When I Found Out

I see it everyday; men, belonging to various age groups, mostly, the “empowered youth”, spewing clouds of smoke like chimneys. There are some women too. Once upon a time, it used to upset me. Now, I am immune to it.

But when I found out that a dear one smokes, when my suspicion turned to belief, I felt stabbing pain in my heart. I was disturbed the whole day. I could not even sleep well at night.

I feel miserable when I think about how his father will feel when he will find out.
The father is a man born in the 1950’s, in a family that can boast of members who have not touched cigarette or alcohol.

He always believed that a good upbringing could make all the difference. He spent 25 years of his life putting this belief into practice; patiently discussing with his children the importance of simplicity and self control, sometimes quoting from the Subhashitas, sometimes narrating from his own experience. He carefully shielded them not only from bad company but also from television programs that could have a bad influence. He sacrificed a promotion, a higher posting and more money all for the sake of his children who he believed were his most valuable assets.

Today, his worst fears have come true. 25 years of his efforts have been wasted. The fear of cancer will not cause him so much pain as the thought that the singular purpose of his life has been defeated.

How unfair it is that the good intentions of a man and years of his toil to produce a thoughtful, responsible citizen should be defeated in no time by a group of frivolous scoundrels who coaxed the boy to smoke his first cigarette!

Once again I saw the triumph of evil over good.
Style over Substance…
Vogue over Virtue…
Craze over Character…
Madness over Moral…
Insanity over Ideology…
Recklessness over Responsibility...

To the father, it is the triumph of Destiny over Determination.

Why does good accept defeat so easily? Why does virtue break into splinters before the force of vice?

Why does the story of “what you sow, so shall you reap” have a sudden twist at the end?

You sow a seed in a fertile soil. When it starts growing into a plant, you start tending it. You water it, nourish it and give it sunlight and manure. You guard it against cattle that prowl to feed on its tender leaves. You wait for the day when you can rest in its shade and eat its fruit. 25 years pass. The tree bears only one fruit. You cut it open and you see that it is full of worms.

Dear one, May this New Year bring to you plenty of oxygen, lots of fresh air, the resolve to say no to tobacco and the will power to say no to bad company.

Tears…………