"To be, or not to be: that is the question
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The sling and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
- Shakespeare (in Hamlet)"
In an unconscious way, choices we make today determine our decisions tomorrow. What we fail to realize at times is before we take a decision, its long been decided at the sub conscious level when our persual of the objective is intense and all pervasive. A lot of our perceptions and attitudes get aligned towards the decision we are headed to. Life just takes us to the point when that is the only choice preferred.
Not always are we as lucky. Most of the times we fail to negotiate what is the objective we yearn to pursue. That is when the dichotomy of decision making presents itself to us in all its grandeur of confusion!! Its not easy to discover what is the purpose of a persual in the early stages. Sometimes, only when the pursuit is near completion do we exactly realize the purpose. Maybe thats the way of life.
Decision making is like the problem of optimization theory. Any student of mathematical optimization might appreciate the beauty of the analogy. In any method of constrained optimization, its the technical constraints and sign restrictions that determine the feasibility and optimality of the solution in connection with the objective function. All issues of decision making boil down to this. The feasible solutions are found with considerable ease. But its the test of optimality that posses the biggest challenge. In arriving at a decision, though feasible options are presented after a few sessions of introspection and brain storming, its the challenge to pick the optimal one and tailor it to suit our needs that is a test of character. The time when decision making gets gritty and gruesome.
Priorities have to be weighed. Relationships, Career advancements, Opportunities, Scope for pursual of interests - My god! the list of constraints to be adhered itself turns to be an overhead at times. Sometimes we may wish to break away from all the constraints and just fly free. But this overhead is what adds beauty to the process of decision making. Once an optimal solution is arrived at after due considerations to individual specific constraints, there is a relaxing satisfaction. (I agree, it does not stay long in our transient world;-). But still for the moment, a soothing relaxation does exist.)
Too much of analysis spoils the beauty of anything and everything. The devil is in the details. Once we arrive at a decision, it is better we do not go back frequently to reasses its worth. Suggestions and advices, the most freely available drugs in the market, when do not take into account our position and percetions push us to the peak of pessimism. A lot of criticism is always in stock, for the cynics have nothing better to offer! Though constructive criticism is welcome, sometimes its the freedom to explore, falter, rediscover and learn that adds life to the process. All decisions ultimately help us learn and to learn is to live.
The world is never seen identically by any two pairs of eyes. So its not alwas necessary that our decisions are agreed and appreciated by our fellow beings. Its our conviction to stand by the decision we take that defines the consequences of it. None of us are inherently perfect. All our decisions can be dynamic. We might realize its non feasibility and modify it to suit our needs but only owing to self realization would be better rather than owing to persual or pressure.
When a good friend said - "the arrival at a decision limits the choice of freedom", I got into introspection only to infer that decisions are not always necessary. Maybe we tend to over decide;-) Though taken, they need not be all pervasive. Its true that when we pick one end of a stick we pick up the other end too. But do we take it for granted that we should never place the stick back?? If the stick is either too lengthy or heavy or not long enogh, I would prefer to place it back and try find a better one that suits me!!
Manja,
ReplyDeletePlacing the stick back is again a decision and not all situations and processes provide us with such luxury. Because the by the time you figure out the other end of the stick, you might not be the same person who picked it up, at least socially. Coming to the decision making, In cricket they say "you cannot set a field for bad balls". If it is a world cup final, 1 ball 2 runs 1 wicket. Would you keep the fine leg up in the circle?
Loved the lines: to learn is to live. Well, "To be or not to be" that surely is the question.
Since we are on the topic of picking up sticks ..
ReplyDeleteTravellers walking along a beautiful road pick up a stick because their well wishers warn them about a dangerous snake lurking around the corner.
One traveler happens to meet the snake , and congratulates himself for taking the advice.
Another traveler walks with the burden of the stick for a long time , realizes its useless and throws it away.
Another traveler walks with the stick for the whole of his life with the fear that he may encounter the snake anytime .He stays with the burden and fear forever.
Another traveler decides not to take the advice and when he encounters the snake , he tackles it with bare hands.
Yet another traveler walking with the stick , encounters not a snake , but a tiger !!
Sometimes we try to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and try taking the road they take.
But more often than not , we realize that its really best to find a shoe that’s “cobbler” made for us !!
Nice comments. I would love to be my own "cobbler".. In a lighter vein, I would prefer not to take a decision about fine leg but choose to bowl a yorker;-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I say placing the stick back, I talk of circumstances when we have the luxury to place it back. I agree in not all circumstances are we as privileged. I believe to accept both ends of the stick and improve upon their accepted existence is worth the journey as it teaches a lot we need to learn. I trust life thoroughly and believe all that happens is the best that can. So my overall view is not to lament on a taken decision. But also to never loose the freedom to make amendments as we learn and evolve through.