Every day is new
learning… I learnt it from my Baba ever since my childhood. Today I plan to
note down one such learning that I received from him many years ago, when I was
a child. I must say, that Baba’s practical teachings had been an integral part
of my character and today, as I sit and wait to face the ultimate fate of my
ailment, I feel the urge to note down this vital learning for my future.
A word that often haunts
us in life is “Pressure”! We all face situations of social pressure, economic
pressure, romantic pressure, emotional pressure and so many other varieties of
this invisible element of a modern lifestyle! As a child, I too was no
exception to this.
Every year, after my annual
school examinations, Baba used to take us on a vacation. When I was in class
nine, I remember, Baba took us to Darjeeling for vacation. Maa, Aunt Padma,
Baba and I reached the picturesque hill station with an overburden of luggage
and hearts overloaded with excitement for exploring the beautiful mountains
girdling this small district town in the eastern part of our country.
Darjeeling enthralled me with its scenic beauty, natural bounty and a
breathtaking view of the Kanchenjunga!
Baba had rented a
“Holiday Home” for us. It was a small but quaint bungalow with a scenic view of
the mountains. Located in the outskirts of the town, our place was perfect for a
serene getaway into the lap of Mother Nature. The small garden outside the bungalow
reflected a colorful vibe with its bouquet of numerous flowers. Soon after we
arrived, Maa and Aunt Padma became busy with the cooking as soon as we arrived
and I roamed around with Baba to explore the town.
Two days passed and the
freshness of the hills rejuvenated our thirsty souls. The pressure of studies
during the annual examination had drained me out completely. The mountains
cleared much of that cloudy burden. One afternoon, I sat beside Baba and asked,
“Baba, I feel so much pressure of studies in school. Why is life becoming so
stressful? Why can’t we be stress free always?”
Baba smiled at me and
said, “Come with me and I will show you why…”
I followed Baba as he
walked up to the kitchen. Maa and Aunt Padma were busy with their cooking
chores. Baba asked me, “What is your Maa doing?”
I replied, “She is
cooking vegetables in the pressure cooker.”
Baba smiled back again
and said, “Do you know why?”
I answered smartly,
“Because in a high altitude the vegetables do not get cooked as the boiling
point of water changes with the atmospheric pressure!”
Baba took me out to the
garden and added, “Pravin, our lives are also girdled with beautiful things all
the time and the natural atmospheric pressure differs. Thus, when we face the
syllabus of studies or the workload at office, our minds cannot process them!”
I looked at Baba
silently while he continued, “Consider your life as a pressure cooker. With the
stress of steam you can achieve the unachievable! The vegetables get cooked in
no time inside the pressure cooker. Similarly, we accomplish our studies and
our workloads inside the pressure cooker named LIFE!”
“But Baba, too much
pressure would burst the entire cooker and lead to an accident!” I protested.
“Listen carefully, can
you hear something?” asked Baba.
I could hear the whistle
of the pressure cooker and said, “Yes, it is the whistling of the pressure
cooker.”
“Exactly son! Every
pressure cooker needs to have a safety vent! It is this vent that produces the
whistle and relieves the stress! Thus your vegetables get cooked properly and
the pressure is released too, without an accident!”
I could not hold back a
smile at this beautiful example from Baba. He said, “Son, this annual vacation
with family is the safety vent! The thrill that we are enjoying in this
beautiful surrounding is the whistle of the pressure cooker! Always remember,
every PRESSURE COOKER in life needs to have a safety vent and a loud whistle!”
Baba patted on my
shoulder as the two of us headed back inside the bungalow. Maa and Aunt Padma served
us with freshly made “Lassi” and the four of us sat down for a chat. The
vacation got over soon, but the impact of the simple learning remained within
me forever.
As I write today, I cannot
help but realize how true the learning was! Baba taught me something so
important through an example that was so simple. Indeed, life is simple, the
whole world is simple, we should not complicate it with the burden of stress.
Even when my amnesia erases my mind, I must remember the PRESSURE COOKER and
how it can help me achieve great feats. After I finish my writing, I shall go
down and give Aunt Padma a big hug! It is a vent; it is the whistle that would keep
the pressure cooker safe in my life!
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