16 September 2013, 01:11 PM IST
Ask any youngster what life on the fast track is like and s/he will most likely say, "exciting", "cool, man", "gets the adrenaline pumping" or something like that—provided, of course s/he has the time or inclination to stop and answer your inane question while s/he races frantically to meet life head-on, without a glance in the rearview mirror. And you are left standing, with your head spinning. Till you realize that hectic schedules are no longer an exception with today's youth, they are by far the accepted rule. Youngsters know what they want out of life, and don't drag their feet in going about getting it. You then shake your head—alternately in admiration for their zeitgeist, and in pity for the physical and emotional wreckage they are setting themselves up for in later life.
But hey, spare yourself the unshed tears because there is news that you may not need to shed them at all. Apparently, Generation Y is wiser beyond its years—it can see that the frenetic lifestyle will create physical and emotional chaos and is, therefore, already gearing up to prevent it. Prophylactic stress-busting… ? Now isn't that interesting! So, how are the yuppies doing it? Check it out.
Today's youth may shop till it drops at fashionable pricey malls, but it also makes habitual stops at the spiritual supermarket; which means that youngsters are regularly visiting temples, attending religious discourses, getting involved in charity work or, at the least, taking up meditation and yoga. Slowly but gradually, it seems that weekend culture for youth is being re-defined—the usual fun and games is being balanced by calm spiritual experiences. Wow! And no, they are not religious fanatics-in-the-making nor are they about to denounce the world in favour of saffron robes. These young people know how to enjoy life alright and definitely have their share of partying, bogeying and dating. The spiritual sojourns simply provide them clarity in understanding themselves and the conflicts around them. In fact, that explains why the Art of Living classes have caught on in such a big way among the youth brigade.
Once over the pleasant surprise, I wondered at this sudden turnaround in the hip generation's funda for chilling out. No offence meant, but spiritual pursuits have always seemed to be the geriatric way of passing time (a commodity available in ample quantity in the sunset years), since the senior citizens have seen it all and know that, at the end of the day, spirituality provides the kind of peace that the material world never could. Then how have these 20-somethings logged on to this line of thought? There could be one plausible explanation. Today's youth is living a fast-forwarded life—it has been there, done that, much earlier than its grandparents, or even parents, did. Young ones are facing much more personal trauma (pressure to excel in studies or at work, frictions in relationships, cut-throat competition and so on) than their forefathers did at the same age. And terrorist activities like bomb blasts, heinous crimes like rape and murder, are only making matters so much worse. And when nature steps in to put in its bit in the form of calamities like earthquakes and floods, well… it does get to be a bit too much.
All these natural and man-made catastrophes leave behind deep scars on the psyche which cry out for the healing touch. So, who or what can provide that panacea? Spirituality seems to be the most likely contender. It really makes me happy to note that youngsters are reaffirming their faith in God and believing that ultimately it is God that we have to turn to, and who can provide all the answers to our questions, problems and confusion.
Of course, the media cannot stay out of anything—(life wouldn't be fun if it did though!)—and so has contributed to making even spirituality a commercial blitzkrieg, and we have religious exponents giving discourses on several TV channels. The upside of this phenomenon is that easy accessibility of profound thoughts has made the youth aware that help for beating day-to-day life stress is at hand. Incidentally, most of these discourses draw examples from daily life to elucidate concepts and this makes it easier for youth to identify with what is being said. All in all, spirituality is providing the Generation Y what cacophonous disco music and heady pubs or exciting "dates" are not—inner peace and calm, and insight in understanding life situations. Youngsters are really growing up fast, in every which way! Well, as long as they know that spirituality is not a matter of religion, but of doing one's work to the best of one's ability, hurting no one, having compassion for all living beings, and keeping faith in the goodness of God, then they are on the right path and we need not worry about them. No matter what kind of balls life throws at them, they'd be able to score. Today and always. Amen.
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