I once read “The Malgudi days” by R.K.Narayan (Again, yeah!) and it has a story about a sculptor who makes a statue of Lord Natarajan. The story goes on about the beauty of the statue and how perfect it has been made. The sculptor is worried that if he took the statue to the temple, the world would come to an end. The universe does not like anything made to perfection. He thinks if he breaks a toe or a finger from the statue, it will be less perfect and nothing would happen. I believe there is some truth to that. When we think our life is perfect and everything is in place, the universe seeks out to challenge it.
I went to the Titanic Museum in Branson, Missouri and was very much in awe of the mechanical intelligence of the great ship. It was believed that the ship was unsinkable. The universe set out to challenge that as well.
We see all around us that something that is perfect does not last long enough. Is it a self fulfilling prophecy of our belief in imperfection? Or is it really true that we cannot ever create anything that is more perfect than the lives that the universe creates for us. Incidents and events in our life at the right time and right place that when you look back you understand the meaning of every little thing that happened in your life and its significance.
Alaipayuthey is a tamil movie which deeply affected me in my teens. What was so great about this movie? Rather which thing in this movie seemed to fill the hole in my spirit? I think it was the grandeur image of a man who loved a woman. It is a theme which is consistent in all Mani Rathnam movies from Mouna Ragam to Raavan. I like Mani Rathnam because I like to at least see these men on the screen.
I did suffer silently due to the absolute perfectionist image I saw in these films. I thought that such a personality is really possible. I was really naïve. However, there is one part or rather one scene in the movie that I really understand now. It is a scene where a guy who has been married for a long time advises a recently married guy. He points out the differences in the love before and after marriage. He compares the love before marriage to be like a flower – beautiful, yet something that withers away and the love after marriage that is strong like the roots of a tree.
In my previous post about love and hormones, I did receive some comments about how love can exist. I do believe love exists. However the love after marriage is different. I feel an attachment. Love before marriage is like a peak of emotions always on a roller coaster. Love after marriage is somewhat smooth (even though it does have some roller coaster).
I do not have a problem with imperfection. In fact, these days I adore it. I have come to terms with my imperfection. The problematic area in my body (my arms), my impulsive behavior and sometimes acting too arrogant without any reason are all my imperfection. God created me this way for a reason and I am an instrument of the doer.
Yet, I feel I am given the gift to really appreciate life in its most beautiful form. Every time I go off track, I get a lesson out of life and it helps me get rid of all the unnecessary things and I am back on track. Even though each of us crave success and happiness so much in life, I like the lessons failure offer us. It gives us a chance to get in touch with our true self.
Life is imperfect. However sometimes we just know, even though it is imperfect, it is meant to be!
2 comments:
sorry to break the flow, but i disagree with a portion of the post. nothing can be perfect and real perfection could wreak havoc. I'd see it differently.
Take titanic. I really don't believe the reason for the mishap is that nature sought out to challenge its perfection. Nature challenges just about anything and everything: rather we never quite understood nature to get along with it. The reason why the ship failed is sheer human arrogance. The thought that man could have well conquered nature and the oversight that it entailed. You make mistakes when you are driven by pride. Some mistakes are more expensive that the others. The point is, the certain iceberg would have created the same damage for any ocean liner. But other ocean liners would be watching out and be wary of such obstacles in their path. Titanic, out of arrogance, might not be so wary. Anyway, I wouldn't know what ran in the captain's mind though! I could be wrong, but at least my reason convinces me :D
This is also why we fail everytime we are confident of a win. Confidence with absolute control over thought probably would never fail. But then at that level of perfection, I am not sure what you'd want to achieve anyway!
By the way, Malgudi days IMO, is almost perfect. I don't know what is the element of imperfection there and yet it is as successful as it can get. Where is nature playing its role? Afterall, it is an act of creation too.
-- abishek
I agree with you, Abishek. I think it is more of the arrogance about the perfection than the perfection itself. I dont know how I missed that point. :)
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