Should it be Innocence ? Should it be Experience ? Or should it be both ? Is it possible to have both ? Are they the two ends of the process of evolution ? Or does life always come full Circle with the two ends lying adjacent to each other ?
What punishment would you spell out for someone who is guilty of arresting/thwarting somebody else's dreams ? Doesnt that tantamount to half murder ? So shouldnt the penalty be just as high ? But why should we be worried ? How often does it happen anyway ?
But what if it does ? What if we realise its the case with most of us ? We are Guilty, grossly guilty of thwarting a lot of dreams, worse still guilty of sometimes arresting even the right to dream ? Think about a son gifted with a knack for painting or a sister with the art of writing or a wife with talent for the theatre. Dont we, as fathers, brothers and husbands moderate/contain a lot of talent in our bid to keep things "normal" ?
Maybe its not within our limited capacity to provide these things. Maybe we dont even have the wherewithal to recognise these "Gifts". And if that is the case, wouldnt they be better off without us ? We do drag through our lives but more unfortunately theirs, without letting 'em do what they might want to. Sometimes our near & dear ones "adjust" so much for us that we might never get to see the sacrifice/effort behind it all.
My wife has to put up with lots of "crappy", so called "classic" movies because I cant tolerate SRK and everyday I put up with a lot ofBhakti Sangeet despite the fact that it makes me an animal. But NO, we are not talking of simple stuff on likes/dislikes, even if this isnt a small issue either. We are talking of something bigger and more heinous. What if my son gives up playing the Guitar or makes another such sacrifice which is so important to him that it is almost like losing "an extension to his personality". Not only would he continue feeling mutilated for the rest of his life but might also be foregoing a lucrative career on account of it. And all this just because I dont like the sound of the darned thing.
And you cant blame him. He didnt ask for this "Gift" or “Disease”, if you so choose to call it. He is just like the rich man who detests his money as it seriously inhibits his ability to recognise and make true friends. Like a beautiful actress who hates her beauty as nobody sees the muck beneath the skin. Or a Genius who hates his brains as they dont let him mingle with the Junta ? Are these guys at fault for having money/beauty/brains ? Are they blessed or actually cursed ?
A man is responsible for his fortune or the lack of it, if the case be. But how can you absolve a man of the crime of being instrumental in bringing misfortune to others. How does he absolve himself. The guilt of wronging another is hundred times more than that of wronging yourself.
I often used to wonder why do people commit suicide ? For a variety of reasons, you'd say. But what about the gentleman who did it cause he recognised his uselessness to those around him and chose to clear the path, as it were, for the benefit of others ? Would you call this cowardice ? Or is it first rate Heroism ?
Innocence is not about retaining childhood. Its not about keeping one's identity either. Maybe its about being uninformed/oblivious of a lot of things that complicate life for us. And Experience isnt always about growing up. Its not about losing one's identity either. Maybe its about learning to deal with innocence or the loss of it,ours and more importantlyothers'. Sadly ours is an Age replete with people who are either Innocent or have lost their Innocence. There's hardly anybody with Experience.
P.S - The Photo is an illustration by William Blake for his Book "Songs Of Innocence & Songs Of Experience". Should you be interested in some real Dope, I'd be honoured to recommend it.
Whew, cant believe I actually wrote this....!
