Life As We Know It

What boundaries could there be to one’s imagination of perfection. Humans are not capable of being happy all the time. Not even one human, who ever lived, I imagine, was happy every second of his lifetime. In fact, most babies cry out at birth, but of course that’s not always an emotion induced action but one of that, mode of survival i.e., to expel out liquid from the lungs, nose and mouth. So that must mean that there is always room for improvement in one’s quality of life. Now, this doesn’t signify that a shortage of material, intellectual or social resources leads to a state of disequilibrium. But rather, in my opinion, one’s attitude and response to the whirlwind of life is what ultimately dictates one’s appreciation or unappreciation of it. Which is why, even hypothetically, to imagine, from the age of twenty- one to eighty-three, all things in my life going well, seems...well, impossible!  

I don’t have a total understanding of perfection, it very much seems like a theoretical concept, never mind the sixty-two years of it. True knowledge of the idea of perfection in life cannot co-exist with ingratitude, pride and other vices. I can only try to invent something relatively close to it. A successful career, happy marriage, loving children, financial security, spiritual fulfilment and peaceful retirement are the stereotypical requisites of “The Perfect Life.” I tend to agree that these would make it much easier, but, as I mentioned earlier, my outlook is the key to it all. My external environment can only go so far in sating my inner self, even an ideal one, could not ensure an impeccable existence. I would never realistically consider the possibility of having a perfect life, but a generally good one sounds “Perfect '' enough for me.  

Earth is no heaven, it is riddled with iniquities, both natural and deliberate. It is simply unfeasible to spend sixty-two years on it without encountering a snag. The happiest man is not one who has the most but one who needs the least. Gratitude is all I would require to coast through life. For all things in my life to go well, I would not require a perfect life, but rather the ability to see the perfect in the imperfect.  

Allen J Mathew (20D4208)
1I B.A (EPO)