Sums it up - accurately enough :).

Ohhkay….so my last post was about how I felt we treat the feelings of those who we try to trust and confide in. But what I do not understand why people find it so difficult to listen to somebody who just needs an ear? Why do even pets feel depressed when you talk about hard times and tougher emotions? Is it because of the tendency to feel empathy? Why do external factors totally unrelated to what's happening in our personal lives affect us so? Why do they contribute to our gloom? I personally have felt the pain and gloom surrounding people around me. I think its hard not to. Because there do exist certain vibes among all living creatures. It is this vibes that we give out through various media ranging from verbal to eye contact to simply tone and body language that affect people around us. Maybe that's why even things happening in remote corners of the planet or sometimes even movies elicit extreme emotions. And all of us need the "feel good" vibes. That I guess is the main reason it's harder to stay away from people you are comfortable with. That's why a person covets approval from the people around them. That is why I think people feel motivated enough to make sacrifices…to take harder decisions. As the world saw the sun set on the lives of two of the most influential politicians in recent times, I am surprised to see human behavior. One was a legend, an exemplary luminary about whom I've been thinking over the weekend. President Gerald Ford is someone I respect more than even Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi preached non-violence and a lot of other virtues, but he could not resist the temptation to bestow undue favors on his protégé Jawaharlal Nehru, whose dynasty treated the country like its fiefdom. And an entire country paid the price. On the other hand is President Ford. He stood against the temptation to punish someone who had done grievous wrong. And he had the conviction to stand for his decision. I am sure the outcry at his decision made him realize quite well that he stood a mighty slim chance of ever being elected to the presidency if any. I believe it takes extreme strength of character and a total dedication to do what's right, to resist being corrupted by power. Make no mistake, he was in power, enjoying it, feeling it, when he made a decision that was to decide his place in the echelons of time. He did not have to pay a price, he did not have to suffer, he just had to punish someone who he and the rest of the world knew had done wrong, and he mighty well knew what he would be giving up to pardon him. Feeling in control, being in probably one of the most significant, efficient and influential posts in the modern era and being able to give it up without any self-doubt, second guessing, uncertainty, is a strong statement of character. What I do not understand is why it takes his death and a eulogy to understand true greatness. Or do people understand it even now? On the other hand we sent a ruthless dictator to the gallows. And in the process of doing so lost many young innocent lives. The very same man who took the decision to enter the country of a despotic dictator on a false pretense, tried to engage the world in a war and fight against him, ended up was escorting President Ford's widow to his funeral. What a contrast!!! His tribute seemed so hollow. Maybe their deaths in one single week is fate's way of telling us something…its not just a silly coincidence.