Butterflies

Tubelight · Apr 28, 2010

Hi !
You've heard that old line, havn't you ? " You Live and You Learn".

While going about the business of living, we read, hear and watch so many things, getting wiser, intrigued or muddled. Storing in the overstocked mind , shelves of nice titles and catch phrases. We "know" many theories, but "understand" them only when they descend to our living room and invade the orderly format of our daily life.

Like, you know about the "Butterfly Effect" don't you ? Yeah, that poetic, magic -realism soaked catechism of The Chaos Theory: " The Flutter of A Butterfly's Wing in a Brazilian Forest can cause a Tornado in the Mongolian Desert ". Any card carrying follower of Rachel Carson, Al Gore, Vandana Shiva or Nat Geo, like you and me, knows that if you chop down trees, you'll have no rains and if you run your AC all day long, the polar ice cap will melt blah blah blah, all thanks to that Butterfly Sutra.

Never thought that iconic Butterfly will leave its rainforest habitat and come to roost in my home .

Iceland is roughly 7692 Kms. from Namma Bengaluru and I can think of no connection, however faint, no snaana-praapthi, no 6-degrees of separation, nothing, to this tiny shred of land.In fact I don't think of it at all.But last week, one of its Glacier-Island-Mountains threw a fit and blew its top, spewing 8 Km. high coloumns of volcanic ash into the atmosphere.And that sent that blasted Butterfly fluttering into my life. Look what happened.

There was this glorious outpouring of acrid ash,choking the aerospace above much of Europe.

So, airline companies freaked out, axing flight schedules with genocidal frenzy.

So,the timetables of a million passengers went up smoke .

So, two R & D fellows from Philips of Netherlands got stranded in Brussels, missing an important date with a Service Provider in Georgia, USA.

So, the Systems guy from Georgia videoconferenced urgently with an Applications Developer node in Bengaluru to juggle strategic work schedules.

So, my Pati Parameshwar sitting in that Apps.Dev.Node was summarily disenfranchised of his chosen vacation dates ( second week of May)and told to take off immediately so that he could be back in office in the second week of May. By which time, the European skies would be rid of Ash, Philips would have brainstormed in Georgia and the Bengaluru cubicle would be in readiness to tackle Whatever, in tandem.

So, hubby's "Breaking News"sent the whole family into a tizzy, winding down the household and packing for a holiday in Madikeri. With One hyper-excited boy and two hyper-careful senior citizens around, our packing-for-8-days has assumed the proportion of a wholesale emigration ; our poor car is already groaning but Darling Son is yet to decide what board games to carry along and MotherDearest-in-law is still wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to carry extra Chutney-Pudi, just in case.

SO,(and this is the most cruel so ) I have had to drop out of the most eagerly awaited excitement of the season for me, The IL Meet-up on May 1. I am so darned disappointed and disgruntled that I could fume and blow my top like a volcano. Those infuriating Butterflies from Iceland ! @*&%%*##
You thought we are in-dependent, insular,in-divi-duals ? How illusory that assumption is ! Our awesome ancients got that Butterfly thing right when they chanted up the truth about cosmic cohesion, calling all creation a Singularity , Virat Purusha . And Everything being mere parts of a Whole. Stub a toe nail, the eye does weep. The rustic minstrels here sing with gusto :"Ollu onakeya nungi, Kallu gutava nungi, Mellalu bandha mudhukiyannu nellu nungitta thangi, Kodagana Koli nungita.."(= the mortar swallowed the pestle, the millstone swallowed the pivot and the paddy swallowed the old woman who came to chew the grain , O Sister, the hen swallowed the monkey ) There are no free and independent 'This' and 'That'. One flows into the Other . Like, in the Mundaka Upanishd they said, eureka !, we only have as much separate identity as sparks spraying out of a flame.
Things being so interconnected, and we being cogs in a clockwork, its foolish to have an ego at all, no ?

My cherished appointment with Indus Friends was dashed, right. Silver lining salvaged from the tragedy is that I can now pronounce , pretty correctly, the name Eyjafjallajokull.

Bye for now, Friend.
Leaving tomorrow morning. Will catch up with you after my return from the Net-less retreat.

Radheshyam · Apr 29, 2010

I was wondering whether I should be happy for you as you are going on an 8 day vacation (something I can only dream of :8) ) or should I feel bad that you will be missing IL meet at Bangalore.:hiya

May be it's all for good ! May be it is a part of the "MASTER" plan so as to avoid another the Dimple cheeks episode ! Anyways, enjoy ! have fun !

Cheers!
Radheshyam.

knot2share · Apr 29, 2010

Dearest TL

I am forced to say damn you Eyjafjallajokull!! That is really a bummer to hear that you will miss the meet up. Me among the many here were eagerly waiting for May 1 and to read the report/minutes that comes out of such gatherings. But doesn't matter, there will be more such gatherings you can be part of. Have a wonderful vacation and don't forget the extra chutney podi .

Catch you soon.

Kamalji · Apr 29, 2010

Dear TL,

You mean the volcano burst in Iceland and the tremors were felt in yr home.Wow, and with a bonus 8 day holdiay eh ! HAHA

But this si nothing new, when we sindhis fart, in the north of india, the south of indha feels the tremors u see.Of course we are not as powerful as the volcanoes, but still we are small volcanoes.HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Superb one as usual TL, my blogs will have one comment less, bcs u wont be there.Never mind, i cant be that selfish, and niot wish u a great holiday.

Yes the IL meet will be poorer without u for sure.

all the best, refresh and come.

Regards

kamal

Padmini · Apr 29, 2010

Dear TL,
Like abeautiful butterfly, you have spread to your wings from science to philosophy with your command over the language.
Our modern society has been obsessed with conquering and scientifically controlling the world around us. However, chaotic, nonlinear systems - such as nature, society, and our individual lives - lie beyond all our attempts to predict, manipulate, and control them. Chaos suggests that instead of resisting life's uncertainties, we should embrace the possibilities they offer.You also forgoing the "meetup"accept the vacation!!! I want to see your photo but disappointed.ope will meet you in person. Enjoy your holiday trip !!!
with love
pad

Mindian · Apr 29, 2010

Dear TL,

Today I am feeling a bit low as my parents left after a month's vacation with me. We had some lovely weekend picnics that will now be a part of my happy memories. So I will say have a GREAT time with family whenever you get the chance. Yessss, carry all those board games, be ready with car games, carry chutney podi (haha your MIL and me will make a great pair..i just love to pack food on a picnic) and hey do NOT miss the next IL meet when Mindi visits Bangalore in july/August, okay?
:thumbsup post.

monifa13 · Apr 29, 2010

Awww TL what a situation! I really feel sorry for you and the Bangaluru Ilites. It's ok my dear, you will get another opportunity, you will all meet up sometime in the near future. But think about the silver linings -the first one is as you have said you can now pronounce Eyjfjllajokull, which I think is a great achievement because I tried hard and couldn't do it, and the second one is you are going to spend 8 days in Madikeri!! Oh what a place! It is really 'the scotland of India'! We stayed there only for 3 days and it has been our dream to go back and spend atleast two weeks there... Hope you all are having a great time in Madikeri. Come back and tell us all about your holidays...

Arunarc · Apr 29, 2010

Hi TL
Nice write up about the butterflies and the holidays. Enjoying holidays with family is always fun so I know you will have a great time. Hope you will get to enjoy the next IL meet.
Madikeri is a lovely place, hill station of karnataka and its beautiful sceneric views.
Enjoy and hope you had nice fun in Madikeri.

Lalitha Shivaguru · Apr 29, 2010

Dear TL,

One person who is going to be really sorry for your vacation is myself....I was eagerly waiting to meet you on 1st but alas the volcano spoiled all my dreams and madam darted away to Madikeri leaving me fuming here....

Never mind...as Mindi says maybe we all can have a get together when she comes here and I do hope there are no volcanoes erupting at that time...Enjoy yourself nicely as Madikeri is one of the loveliest places to enjooyyyyyyy. Do let me know about your trip after you come back...

I have lot of plans to go there but not sure when I will go..

Soldier · Apr 29, 2010

Hey Lakshmi!

I feel very happy as well as equally sorry for your da!
Remember I already wished you for your proposed IL meet saying I was eager to have to detailed snippet on that!
Anyway, it is vacation time for your son and surely he must enjoy. Vacations are moments of joy when children are small. I am telling you from my experience. The moment they reach their 8th std. even they will not be keen on vacations. I do hope you will have more occasions to enjoy IL meets - you are already sure of the next meet now as quoted by Mindi. But family moments should not be missed.

So chalo enjoy your Madikeri trip and we are all here eager to see your snap shots dear.

Wish you have a nice time there and forget those volcanic eruptions!