Very recently I was asked to do a speech on "Scientific Temper" (the horror of it!) during Science Exhibition in my school. A topic I had the least of interest to present. First of all , I didn't have a clue on what on earth did "scientific temper " mean. Second of all , whatever it was , Science and ME? It sounded like two poles meeting together. I had no choice , but to do it. So , I did what others would probably do if they find themselves in a fix. I approached "GOOGLE" and what I got was a bunch of broken links. Biting back my disappointment and being more determined , I searched and searched and searched. Finally , I got stuck at an article and the content on it just sounded "fla fla fla" to me. Since what science needed was "fla fla fla" , I went for it. Wikipedia fueled my GK on scientific temper as
"Scientific temper is a way of life - an individual and and social process of thinking and acting - which uses a scientific method, which may include questioning, observing physical reality, testing, hypothesizing, analyzing, and communicating".
Since I was supposed to say that our current generation used their skill of scientific temper in its true spirit , I still couldn't bring myself to blurt out such downright lies. Our generation and scientific temper? Who on earth am I kidding here?! Take the example of our science exhibitions. Our curriculum says you are supposed to observe , investigate and "create" a model. Now, tell me , how many of us follow that in its true spirit?! NONE. Not even 1% of the whole student population. The moment we get the topics , we rush to Google , our not-so-official Lifesaver and search for 2 weeks. And practically , we end up with "nothing". NOT. A.SINGLE.THING.
All the sites gushes on making the most impractical models you have ever heard in your life. And even by chance , you manage to scrap out an idea , it probably will never work. Then our next option is our "IIT cousins". Those geeks somehow manages to build a sci-fi model and on the D-day you appear to look cool. (I know this thing very well guys , because this is what "I" did during my science exhibition.). If that doesn't work you still have the option of your friends. You somehow manages to arrange the materials you need to make the model and do everything else apart from making a model. At the end of day , you still have unused thermocol , brand new bottles of fevicol and what not. And the last back up option is free-lance science model "builders" to whom you have to pay around 2000-3000 bucks. FOR ONE SINGLE EVENT. FOR A MODEL YOU NEVER EVER SEE IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
All this stuff is not making any sense to me. We talk about how our current generation is lacking that "flair" in them. When they are provided with everything to fuel the flair and don't have to move their single finger , how do you expect to have spark in each of us. The fact is that we are content with an Einstein , Newton and Flemming. We are willing to digest and parrot out their theories and postulates. We are ready to shoulder up their assumptions and contradictions. And we say we lack Junior Scientists here? What kind of sense is that, honestly?!!
You know when they talk about the enlightenment of Buddha , I always picturise him under a tree and suddenly acquiring the ring of aura around him. What If i tell you I had one such enlightenment? Strange , huh?! Well , I don't have a ring of aura around me , but as for now my "inner peace" is all tangled. Recently I was re-reading the book "Life is what you make it" by Preeti Shenoy and when one of this protagonist died in the plot , I suddenly had this brainwave. Suddenly , If I was to die a day , without a single warning , I imagined what it would be like. I know it is very dumb , but still , you know , it sort of stuck into my mind and I couldn't escape. Well , of course , being the single daughter of my parents , it is going to leave them both depressed and distraught initially. My dad is going to miss his "favorite Maths and Physics pupil" (I'm kidding!!!! You know how much I love your classes!) and my mom her daily secret keeper. But eventually they will come around and learn to move on. As for my friends , I believe they will miss me terribly in every possible way and scream their heads off. Aparna is going to miss her punch ball (I know you will!) , Gayathri her chatter box , Amanda her book maniac and others what not (Sorry about stopping here guys , otherwise it would take a bit long!) . But that will be for 2 to 3 months. After that , they too would have found out their punch ball , chatter box and book -maniac in some others. My teachers , my friends , my relatives would talk about myself being an excellent student , niece , daughter , friend , sister and how no one can take my place ever in their lives. Well , guess what? They are nothing but downright lies. All of them are going to move on and I'm going to fade from each of their memories every passing day. Well , thinking from my side , I feel bad thinking about how my bucket list is just going to remain a "list" and nothing more. How my untold crushes are going to wither away even before they started ( I know , its a disaster!). And for not telling my parents and friends about how much they mean to me and lots more. But most importantly , What am I going to leave here? A few flashing memories in someone's head? Or the things I left unsaid or had already used? I really wish to conduct a pre-funeral for myself if I knew when I was going to die , you know. Just out of curiosity , just to know what others think of me , so that I can treasure it forever in my life. All you have with you , IS THIS MOMENT . Make sure you live that at your fullest. Make some epic mistakes , no one is going to hang you! Fall in love , make new friends , dream even more and more. And most importantly , never forget to leave your signature here , in this world , as a proof that a person like you existed once. The number of days you lived here doesn't matter at all. The number of memories and the imprints you leave in others hearts matter. Make sure that you just don't remain a name , but something even more. #after all life is beautiful#
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