Inequilibrium: It's what makes life interesting
I have read and
studied about equilibrium in science, biology among other subjects in school.
Nature likes it, hence it balances wherever there is imbalance - water flows
from a level higher to the level lower, till there is equilibrium.
Then there are laws
of physics, Newton's laws of equilibrium - if the 3 directional forces are all
zero, the body will remain at rest (force equilibrium) and if the resultant
moment about an axis is zero along all the 3 dimensions, the body continues in
its state (spinning/ at rest as the case may be).
So much said about
equilibrium...however, what I was fascinated by, was Inequilibrium. I believe,
it is the starting point of everything, it is the beginning. In defiance of the
laws above, I believe, that Inequilibrium does not transform into equilibrium,
for relationships. Somehow, I feel, nature's laws don't work here.
Let's take
relationships, and all of it involves the heart, which means feelings and
emotions. What is the metric used to measure emotions? What is the device you
can use?
There is none.
Science hasn't crossed that frontier yet where it can measure what I feel for
another. It just can't. Till date we are kept guessing each other's feelings,
while grappling with our own emotions. We know it qualitatively but can never
measure the actual depth.
So, here is an
example, the most common one being love. The boy feels something for the girl.
What is this 'something', we don't know. Its an undefined feeling. 'Kuch kuch
hota hain, tum nahi samjhoge'. So, how does he explain it? He can't, but
it is something that he cannot ignore. The starting point is Inequilibrium. In
one person's heart, and therein begins his journey to seek equilibrium.
So, he pursues the
girl, or object of his desire. The two possible outcomes from the girl are - 'I
love you too' or 'Thank you'. In both the cases, it is still
inequilibrium.
In the 1st case of
reciprocation, the boy felt more, and for far longer than the girl. He pursued
her to put his point across, to show the depth he felt. Something moved in the
girl, and she decided to respond back. However, even in her reciprocation, is
there equilibrium of emotions in the heart? How can we measure?
In my view, it's
not there. The one who felt first, felt more, and is still growing in the want
and desire. He is higher up the 'feeling curve' if I may call it thus. The one
who felt later, has just started out. How can the two levels of emotions and
feelings be the same, be at equilibrium? Its not. Inequilibrium persists.
In the 2nd case,
where the girl remains unmoved and is thankful for the depth and emotions felt
by the boy, it is obviously inequilibrium. What remains to be seen, is whether
the boy gets over his feelings and reaches back to equilibrium? In my mind, the
answer is no. This is because, for someone, if you have felt 'crush' or 'love',
there is some residual feelings for the object he desired, whenever, he comes
across the person in future.
What about the
other relationships? A mother loves her daughter much more than the daughter
can ever feel, a father feels a lot proud of his son's achievements than the
son can ever hope to take pride in. Grandmother and grandchild, brother and
sister, among other relationships. In fact, even in a marriage, it is not
possible to have the husband and wife feel equal level of love towards each
other....one is always feeling more than the other. We don't know who, as
we cannot measure and compare both, but therein resides inqeuilibrium.
My post is not
about the search for a measurement device, as that will make life so
uninteresting. Measure and know, takes imagination out of it, kills expression
to describe emotions and feelings.
It is in seeking
to show the depth of feelings, have poets written what they have, penned
sonnets, lyrics, songs, shayaris - all in an effort to express, to seek
equilibrium for the inequilibrium that exists in hearts. But, it is never meant
to be.
I will be happy
hear the other view...
Happy New Year!
:)