The Greatest Paradox

It suddenly came to a halt. People were disturbed from their sleep. Perhaps, the driver had forgotten that it was his usual bus-stop. Tons of people got in but my eyes spotted a youngster in red. The bus was jammed and it was raining heavily outside. I had to close the window because I was seated next to one. I couldn’t see the guy’s face, but I realized that he was also among the youngsters who adapted to trend of the day. He had a black bag pack but humorously it had nothing as it was so thin. It’s the fashion today carrying bag packs with nothing but those that just sticks to your back. 

His hair was the “funky type” a term used by youth today. It was ironed and spiked. The gel or the hair cream he had used made his hair looked really slimy and shiny.

              I began to watch his moves closely. Every time someone had passed him, he turned very uncomfortable. He was so worried of his hair. He kept on adjusting in every minute someone passed him.

“Issaraha bahinawa” (stop at the next halt) again the bus came to a halt. That boy just came and sat in front of me. I got a glimpse of his face. According to my calculations he ought to be fifteen or sixteen. A small boy who was sunk in the modern fashions.

He continuously caught my attention. He continuously put his hand around his hair and tried to give it a messy look. 100 times did he did his hair. He was fortunate, there a was a board in between him and the driver which reflected his face. I was wondering whether he was going to meet his girlfriend!!! It was ridiculous. It even annoyed me to see him do his hair.

              It was so humorous. But in a spark a thought stuck me. There was a man seated by the boy. HE was wearing a white t-shirt and his hair was all grey. This man kept his concentration on the terrible weather condition outside. The rivers were flooded.

              I saw the two extremes of nature: Youth and Old age. “The greatest paradox of mankind” The boy was highly thoughtful of his messy hair, but he had forgotten that his black shiny hair would turn grey one day. He wasn’t bothered of the worst climate outside. All what mattered to him was to give a handsome look to his girlfriend, I I suppose.

It is the human instinct. He tends to forget of his tomorrow. He lives his life happily today. Religion teaches the right opposite of this. It teaches us to be very thoughtful of the future before taking any step today especially the youth.

“The Seven Ages of Man by William Shakespeare” was before my sight that day. Two very special ages at before me – a reality. I felt it truly in the core of my heart.

Sometime the youth are insensitive to the current world but this boy could be too small to understand such highly political and economic issues, although the modern fashions he’s adapted   made him look like a man.

               I began to assess the two contrasting characters whom destiny had bought to sit side by side. Another halt!!! “Issaraha seat ekak dhenna” (somebody provide a seat)

 The boy stood up quickly and let a Buddhist monk take his place. I was taken aback. I never thought this boy had any religious values.  As far as I’ve learnt as children grow older and older they tend to question religion. The deviate from their religions and get westernized. They aren’t prepared to accept beliefs and values as ancestors dd. But the boy broke my preconception.  The boy had religious values deep down in his soul though westernization ad invaded him.

I turned to that elderly man He kept continuously staring out of the window; unconscious of whatever that happened in the bus.  I didn’t understand except the fact that there are youth with our traditional values. We gained independence from the British a long time ago but the wave of westernization still tries to colonize us.

             This is what we mankind should preserve. As Sri Lankans we have our own culture, values and styles of life. We should protect them and retain them for the younger generation. We shouldn’t let western forces dominate us. The boy in the bus proved it.  Youth would face tremendous difficulty in doing so. They’d be torn between values and trends. We could overcome this, by an effort.

            WE ARE PREPARED…