Is wearing a helmet unfashionable?

This post is actually an article I wrote a while ago for 'THE HINDU MetroPlus Sound Off ' column, but unfortunately it was not published because I guess someone had already 'sounded off' on the topic. Frankly, I would prefer to believe this was the reason for my article not being published rather than accepting (and as a result feeling disappointed and discouraged) that it was not written well enough to be published:)

Anyway, I happened to re-read this article today and thought "Wow! This is a well written article and it has a message. Why not publish it in my blog?" After all blogs seem to be the new medium for sharing news and views and there is a whole lot of buzz around blogging. And also, if I can't become a journo to pen my views why not use the next best weapon to be heard by the people who care!!!

So here I am, with my views on a topic I think is important enough to be shared! Read on...

I have always wondered how some people consider their lives so cheap that they could dare to venture into the Chennai traffic without a helmet. It more than shocks me. In fact, I would like to ask all those two-wheeler riders who are wary of wearing helmets, “Isn’t knowingly exposing oneself to danger equivalent to suicide?”

I decided to take a rough count of the number of people who do not wear helmets and as I was traveling to office in an auto, I started counting the number of heads without a helmet. I was not surprised, as it turned out that 8 out of 10 people did not wear helmets. Having ridden a two wheeler myself for quite a while (I still ride my ‘Scooty’ occasionally), it is alarming to even think about how someone ignores wearing a helmet. If, on a rare occasion I forget to wear my helmet when I am going to some nearby place I feel like I am walking in the middle of the road ready to have my head knocked off. Why is it that some people choose not to wear a helmet? Is it ugly to wear a helmet or is it too uncomfortable given that it is just your life which is at stake. The fact that more women than men shun helmets is very alarming. This includes smart young college going girls who cover themselves up completely with scarves and cotton gloves to avoid tanning to mothers with kids in tow in their Kinetics and Hondas. It is an irony that young girls think it is important to take care of their complexion and their hair but don’t realize that not wearing a helmet may lead to not having a life at all. Men of course are no less. I have racked my brains many times to understand how even men in their 40’s and 50’s who probably have families to support and grandpas who keep to the farthest side of the road to avoid the speeding youngsters manage to be so careless about their lives.

The government and the police department do as much as they can to spread awareness about wearing helmets. The corporate organizations also have chipped in by enforcing ‘Wear helmet’ rule for their employees riding two-wheelers. All in vain! Do we all not have the common sense and love for this precious life to go on ignoring such important warnings? Please wake up and save your lives and the save the tragedy of a loss for your family.

GOD, you there?

I happened to read someone’s blog on God’s existence which touched a spot in me. I am one of those people who keep thinking about this question. I am sure there are quite a few of us like this. However, I am still at a stage where I can’t make up my mind either way. Though this blog I read didn’t have the answer to the question, it was very insightful. It triggered me to add a comment as well. As I was writing the comment I decided that I had to share it with all you guys. I especially want to share the wisdom I have quoted from the book I was reading when I posted this comment. So here’s what I wrote. Read on.

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your comments on my blog. I happened to forget to moderate comments on my blog for a while and saw yours only today.

The 'Desidarata' page link you had sent did really strike a chord with me. Especially the lines
'And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.'

These lines are probably very much related to this post on God's existence.

You have really given vent to the feelings of ‘God's existence’ that I am sure many of us keep pondering about. And you were absolutely right. I do not have the guts either to say 'God does not exist' as yet. But I think this courage is lacking in many of us because we do not have an explanation for the many mystical things that happen around us.

I am reading this book called 'The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO' by Robin Sharma in which there was a very thought provoking paragraph. It went like this :-
"Our world is a very wise place, and our lives unfold according to a series of natural laws that are nothing less than brilliant. We human beings think that our lives are governed by random events and that the people who enter and exit do so purely by chance. Nothing could be further from the truth. There's no chaos in the world, only order. There are no coincidences - ever. Our lives aren’t run by good or bad luck, but by an intelligent process designed to help us evolve into our best selves.’

I was so struck by this thought because it looks like it is the most sensible way of accepting all that happens around us each day. Of course, this doesn’t clear the dilemma about whether God exists or not. I would however prefer to believe that there is a bigger power above (I am not sure if this is a person or thing) that governs all of life and that it arranges all that happens, to be the way it is. Whether this a good or bad power is still debatable I guess. But I think all answers to all happenings are within us. This again is a belief that has become stronger by the following story I read in the book I just mentioned above. This story is sort of a fable from the East. It is about how once upon a time all human beings on Earth were considered God. Then humankind abused its powers and the Supreme Lord decided to take it all away. He then wanted to hide the godhead – the source of all human talent, potential and glory. After hearing a lot of suggestions (which included the mountains, oceans, ground, etc.) of his advisors about where to the hide the god head, the master hit upon the solution. He decided to place this extraordinary power, magnificence and glory inside the heart of every man, woman and child on the planet because he claimed that this place is were human beings will never think of looking for the treasure. Now, that sounds so true doesn’t it?

Cheers
Savitha

For those of you who are interested in Ben’s blog, you can check out this Link

I think each of us has our own insights about what or who is GOD. I for one just think the power above us is within each of us and he/she/it has a plan for each one of us. I believe we all should strive to be honest to ourselves and that probably is the best way of honouring the power above who thought it fit to bring us into this universe. Being true to your conscience is one of the easiest ways of fulfilling your purpose in this universe.

I would love to know what each of your thoughts is, on this topic of God’s existence. So, do try to send in your comments.

One more nice quote I’d like to share with you all before I conclude.
“Service & acts of kindness to others is the rent we pay for tenancy on this planet”