STRETCH....... FOR FLEXIBILTY

Stretching, they say is compulsory. Else your joints get tight and you become rigid; In life too, one is expected to be flexible; one must compromise an elderly person recently advised me, as I am lucky enough to live in India where complete strangers think nothing of asking you about anything under the sun, and where advise is always given free, asked or un-asked. He made me think a bit.....

I know a lot of people - young, old, medium, men, women, girls, boys... you get the drift. It naturally follows that I've also come across a number of personalities. Some flexible, some rigid, some in-between, some ambiguous etc etc.

So what's your poison?? Most people find it easy to class so and so as flexible, rigid etc but find it difficult to accurately class oneself. I'm no different. I found that flexible people, the kind whose thumb you can bend so far back it goes flat, are the easiest to spend time with. But I also found that most of my friends DO NOT fall into this category and that most of my ACQUAINTANCES do fall into this category.

I suppose in the larger scheme of things, it all boils down to depth. One really doesn't need or want too much of reality everyday everywhere. That's why we have movies - the ultimate escape from reality. And we all know what a resounding success the movies have always been from the moment go, from Rudolf Valentino to Robert Pattison.

On the other hand we have our item girls and now-a-days boys. Must the men confer equality to women ONLY in these dubious categories? If a certain status for women is bad, is the solution to bring it up or bring the other sex down to that status? Clearly we seem to be in a rush toward the latter. Anyway, the point is that while an 'item' number is used only as a relief for the content of a movie's story so it is with flexible people.

A yes man is good for people who lack egos and for people who need an unreal prop to face themselves. For everyone else, a yes man is a pleasant man to have around as a decorative piece much like those beautiful wedding props that have no place outside the wedding venue. They in fact look ridiculous in real life. Imagine putting that prop in your clinic or office!!

The balance methinks lies in the middle approach - too much flexibility only highlights the fact that you don't have a mind of your own and cannot think. Too much of rigidity on the other hand shows an insecure mind, afraid of change and a lack of confidence to face an unknown and thus, in oneself.

Lets celebrate the Middle Path. It was good enough for the Buddha, its good enough for me!! Life's good! So laugh a lot........