FOOTSTEPS

INITIATION

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".
'How true!', I think as I take my first steps as a blogger. "Blog"-the word gets me wondering, why this whole hype about writing a few simple sentences. Why do so many people over the world get into controversies for expressing themselves over the world wide web? Most probably because : "With great power comes greater responsibility". But I am not an advocate of the puritans. I am of the opinion that one must not be dubious about ones  true feelings. What is in the heart must come out to face the real world. Its not necessary to be who the world wants you to be. For why cant we be just who we are without feeling guilty about it? So what if you cant crack jokes to make everyone laugh, you can laugh at your own jokes and dance to the music in your heart.
The pleasure of living for your own self is incomparable. You don't have to fulfill any expectations except for your own. Still the social needs of a human-being constantly compel him to be a slave of people close to him and living a truly independent life becomes a real problem. Imagine the plight of the poor married couple who comes home to live a life "tied" to each other, if they fail to create  their individual space and a certain respect for each others privacy while enjoying a happy married life. Should they continue to live for each others expectations while sacrificing their own dreams and ambitions? Would it be unfair if anyone of them goes away for some days in search of adventure without informing the other partner? If the wife decides to splurge on a dear male friend's birthday, is she cheating on her husband? If the husband goes out of his way to help a needy office colleague, should the wife feel jealous? Such questions continue to confound me and get me thinking if we are really "free, independent and mature adults", or will we ever even be one?
The Indian society, in particular, needs to go through some radical change in terms of their age-old thinking and the general concept of "Family" . Then again, the belief "Be the change you want to see" works as a two-faced sword. Even if a few people decide to change, will it effect the whole world? If someone goes ahead to "set an example" for the people around him/her, what is the probability that the change would be popularized and not criticised? As one question leads to the next and so on and so forth, the bigger question raises its ugly head: The questions are good and fair but where are the answers? What is the solution?
Its high time to change the definition of the oft-used axiom : " Freedom of speech" in the Indian constitution. They should describe it with "Terms and Conditions". After all, why go on pretending when the reality smacks us in the face?