Money - A sine qua non ?

Money is what all matters. Don’t know about you but I have heard many people repeat this line religiously as if they are enchanting a mantra which is a source of richer and happier life. Materialistic, really this single word can entirely define today’s society. Why so much emphasis is given to “vitamin M” is really bewildering. OK agreed it is almost impossible to sustain life in today’s environment without a proper and regular dose of this vitamin but to link your happiness, peace of mind and everything else with money is not only baffling but sad as well. On my way to office there is a big hoarding displaying a message which literally sums up how things should be. It says – “ How much you earn should not decide how much you smile”. Great line. Every day I read it twice and every time it surely brings a smile to my face. How rightly though most probably unknowingly the painter of that hoarding summed up the true fact of today’s materialistic life on that huge canvas. There is a mad race for gaining more and more and this more is also relative. When I see around me and I mean literally around me, I am surrounded by all sorts of people, coming from different sections of society and even different geographies but each and every one of them is driven by the same urge and i.e. finding some way to earn more. One of them has switched 2 jobs in the span of 2 years and now he is thinking of switching again and the only reason being money. Two others are completely devoted towards act of kowtowing to the boss, so no prizes for guessing their motive behind that. I am writing all this but even I am a MBA aspirant and mostly people go for MBA to have a shot at lucrative managerial jobs with hefty pay packages, but my motive is not that. I on the other hand wants to go for it so that I can get rid of this rat race. I see it as the last hurdle of my academic race after crossing which I will seriously stop running. You can say I am pursuing this PG degree because of social obligations. Today PG degree has become kind of a necessity and I don’t want anyone to look down or point finger at me in the future. Later on I don’t want to look back and regret anything. But once that is done I want to give up everything and pursue my real dream and embark upon my journey of that ultimate treasure.

Enough of me and my aspirations… lets get back to the main point of discussion.. this insatiable carving for more. Striving for betterment or excellence is not bad, but this race should not be money centric. Why one needs money, to have better standard of living, to rise in the society and most importantly to have mental peace and happiness, but is money the only criteria for attaining all these? Don’t know about others but mental peace and money, I don’t think goes hand in hand. If you have sufficient amount that you can not only sustain life but live quite comfortably then that urge for more of money will in most likely hood bring mental trauma than mental peace. Happiness is the state of mind which one achieves when he is at peace with himself. Desirelessness…. Enjoying what you have rather than envying what others possess. There are many such things which you can find in many books which talks about enlightenment, that elusive state of mind and soul which every one desires but doesn’t know how to pursue it or in which direction to move. Even I don’t know and I could be the one who is totally lost. Even I really don’t know what I am writing at this very moment or why I am writing but it is just that it feels good. One thing which I think is in my favor though is the fact that ,I know that I am lost :P … and because of that realization I know that I have to find my way out of this and at least I am trying to discover that path of eternal peace … … Desirelessness … that way to peace …. Which many of us just laugh at today, are really one should strive for… how to get that, again don’t know but my best guess is books. Books are really your best friends .. Nobody will remain with you forever but books will guide you whenever you turn to them.. But good books are also hard to find… there are few which really serves their purpose….

Time is a river ..and books are boats .. Many volumes start down that stream, only to be wreaked and lost beyond recall. Only a few, a very few, endure the testing of times and live to bless the ages following…. So finding such priceless treasure is the main deal which will guide you as a true friend and as a teacher on that treacherous path and help you realize, that Nothing is hidden that will not be made known, nothing is secret that will not come to light…….

RJ