The rat race

We all are part of the rat race -we participate in it & keep complaining about it.There is no compulsion & still, we refuse to leave it.The social networking sites are a hit as all can jostle for fame on the net by joining them.Some like me are so addictive that they can overwhelm their emates by flooding their mail boxes with emails .Some people are so much a part of the rat race , that, they want to hog the limelight at all events at all times & at all places !

Recently, at a cultural event, organised in a housing society ,this was in full display.A couple, both of whom, are professionals were busy hogging the stage ,the mike ,the applause & the prizes !

Their kids go to day care.The kids are very smart- they know how to extract work from the tution teachers-they will demand, that the tution teacher get their homework completed.The kids also ask the tution teacher to assist them in school projects.The tution teacher also takes extra efforts in making the kids score better grades at school in assignments,tests & examinations.  The kids are left by the busy parents at various venues during competitions & other parents are requested to pick them up.Obviously, as other parents, have ample time on their hands.

The said parents are so busy & stressed out that they park their vehicles without any care in the world ! Others are the receiving end if & when they ask the said professionals to show a little elasticity in parking.The professionals  belong to a sect which is known for its emphasis on gentleness towards all .This just goes to show, that some, by their very behaviour,  bring disgrace to the whole community.

Coming back to the cultural programme ,the said family has left the housing society wherein this cultural programme was held & still, the family wanted to bask in glory, at its former place of residence.They have moved on to a pent house in a much sought after  neighbouring suburb.

In the cultural event,the kids were part & parcel of a majority of the plays ,the dances & the solo singing.The professional parents ,who  are so busy, that they have no time to pick up their wards sang duets with their kids to an applauding audience.Really ,what were they trying to prove ? That though ,we are so busy ,we spend quality time with our kids & how ? In front of the whole society, lest they blame the parents  !Other parents & kids are made to feel that they are uncompetitive & not up to the mark.Degrading others to upgrade oneslf is unfair & ugly. The parents were encouraging their kids on stage to sing, even though the kids were unable to recall the lyrics of the songs !This led to the whole of the audience clapping .The applause meant ,"No more ".Thankfully ,the parents encouragement just stopped short of "once more " !

Naturally ,after so much PDA ( public display of affection ) ,prizes were given to the said parents & the kids.

Many of us may not like to do what the said parents did.Really what is more important ? Passive appreciation too is good enough .Sometimes of course ,it is better to express it openly . And this type of expression /s, in front of the world, just amounts to vulgarity & comes across as very crude.Moreover ,in such a race towards the finishing line ,one tramples upon so many, that many get hurt.How long can one continue like this ? Agreed ,that human greed has no limits & yet, we must stop somewhere.As someone has rightly said ,"the trouble with the rat race, is that even if you win ,you are still a rat."