What’s the rush?

Everyday, I catch the train to go to work. I spend the thirty minute commute attentively observing or silently snoring. Either way, I am left quite amused. It goes without saying that observation is a key to learning. Sometimes unwanted visual, audible and smelly learning, nonetheless, knowledge is a matter-of-factly empowering. But something, that we are all aware of and even a victim of, has been of great interest to me very recently – we always seem to be in a rush!

On my way to work today, at the train station, I noticed an absurd event. As soon as the train arrived on its platform, an Asian man pushed a young Caucasian woman to get ahead of her and win the first spot on the queue to board. The young woman, offended by his action, raised her hands in the air, without receiving any acknowledgment whatsoever from the man. Not only are we in a rush, we also seemed to have forgotten our manners. I was enraged at the scene and shared a glance of solidarity with my fellow passenger. When we boarded the train we glanced at each other again, this time we did so victoriously, because we both secured a seat while the obnoxious man failed to.

I always come across such hurries and worries. Even when I am out for a stroll in the afternoon, I find myself feeling incompetent and lost when everyone expresses their agitation if they are behind me and I am walking too slow (compared to them, ofcourse, not in general). Instantly, I become nervous and stop to give way. At such times, I wonder maybe we should have indicators too, like automobiles or perhaps, there should be speed limits on pedestrian accesses, as well. I will almost, always be on the left lane and avoid the highway.

The day it struck me that we have indeed become too fast was when a homeless person who always sits on the corner of a street, pushed me to walk ahead and then, turned back to make sure that I was aware of his indignation. Yes, that’s when I asked myself  have people become timeless?

It’s strange, in a world where spirituality seems to be reigning and people are chasing after inner peace to get through their day, time seems to be slipping through our fingers. I have a 9-5 job, and that’s all that defines my life. I spend the weekend worrying about Monday morning, and before I know it, my weekend has obviously passed away. Even if I find some time for yoga or reading, I always think about my work at the back of my head. The need to get ahead and leave everyone behind is a concept that should cease to exist. I never understood the reason behind competition- why do we have to instill competitiveness to motivate? Why do we have to insert an element of competition to raise efficiency? If we teach that, in order to be better, one needs to be better than others, how are we teaching unity or living harmoniously? I thought the industrial revolution was over or are we still trying to make machines out of humans? Motivation should come naturally towards something, and if it doesn’t then perhaps, something is just not right.

We are constantly racing in order to survive in a world with a population of more than seven billion people. Can we really win such a race?  So I wonder as I stare at my table clock in my office, what’s the rush?