THE ROAD TO PARADISE

THE ROAD TO PARADISE Beset by Challenges T HE world of nature is a zero defect world. In it, there are all kinds of activities, but they do not produce any noise pollution. It has ‘factories’ operating round the clock but they do not produce any smog. There are many great industries, but they do not sully the water. For millions and millions of years, the world of nature has been functioning, but without causing any deterioration. All its parts are active, but we do not find anywhere that they have such a thing as a labour problem. The world of nature, although ephemeral, is nevertheless a complete world. Of the numerous things in this world, everything has taken its ultimate shape. We cannot think of any other colour for the sky except blue. Neither can we think of any other colour for light and water. We cannot think of any other form which the grass or the trees could have had. Nor can we think of any other colour for the vegetation but green. Even our greatest artists could not produce any other model for the ants or the tiger, for the deer or the elephant or the birds. It is a fact that everything in this world has been cast in its final mould. We just cannot think of a better model for anything that exists in this world of nature. Sometimes things happen which appear to be undesirable, for instance, landslides, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, etc. Therefore, the opinion of some is that, the world of nature is not evil-free. But such remarks are the result of misunderstanding. In fact, such apparently unwanted occurrences are either to maintain a balance in the world of nature, or are aimed at giving man a lesson—to cut him down to size. Such events, therefore, are desirable so that the natural state of the world may be maintained. In contrast to the above, the human world is beset by many flaws and all kinds of defects and shortcomings, as a result of which man is continually faced with a state of unrest. Our human world is marked by the recurrence of the many unpleasant events. Here, there is suffering, old age, accidents and death. Life is marked with all kinds of misery and fear. Even when there does not appear to be any problem, there is The present world, in actual fact, makes Paradise understandable to us. It is not Paradise. But man often mistakes it for his destination, and his life thus becomes one of missed opportunities.