The season of mists is past. The rain Gods are hiding in the skies, perhaps angered by something or somebody or just waiting for us to grow weary of the dry like we had grown weary of the rains just to impress upon us the importance of precipitation. Of late I had been evaluating these five and a half months spend here. One important thing that I have learned here is the importance of thinking objectively. As I was objectively trying to assess others I did a bit of soul searching myself and found that I had been judging people without knowing them. There is more to a person than what meets the eye. The face that a person puts up in public is not the true parameter to form an opinion about him/her, going deeper into why that person is behaving the way he is I found that I too displayed or would have displayed similar behavioral traits in similar circumstances, which does not give me the right to judge the person. I learned the importance of seeing the best in others. It is easy to follow the waves of emotions when they get overwhelming but showing restraint in these times determines whether or not we can call ourselves truly educated. It is very easy to criticize people and blame our failings on the circumstances, very difficult to own up to our shortcomings. But owning up to them gives this immense freedom to be ourselves, not imitating anybody or putting up a show just to reinforce our public identity. The statement "I am myself" is truly eulogized in the feeling that one has when there are no pretensions, no self imposed fetters that threaten to choke and suck out the vitality. The air gets fresh again and it is not difficult to breathe anymore.
It is our achievements that elevate us to the level of the gods and our failings that help us remain on the ground with the knowledge that we are still humans after all.