and care for us may suffer pain but will have to just bear it.

It may be time for the affluent and the powerful to start valuing the blessings they may take with them when they leave the body. We don't need to give away all our wealth anonymously or by making the press and social media aware of our generosity. All we need to do is be good in thought word and deed. Goodness appears to be such a vague term and I believe it is much better to leave it as vague as it is. Each one of us will be good based on our perspective of what it means to be good. The LAW of KARMA will do the rest. This is not easy because all of us are driven by our Vasanas. When Duruyodhhana was told that he should tread the path of goodness, he quite candidly said that it was not possible for him to do so because that will be going against his very nature. However in these times when we are seeing suffering all around us and many of us are suffering ourselves, either from the disease or from the fear of getting the disease. we may just wish to prepare for our own future. After all what goes around comes around.