SIT THE TALK.

June 22, 2007

Hyderabad, India.

There is a programme “Walk the Talk” aired in India by one of the News Channels on TV, where a popular personality is interviewed by the interviewer while walking together. I was wondering why they can’t sit and converse. A wise relative told me that “Walk the Talk” is a pun, reflective of wisdom “Practice what you Preach.”

I wonder whether some of those interviewed live by this wisdom. I can say with reasonable assurance that many of us do not practice all that we preach. Why So? Because what all we preach are difficult to follow even by us. Life’s circumstances do not always provide a perfect setting for practicing this great wisdom. Again, we invariably forget what we preached. At certain times, due to lack of coordination between mind and body, practicing what we preach may not be possible. At least in my case, it’s true for I am confined to a sitting posture most of the time due to ALS, a fatal disease.

But, we want others to follow everything we say, only to satisfy that king of all traits- Egoism. Most of the bosses, shall I say all the bosses (?), in the corporate world, seem to thrive on the maxim “Don’t do as I do, Do what I say”

Many politicians all over the world belong to this breed. And present day leaders, from any segment of society, are neither inspirational nor visionaries, and far away from being statesmen. All their speeches are tailor made to suit the occasions, and none of their promises or assurances is implemented. So, all the actions that are required for implementation are made to SIT, while they talk. A new wisdom is getting practiced- Sit the Talk.

Sit in front of the TV, and hear what all trash is being aired.

Sit in a lecture hall; hear what all the Gurus are preaching, which again are laced with innumerable examples that are only a delight to the ears.

By these talks, inertia is born inside the body inhibiting physical action.

All are listening, and NONE is active!

Many of us are losing a sense of proportion while looking at realities of life. Issues are created, are magnified by the media, unrealistic expectations are raised and hyped, only to fall flat resulting in disillusionment.

At times, I do slip in the mood of inertia, and constantly laugh at myself at being a good example of “Sit The Talk”. I do come out of the moods thinking about The Bhagavad Gita and that inspirational advertisement of Nike-Just Do It.

There is a Chinese Proverb—Personal Example carries more weight than preaching. Nothing can be farther than this truth. If I want to see my surroundings in a happier mood, I need to be happy first. If I live by what I preach, people would emulate me.

Now, how many of the present day leaders, officials, ordinary citizens walk their talk? It is anybody’s guess. We are all living in a world that is simply sitting on many issues. The more their solutions are delayed, the more they get complicated. What do we call ourselves? Sitting Ducks??