I am sure you have read about glorious generations
of folks born between the years of AD 1945 and 1969
and so on and so forth How they played with
real toys and not merely gadgets that show
digital images how they dropped in on
friends without notifying them first
for there was no mobile phone any way
and land lines few and far between And
still they were welcomed without a frown or a
grimace and the food on the table was
happily shared If you want to know more
of this kind of romantic stuff just turn to
Google which by the way did not
exist then
But my intent here
is to talk a little bit about what the e-zenes call
the Sandwich Generation which if you really
want to know includes the Silent Generation
and the so called Baby Boomers Sandwich
because they are squarely caught inbetween
an ageing set of parents “enjoying”
long life and a crop of Ys Zs and millennials
which were invariably born with an
abysmal of knowledge of history
of any kind but carried a device in hand
the first words they uttered “surprise surprise”
were the passwords for Gmail and their
Instagram Handle they wear global brands
and were totally international in style and
outlook These kids as they grow up are scarcely
afraid to speak their minds and whatever the
quirky king Solomon as recorded in the
good book in the Proverbs chapter 13 verse 24
says you are more likely than not to “spare
the rod and spoil the child” and let them
have their own way for like it or not they are
quick to come up with profound sounding
statements like My Way or the High Way and you
meekly buckle
But not all the new borns are “rotten
to the core” there are some good apples that
did attend the Sunday School sang nice songs
played the guitar and memorized scripture
verses and recalled them before lunch
but even this lot in time to come
feels a pull that is quite strong to get
away see the world and chart its course
on a compass all its own.
No
given the type you are and the generation
you inevitably represent there is
nothing you will do about it Since you
in your time were denied much shackled
almost manacled shut indoors and roundly
ring-fenced as you were you will now
let them go unprotected find their level
taste and see all that is bright and beautiful
in God’s wondrous creation and sometimes
fall victims to chicanery and worse
yes you encourage give them wings
take a loan a heavy burden that will sadly
put your nose to the grind Never mind
my child must have the opportunities
that were not given me I don’t want them
to experience the frustrations I endured
for times I realize were different then and
the previous generation was deeply entrenched
in old-school thinking
To them those verses in the 133rd
Psalm of the Holy Bible that says
“Behold, how good and how pleasant
it is for brethren to dwell together in unity
It is like the precious ointment upon the head
that ran down upon the beard
even Aaron’s beard that went down
to the skirts of his garments”
meant that all the family must
stay in the neighborhood stick to gether
and remain within shouting distance
of each other and look after the
needs of one another
But the Sandwhich Generation is so
situated that on one side it is
subject to all that is modern new and
upto the minute in current thinking
and on the other is held back by age-old
values that derive their worth from belief
of generations gone by from
time immemorial could you say
Adam
So it is the lot of the SG to carry on
gamely and soldier on bravely letting
one side go and stay on dutifully with its
feelings stretched to the limits on both sides
holding firmly the middle ground
for the sake of children on one side and
parents and longevity blessed
grandparents who carry on living
caring for them most conscientiously
but occassionally wondering what good
it is to be hopelessly helplessly
bed-ridden
There might be a question in your mind
as to the proximate cause of this long
and winding dissertation somewhat
maudlin in tone and rendered in blank
verse that subjects itself to no
rule or rhyme it also may be that you are
totally disinterested in any thing I have to
say but pardon me I do feel the need
to disgorge my thoughts and the depth of my
feelings at a time when all the chicks have
finally flown the coop
The fact that I learn from Google that
the Indian diaspora worldwide numbers
something like 32 million does nothing
at all to smother the ache I felt when the
youngest of our sons left the shores of
homeland in search of pastures green
beyond many seas and major continents
All very bonafide and perfectly
understandable for he could not expect
a rewarding career that neatly dovetails
into his substantial qualifications
This might sound niche but there are
myriad other reasons some of them downright
rather poor and dismal commentary on the
state of things in this country
May I draw your attention to the
sheer number of youngsters taking the
IELTS and similar qualifying
examinations in the quest for bettering
the prospects for a fullfilling life that
this country fails to provide its daughters and sons
whom shall we blame
There are some wrenching facts about this
IELTS matter if you would care to hear
there are thousands nay tens of thousands
of desperate Indians who take this test
Hailing from hamlets and one-horse towns
of rural India with no whiff of English
in the air how can they pass this tough
Cambridge exam so they come year
after hopeful year they begging borrowing or
God-forbid stealing to find the money to
enrich the ever prowling agents
and repeatedly pay the sky-high fees for
yet another chance to sit for this lofty
test of their English skills when they cannot
even get its name right all they can manage is
“ILETS”
Oh what a waste
I think there is something to be said
for equal opportunities whatever name
you call the political system that ensures it
but in this country mired in centuries old
systemic pitfalls well-worn ruts irreparable
roads caste based creeds and multiple superstitions
that does seem like a will-o’-the-wisp
Dear Rabindranath Tagore I am afraid
our beloved India is dreaming on still
well might we wonder if and when she will be
ready to wake up
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