Bengaluru
Many of the regulars commented favourably on FC 252.
Mani Srinivasan: “Yes.. due to our perceptions and biases, we miss the gorilla and sometimes the 'elephant in the room' as well.. ;)”
Jayachandran: “It’s not true that for every perception, there has to be a reality. If there is a dance competition, a judge may rate X as the best dancer, another may rate Y the best and yet another Z as the best. Reality independent of bias or subjective factors is often considered objective.”
Nisha Sinha: “Our perceptions can create a subjective reality that isn't always an accurate reflection of the objective world. I think of the movie “Life is Beautiful” as a lovely example of love shaping the perception of a child and shielding him from harsh reality.”
Subahu Desai: “Regarding the neighbour opening the car door for the wife. It could be chivalry & good manners. We were told and taught. Always open the door for a lady, never walk in front of her, and walk beside her. Let her pass first. Ending in a lighter vein. Nowadays, when a man opens the door of the car. " Either the car is new or the wife is" Have a great week ahead.”
Lakshmi Raman: “One view of perception is that it is subjective, and can even be judgmental and thus different from reality. But there is another view. Perception is what widens our view of things, of realities, of multiple realities, even. When we look at something or a person, or an event of decades ago, we see it differently as our perception has broadened over the passage of years. Our view of people's motives, motivations, and realities shifts somewhat with our new perceptions.”
Ashvini Ranjan: “Perception shapes reality. It can create heaven or hell in your mind, regardless of actual events. As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” This story illustrates it: A wife unknowingly makes a face while seeing off her husband. He misinterprets it as disapproval, imagining she’s unhappy. Distraught all day at the office, he returns in the evening to confront her. She’s puzzled, then recalls a mosquito bit her face just then, and she reacted instinctively while holding the door. The husband suffered needlessly. His perception, not reality, caused the pain.”
Preface
FC 252 was posted as scheduled on Sunday, June 8th. I was away in Kuala Lumpur on June 6th and 7th, attending an impressive Masonic ceremony to install the newly nominated District Grand Master for the District of Eastern Archipelago.
The flights to and from KL are not sleep-friendly. You get off the plane groggy and bleary-eyed, and it takes another day or two to get back to your normal self. I last visited KL in the late 80s, and like all other cities in the world, it has grown in all directions, but it has a very affordable cost of living, even now.
Though a large proportion of the population is non-vegetarian, the markets offer you exceedingly fresh fruits & vegetables, and if you are a vegetarian and know how to cook basic stuff, you won’t starve. The hotel where I stayed boasted of a big restaurant, but the menu had just two items for a vegetarian like me, a soup and pesto pasta.
Suspecting the doubtful integrity of the stock that went into the soup, I ordered just the pasta, which was not sasta, 48 Ringits, roughly Rs. 1000. Terima kasih. It's good to be back for some good home food.
On Sunday morning, I shared the post late and said, “Sorry for the delay.” One of my regular readers, Mr Krishnan, replied that it is never too late and urged me to write on this axiom.
So, here I am attempting to write on:
⏳ It’s Never Too Late
George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, who died in 1880. Many popular quotes have been attributed (some apocryphally) to her. One of them is “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” (see this link for an interesting fact check)
What comes to my mind immediately is the phenomenon of senior citizens becoming graduates, post-graduates, and even qualifying as professionals like lawyers. When I was practising as a lawyer in Mysore, I came across an elderly lawyer and we got talking as we sat in a courtroom waiting for the judge. It so happened that we were representing the parties opposing each other. The talk meandered towards our legal education, and much to my surprise, he mentioned that he passed the law examination after he retired from the police force. He said he always wanted to be a lawyer, but due to family compulsions, he joined the police force and, over time, retired as a sub-inspector. During his tenure, he investigated numerous crimes, provided evidence for the prosecution, and gained a thorough understanding of the court system's workings. He took it upon himself to become a lawyer as a challenge, and began practising at the age of 60! I am sure there are many such stories of guts and determination.
I came across this quote by Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher: “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another island. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”
Many dwell in the past or dream of the future, not realising that what they could not do in the past and what they might do in the future are both in the realm of fantasy. They ought to live in the present and not oscillate between the past and the future. “It is never too late” is about what can be done in the present, regardless of lost opportunities of the past and dreaming of opportunities in the future. We often say “better late than never,” which means it’s better to do something late than not do it at all. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to take action or make a change.
It is never too late, no matter how old you get, because anytime or any point in your life, you can always have a chance to make a difference. You can always make a change for the better, no matter what background you derive from. You can always do your best and be all that you can be because you will always be uniquely you. It is why it is always wise to listen to your eternal heart, your eternal instincts, and what it has always strove for and/or to do, because anybody can make a difference not only in their own lives but in the lives of others. It is never too late to shine, never. – George Eliot
A person who struggled to support the family after the untimely death of his father did not pause to think of himself, his likes, and his wants. When he was in his mid-forties, when things were in better control, a friend suggested marriage, and the person laughed and said, ‘It’s too late’. In due course, the friend came across a lady, in her late thirties, widowed with no children, contemplating a second marriage. After a few meetings, our man, who thought it was too late to get married, did marry the widowed lady.
‘Opportunity knocks once’ is a famous adage. If one fails to seize an opportunity, it is lost, but not forever. One has to persevere and find another opportunity. If one is overconfident and fails a competitive examination, one could realise the folly and make sincere efforts to appear again and, with determination, pass with distinction.
Sometimes ‘too late’ could be ‘just in time’. Imagine a performance that you were keen to watch, but by the time you thought of buying a ticket online, it was too late. You kick yourself for being late and lament your tardiness to a friend who says he has an extra ticket, as his brother took ill and could not attend.
When we say ‘it’s never too late’, we consider it an encouragement that enables people to live life to the full. Rather than repenting for a missed opportunity, we can start anew. It is in our power to recreate that opportunity, whether it be in our work or personal lives. A senior citizen who always wanted to drive can still get a license to drive, or he can realise his dream of being a postgraduate, or he may reunite with his estranged sibling.
In a nutshell, as you move through life, it is easy to look back and regret all the dreams and goals you haven’t achieved. But it is never too late to finally go after whatever is on your heart! It is never too late to forgive someone, to meet someone, or to start learning music or art. It is never too late to live your dream.
The horrific air crash has had a devastating effect on the bereaved families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and loved ones affected by the tragic air crash. The collateral death of many, including medical students on the ground, compounds the tragedy. Amidst the chaos, a lone survivor emerged dazed but largely unscathed. He had the presence of mind to wriggle out of a tail-end exit. For him, it was never too late to try and save himself.
See you next week. Ciao!
Yes that was a famous knock knock joke among kids.
It’s never too late to start living life the way you want to, other than living it by compulsion of family, society’s dictum and peer pressure. There is a wild streak in everyone.
Born free live free.