Paradox of our Times

Four years down the line, my sister had given me an article to read, which I have passed on to almost all my friends. Its a damn serious analysis of life, made by a comedian George Carlin. This again is a paradox! I am jotting down some excerpts from that piece of work.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses but smaller families, more conveniences but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgement, more experts yet more problems, more medicines, but less wellness.

We have learnt how to make a living, but not a life. We've been all the way to the moon & back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less, plan more, but accomplish less. We've learnt to rush, but not to wait. We build more and more computers to hold more information, but communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods & slow digestion, big men & small characters, steep profits & shallow relationships. It is the time when there is too much in the showroom window but nothing in the stockroom. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, over weight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

Remember - to spend sometime with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

- to say a kind word to someone who looks up to in awe, because that little person will soon grow up and leave your side.

- to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it does not cost a cent.

- to say 'I Love You' to your partner and loved ones, but most of all, mean it.

- to hold hands and cherish those moments for someday that person will not be there again.

The author has ended the article with some tips on how to stay young and a beautiful quote saying 'Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.