To be successful you need somebody to lean on. This is undoubtedly true and majority of us, who might have tasted success at any given point, will probably agree to the importance of having someone near and dear on whom you can fall back. I remember in my college Part I exam I topped the university. But despite studying harder, I could not do well in my Part II exam. Luck? Destiny? More hard work was required? Whatever is the case I had a terrific support system in my grandfather. I didn’t feel low. At the end of the day it was just a matter of inches. Probably I was just an inch short.
But now times are changing. Families are getting smaller and smaller. Moms and Dads are getting busier and busier. School fees are getting fatter and fatter without much improvement in quality. Earlier we had our grandpa and grandma staying with us. Today it’s just mom, dad and the kid. Earlier we had friends with us. Today spending time with friends is such a waste of time. It’s a rat race out there and young fellows are getting trained to beat the competition. And in the process I feel they are losing the very people on whom they can lean. In my school days we had some great teachers. Now this is fifteen years back. The world was different that time. Today quality teachers are a rare commodity. Everything is just business. End of the day relations are getting interlinked with the kind of money you are willing to spend.
Despite all the cruel changes taking place in the world, one thing has remained constant. It is the world of books. I was lucky to have been introduced to the world of literature by my grandfather. And I took mighty solace in the world of books. I travelled in deserts, oceans, space. I visited continents. I fought wars! I died multiple times. I experienced pain and happiness through the pages. And I also got inspired. But today literature and humanities in general as a subject has lost its glory. That’s a pity. Younger generation is not getting introduced much to literature. Majority parents think it to be such a waste of time. But they are wrong! Books are the best persons to lean on. And in today’s competitive world a child will be forced to face failures more than success. And you need something to lean on especially during the times you fail. And books are a wonderful support. Only if our kids realized this!
