Accepting monotony

Recently, a friend was greatly lamenting over her supposedly lacklustre life/lifestyle.

“What kind of life is this? Steeped in monotony! Soon as the first shafts of sunbeams stream through your sleeping room, you start shoving yourself out of your bed, to speed through a string of insipid morning chores.

Then, you stoke yourself up with some breakfast, and with singular speed, you rush to your workplace to slog till the evening. Then, you sprint back home to go through same suburban chores and finally at night, you sink into slumber with severely raddled-out body and mind!”

I’m reminded of an apocryphal story. Eons ago, the lifespan of animals was more than that of a man. During such times, a donkey, a dog and a monkey, the ones not happy with their lives, decide to approach the Lord with rather a strange wish of having their lifespan shortened.

At first, the donkey starts bemoaning saying, by being a ‘beast of burden’ he is physically battered, ever toting on back the scruffy laundry. And that he is frustrated of life, foraging and feeding on filthy paper scraps and other grubby stuff. He implores the Lord to truncate a few years from his life, which is drowned in dreadful drudgery. “So be it,” says the Lord.

Then the dog entreats the Lord to whittle off a few years from his lifespan, for he says he is tired of his jejune life which involves wagging his tail, safeguarding his master’s house, obsequiously nuzzling at his feet, and munching on whatever food is hurled at him. Hearing this, God grants his wish.

Next, the monkey beseeches the Lord with the same request, as he is bored of his jaded life, shuttling from tree to tree, and swinging from branches. Even his wish is fulfilled. Lo! Just when the animals prepare to leave, a man with steps in to bewail his inadequate lifespan and to beg for more years. Instantly, the Lord transfers all the extra years forfeited by the donkey, dog and monkey to him.

That’s why the man’s first twenty years are  considered his palmy and pleasure-filled years. Then comes the donkey’s years, where he toils at his workplace till his retirement. After that, are the dog’s years, wherein like a security guard, he keeps constant vigil over his home and grand kids. Then comes the monkey’s years when he turns a doddering dotard in his old age, flitting between home and hospital.

  Well, the drift of the story is that a major part of our life is monotonous. It all depends upon our positive attitude and our proclivity for indulging in a plethora of pleasurable activities that makes our life profoundly exciting.