Generation Gap: A Psychological Prejudice ?

"GENERATION GAP" What is it? How it goes? A simple way to deal will it. There may be many schools of thoughts by the writers or orators depending on the generation they are heading on but a practical one is here. The difference in opinions, values, attitudes, and lifestyle among people of different ages is called 'generation gap'. Due to these differences, people belonging to different generations find themselves unable to relate to each other.

This communication gap between successive generations is not a new phenomenon. Parents and children across the world have been facing this problem. Due to fast-paced modern lifestyles, parents and children hardly find time together. The children, thus unable to express their thoughts and ideas to their parents, turn to friends for advice who are as inexperienced as they are.

Today's children are born into a competitive world and have the struggle to get everything. Many a time their true potential gets overshadowed in the rat race. Parents- burdened by the expectations of the society- end up forcing certain subjects and careers and lives that their parents have chosen for them, children are left lost and confused.

Parents, on the other hand, feel that in this rapidly changing society where everyone is so self-centered, it is their duty to protect their children. Parents tend to feel that their children require guidance. This cannot be denied. But their constant monitoring makes children feel oppressed and they tend to turn rebellious.

It is essential for parents to talk to their children and treat them as individuals. To be forever treated as a child can be irritating and sometimes even humiliating. Children, in turn, must reciprocate with due respect and attention. Matters such as career, lifestyle and sensitive issues like freedom of choice of friends must be dealt with carefully and with maturity.

Love and understanding are the best antidotes to this ever-widening generation gap. Only then will children look up to their parents and parents will not be burdened with their guilt for not being there for their children in their hour of need. In this way generation gap can at least be narrowed, if not completely filled.

Law of Karma

What is Karma? Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. It is equivalent to Newton’s law of every action must have an equal and opposite reaction. When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force may be modified, changed or suspended, but most people will not be able to eradicate it.

“Avashyameva bhoktavyam kritam karma shubhaashubham” 

The above verse means whatever deeds we perform, whether good or bad, we have to certainly bear the fruits of the same.

Keeping the above verse in mind we all can recall a very famous English phrase taught to us in our childhoods that what you sow is what you reap but still whenever we humans face tough times in life we always blame God for it. This is because in our childhoods we were also loaded with the concept that whatever takes place on this earth is with the consent of God.

It is imperative for all of us to understand the demarcation between the two beliefs which is being held by people from ages. Let's take an example, when we leave for the office, the decision regarding which dress to wear, or what colour, which way to take to the office, whether to use a car or public transport etc. is decided by whom? It is decided by us. Similarly, our every action is decided by us through the karmas and hence the result will also be faced by us.

Why we worship God? Many people live in the belief that worshiping him will change their destiny but the fact is that we write our own destinies by the way of karmas we perform. We worship God to give us strength and peace of mind to face all grueling situations of life. The supreme power God gives us an understanding of good and bad deeds to perform but he never decides our karmas. If god had the powers to decide our destiny, just like any parent, he would never write poverty, sadness, death, separation, crime etc in any of his child’s destiny, rather he would fill our lives with happiness, prosperity, good health, fabulous luck etc.

Till today I have not done injustice to anyone then why I am facing such an awful situation in my life? I know this would be the next question in your mind post reading the above paragraph. The karmas performed by every human follows him until his death and even in his next life. Karmas are just like a ball, once thrown will hit the wall and come back to you. The travel time differs. Sometimes the ball comes back in a minute, sometimes hours, sometimes months, sometimes years and sometimes it takes many lives (re-births). You might be a gem of a person in this life but the outcomes of your past deeds in last life will surely come back to you.

Don’t blame God for your destiny rather do right karmas to change your destiny. This is the law of karma and an obscure fact of life for many people in the world. Remember whatever you give to the world, will come back to you.