Someone said, "Today, we have larger houses but smaller hearts; more convenience, but less time; lesser children and even lesser time to play with them." In countries like India and China we have seen unprecedented growth over the last 20 years. While the countries have prospered and per capita incomes have gone up substantially, I can clearly see a deterioration in the quality of lives. And, as is stated in the poem Leisure, "What is this life if full of care; we don't have time to stand and stare?"
Those who suffer the most are children. They do not have the childhood that was there 40 to 50 years ago.... where we could spend time playing, going to someone's house un-announced, when we could have a great laugh, when playing meant on the field outdoors and not in front of your TV or Computer or Mobile, when condom advertisements did not have 11 year olds as models - when children were children - not adults.
Today, we spend hours in front of our television sets - even, this is not a social event in many houses - they have a TV in each room so that there is no fight for the remote control. In many homes, families even do not have 1 meal together on the dining table. There are many couples who just meet over the weekends as they work different shifts and each one is sleeping when the other leaves for office or returns from office.
I am reminded of a beautiful story...a very rich man ( lets call him Peter), was on a holiday and he was sitting on a pier and fishing. The lake in which he was fishing was quite beautiful and he was enjoying the scene when he saw another man (lets call him David) fishing. The difference was that David was actually catching more fish than Peter. So, Peter walked up and asked David, "What do you do for a living?" "Fishing" was the reply he got. So, Peter said, "You are a great fisherman. Why don't you start a larger business in fishing?" David responded, "And do what?" Peter said, "Oh, you can get more boats, more fish and actually sell your fish all over the country." David responded with, "And then?"...and the story goes on with Peter explaining to him how he can catch so much fish and then set up a factory, export fish, etc. Every time he got a response from David, "And then?" So, finally Peter said, "Hey, you will become so rich that you will have enough money to come across to a beautiful lake like this and relax and fish. Don't you want this?" David said, "But, that is what I am doing now anyway!!!"
As in this story, many a time, we forget why we started or do things in life. In pursuit of growth, we forget that all this growth, all this money, etc. is anyway to be happy with our loved ones. To enjoy a peaceful life with good health...to enjoy a life where you can sleep well...and, we forget all this. We give up everything to grow and at the end of the day, like, Peter, forget why we started this journey.
Pursuit of growth is necessary, but like everything in life, needs to be in moderation. Growth at the exclusion of many will not help anyone in the long run. All this social unrest, income disparities, difference in life styles, etc. that we see across the world is due to this lop-sided growth. We, as leaders, must decide to make a difference to every society in which we live. But, it would be great, if we can first start at our own house and make that a real home.
