Mind

The mind thinks in a lot of directions. Don't know why.

Like just now I was wondering how wonderful my life is at this point of time.
Not much tension. The academic pressure since the past few days has been not much with exams going on and we are having only 1 subject per day with odd holidays in between. In fact, now I want the exams to get over quickly and do something else.
I have been spending a lot of time with my learning group mates recently and laughing and having fun - enjoying the nature, talking to parents regularly, surfing the net. No other responsibilities at this point of time, and studying etc. - A relaxed sort of life. - Away from wordly pressures.

Next second, mind went in other direction - I started to think about - the responsibilities I have as an elder child of my parents, the decisions to be taken w.r.t my specialization, the kind of job I wish to do after SCMHRD, the absence of my long-term plans, the city where I want to take up a job, etc.

Then the mind again wandered to my life 1 to 1.5 years back, when I was earning and I had responsibilities (not much though still enough to make me feel it). I start to wonder how my life would have been had I not joined MBA course this year.

My mind isn't still able to figure out whether my days at Herdillia were great enough or my life at SCMHRD is better. Both have their share of memories and adventures. At Herdillia, I really learnt a lot about factory and other things (guess that was more than what i learnt in the 1st year at SCMHRD), At SCMHRD,I met (and will be doing so for the next 1 year wow) a bunch of really good people who are multitalented and from I really learn quite a lot. Also, made some really good friends (wish to be in touch with them for lifetime) - who made me (so boring person) to laugh and feel senti sometimes (which I rarely feel).

Again, mind changes track and reminds me that I need to decide upon the future course of action.

Strange are the ways of mind. It reminds of sadness when we are happy and reminds of happiness when were are somewhat sad.

Education not a provision for old age

There is a saying that 'Education is the best provision for old age'. This may be true when thought from the point of view of an individual. Education teaches a person to deal with old age.
However, when we look at the saying from the point of view of a parent, I think the saying falls apart. Let me explain:
All parents expect a child to be better than them and be with them in their old age. But this education has prevented the younger generation from letting this happen. In India, most children from all states aspire to be in top institutes in the country and then get excellent jobs. For this purpose, they leave their home and parents and join the prestigious colleges in some other part of the country away from their hometown. Later after taking up jobs in some of the best companies of the country, they start living in a city, away from their home. Children learn to live without parents and later on marry a girl and settle in cities away from their home. Children expect parents to leave their hometown and join them in the cities which isn't acceptable to most. (And thats quite valid. I mean why should they leave a place wherein they are well settled and enter an unknown city). So, most of the bright young students leave away from their parents.
If thats the case, how will a child be a 'parents' budhape ka Sahara'. The parent is left with no choice but to be dependent on their relatives staying nearby or neighbours. The child especially the boy from whom it is expected that he'll take care of his parents lives in a place far away from his parent when the parent most requires him. Especially when it comes to health problems and other things, the child reaches his parents' place at the last moment when almost everything is taken care of by neighbours.
The problem of getting leaves from workplace and other committments make the matter worse and the boy/girl tends to be away from his parents for most of the time.

I believe that this has become a trend in India (In Maharashtra, where I leave, trend is working in Pune, Mumbai or going to the US). While the child benefits from getting better prospects, it is the parents who lose by having to lead a lonely life away from their child.

I am one of such persons who stays away from parents and wish to really go back. However, now I feel that now I am caught up in this viscous cycle - B-School then a job in a city, then marriage and settlement in Mumbai or Pune. I feel I will never be living with them at their place (Sangli).

Thus, it is this education that has rendered me useless when it comes to be a provision for my parents' old age.