The world is upside down!

My life began in Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. I was given a book by The Mother of the ashram when I was sixteen. I read it but the words and the word pictures didn’t convey much to me at that age. The words were understood but not their implication. One sentence however stood out: “Then you will see that the world is standing upside down.”

Of course I could see that every one was on their legs quite upright. Then what was She saying? That sentence has always been at the back of my mind. Gradually as life unfolded, I could see that people were lying left, right and centre, very often for no reason. I wondered if this was what Mother meant.

Then I realised that people were maintaining a facade. They wished to be seen as honest, hardworking, sincere, capable, etc., while in their hearts they were looking for shortcuts, were totally insincere and insecure about themselves as they knew well that the qualities they were expecting others to see in them were not there. They knew well that they were living a charade but simply did not have the guts to live otherwise. What an upside-down way to live!

My own experience of life is that we are most of the time playing chess within our lives for no reason. For example when I was 10 or so, some boys wanted to steal mangoes. In the very first try we got caught. I decided then and there that there was no value in this cat-and-mouse game. The next time I wanted a mango, I just went and asked the owner and he gave me one!

Similarly, I see people fibbing on the telephone. The cell phone has made this even more imperative. First I see that everyone wants to be connected but when they do get a call, specially from somebody they do not want to talk to, they play games such as saying they are in the traffic, or make funny noises and shut the phone off or just keep on saying hullo many times as if they are not getting any signal from the other party. I often wonder why people complicate their lives so much.

It makes me laugh when I see people running after the opposite sex with all the guile and means at their disposal; then considering themselves lucky to have gotten their prize only to realise later that it was no happy-ever-after deal at all. But they go through the motions of reiterating their love and getting married even though they are totally unhappy with their lot. There may be exceptions but this is more or less true.

The same can be seen in the jobs they hold. They are proud to be what they are or at least they make a show of it even though they know very well they are just a cog in a big wheel, totally replaceable. Look at the possessions they have, they collect and collect goods around them and soon tire of them or want something better but in company or even to themselves would be loath to admit that they are not entirely happy with their lot.

The hollowness of our lives shows very clearly in our collection of acquaintances and the friends we make. Life’s needs and social necessities force us to behave totally contrary to our nature. The show of camaraderie is faked and tiresome but we go along because we dare not otherwise.

If this is not living upside down, then what is? I guess that deep down we are never happy with all this waste of emotional energy and time in keeping up appearances.

Pradeep Maheshwari is a Delhi-based author, personal growth frainer and marketing consultant.