“If the people were a little more ignorant, astrology would flourish - if a little more enlightened, religion would perish”-Robert Green Ingersoll
My mother used to dabble in astrology while I was a kid. There is no doubt that the Indian society is truly well under the influence of this branch of science (if I might brave the cynical laughter of my so-called scientist husband, Anna), however I never understood what sparked her interest in this particular field. It would have been easier to comprehend if she had spent her money on knowing her own fortune but instead I used to find books strewn around and she engaged in demystifying the celestial complexities or deciphering their impact on one’s destiny. Besides, this was before the publishing success of "anything for dummies" age, so I indeed pitied her for subjecting herself voluntarily to the tyranny of such a complex field.
She started off by holding court in family gatherings, marriages, but very soon I found neighbours flocking to our house for her parlour tricks. Well, I could never have said this directly to her face…..er anxious of being deprived of our next meal, my dad and I used to snigger behind her back treating it as our own private joke. It was hard to figure out if her predictions came true, but perhaps being a shrewd and smart woman, she probably had her bases covered quite well, so she always had people coming back for more (or perhaps she always read for free :)). I would have supported her probably if she had extended her kindness in reading my fortune but perhaps out of her deep-rooted fears in prophesying the future of her progeny, I was always left out of the loop. Perhaps, call it the "these grapes are sour" syndrome or my own scepticism at this divining art, I soon lost interest in her pursuits and hoped her own interests will fizzle out once she gets caught up in her yen for something else. Does anyone wonder where I got my own restlessness from J
However, to my immense surprise, after I had got married and moved away, I found that she indeed took astrology quite seriously and soon attended courses and became a registered astrologist. I was indeed impressed for someone with very little formal education, she persevered and mastered this art, given its basis for some serious computation. Contrary to her old behaviour, perhaps fuelled by her new found confidence and infallible credentials, I now discovered she was more forthcoming when it came to me. My mother was on a roll here especially when it came to forecasting my future.
To my dismay, I have been finding out her predictions are taking place but sadly with a reciprocal effect. The day she says I will have a brilliant presentation, I find despite my natural skills at excelling in presentations, I fumble and make a very dismal show. A reunion with a long-lost friend almost ends up in a falling-out and silent treatment from a beloved mate; tidings of good news turns out to be a rejection letter from a job that I was almost sure to land with. Last September, towards the last week, she predicted I will be entering a period of emotional well-being and peace and I found quite to the contrary, I hit a big bout of depression and the period can truly be remembered as one of the worst periods of trauma I had encountered in all my 34 yrs of my life. To cap it all, she now has declared within the next few days, my stars will indeed shift position and I am going to be flooded with job offers. I hastily bite a retort, grit my teeth and attempt a dry run at humour telling her the only way I can be employed in this town is if I start my own business.
Sometimes, given the bleak and dull routine my days seems to take lately and no trace of immediate hope in the horizon, I am tempted to dwell on her prophecies and would like to take comfort in knowing if Lady Luck will indeed bestow her kindness on me. But then reality kicks in and I know if anything is going to help me during these dark moments of my life, it is indeed my own self-confidence and the support I am going to garner from my family and friends – and not some haphazard course of the stars. Oh yeah, somewhere all the academic qualifications with outstanding results (that I have collected over the years), my professional experience and my own go-getter personality ought to get a mention......anyway the truth is I make my own destiny.
Meanwhile I still humour my mother and listen to her celestial banter cheerfully, relieved that with her heavenly support system in place, she does not need me to offer her empty words of solace; my own feeble attempts at flippancy and light heartedness in maintaining the mask of well-being and normalcy, atleast where she is concerned, is already stretched beyond limits. Atleast I make her day even if her stars dont make mine :)
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