... towards light !

"Long is the way and hard, that out of hell leads up to light."

I agree with Milton on the 'hard' and the 'hell' part. I am not sure of the 'light' though.

May be the 'light' is always there; and, through our travel (or travail) we just learn to see it. May be it is the opening up of one's mind, broadening of one's gamut of knowledge, stretching one's endurance, that is epitomized as 'light' .

I thought I knew much of the world, through my books and parents, till I left home at 19; To the southern part of my own country, only to realize, how less I knew and ignorant I was of my own motherland. And I am not alone in this comic world of ignorance ! We all are part of it, basking in it.

I have met innumerable people from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala who like to coin the term 'North Indian' to the plethora of humanity ranging from Gujarat to Manipur(the concept of East or West is noexistent to these pople whose country was ruled by one 'East India Company' for a 100 years.). Some have even intelligently pondered whether Manipur is not the same as Manipal and whether Assam in not an independent country. In the 'North', people are absolutely aware of their country's demography (or so it seems). They do not make such embarassing miskates. They just call the people belonging to the Deccan as 'Madrasis'! Wonder what is the need for 28 states when two would suffice the need of the populace. 'Northis' and 'Madrasis'.

It is amazing how less we know about our own country, and open our big mouths in public when we should actually put our heads down is shame and better ourselves at putting the jigsaw puzzle of India together.

As we grow, we learn less, repeat our mistakes, to the point where they become second nature, and then we die with a massive burden of ignorance hidden deep inside, embarassed to admit that we have been carrying it for so long. Tragic, is it not?

In wish to see 'light'. I have decided to reduce the use of 'Ok' 'Definitely' 'Absolutely' s in my life. I think these words often mean the opposite and are bottlenecks to a man's understanding of a subject. Nothing we know can be absolutely definitely OK. Light never enters through the holes of ignorance. It is a difficult choice to make. At every step I must admit that I dont know, what is absolutely OK to the multitude, and endure the humiliation. It makes progress slow; but, what is progress if it is not in the right direction. I am going back to my roots, back to being stupid, back to my books, and tomorrow I will have the right answers. and that I hope will show me the 'light' and spare me an embarassing end.