As soon as the winters knock our doors, the preparations for tackling dry cold weather have already begun. Vaseline or cold creams, geyser or induction rod, lukewarm drinking water replacing refrigerated water, Heater replacing cooling AC, blankets but most importantly laziness especially in waking up early morning are some of the common scenes of this time of the year. More recently, winters have been symbolised with smog of Delhi.
Winters are the only season that traverses from one year to next (November-February) and hence welcomes new year on our behalf. Temperatures have started falling and many a places have even witnessed snowfall. Blankets have started to be tested and newer ones replacing the older. Coffee and Tea are being served to all helping people to cope with the chilly winters. Sunshine is patiently awaited to warm the bodies. Christmas is not very far neither drafting the New Year resolutions.
All these events occur in response of the change in the temperature and pressure conditions of the earth. Humans, the so-called most intelligent species (self-acclaimed) have learnt ways to beat the natural conditions of the season, by taking help of artificial devices and items as described above. The sages in ancient times unlike the modern globalised humans tackled the cold and chilling winters naturally and made their bodies sturdier and stronger. One may not ask the contemporary to act as the sages but aren't we making our bodies and minds weaker by adopting more and more such man-made products? The answer to this but obvious question rests with us, but lets search it with honesty and peace of mind.
Soon after winters, we have a beautiful and colourful spring season. Flowers blossom, crops are reaped and harvest festivals are celebrated throughout the country. I remember Shelley's lines from the poem "Ode to the west wind" which goes like this " If winter comes, can spring be far behind". He gave geographical and philosophical angles when he wrote the above. The latter signified that difficult times (failure) are followed with good ones (success). So, are humans ready for failures when they are at the peak of their successes? Even when we know its indispensable and coming, we try to delay this ultimate truth. Just because everyone loves success and hates failure. Despite the fact that failures teach us more and makes us more strong and capable and in fact make us a better human being. We only love success as it keeps failure off ward and gives us temporary and ephemeral happiness. Long lasting and meaningful happiness is achieved only when we learn our mistakes during failures and correct them in future. It comes when we help people who are in real need for true and caring humans and not robotic machine type homo-sapiens (as we are becoming day by day).
In the present times, in big cities and metros like Delhi, you can see people feeding dogs with milk, biscuits etc.; pigeons with daana; cows with chapati etc. But when humans ask for real help explicitly or implicitly like a lady giving her phone and requesting one to dial a number; an old lady with heavy bags finding it difficult to walk uphill the road, our eyes and ears seem to be not working at all. Have we really remained social animals or just pretend to be so?
Times have changed as seasons change every now and then, haven't we too changed simultaneously? Is this change something Darwin would call "Evolution", "adaptation", "survival of fittest", "struggle for existence" etc. ? Or there lies no justification for humans to be so selfish and mean in the real world.
Seasons would come and go, humans too being mortal would perish but our actions and deeds would stay for times immemorial and more importantly would make humans better species and the planet a better place to dwell upon. The test lying infront of us this winter would be a difficult one if we are serious, otherwise its just a test. Are we ready?
