21st century as they say is a century overpowered with information, artificial intelligence, machine language and robotics. Generation Z is at the core of this century who are ready to take the world in a stride. The words like ‘multitasking’ and ‘superwoman/superman ‘ have garnered so much attention that everyone wishes to engage or become one. Everyone is ready for a start up or is running  to meet the deadlines or spending time ( approx. 8 to 9 hrs.) in some way or the other busy with their mobiles. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this generation has become a mobile generation and just like fast food their tastes and interest are also changing fast . At times in a hurry to reach the goal or to achieve their desired results they get caught up in such a mired state of affairs that the  so called fun from life gets lost.

The questions which arise are :Why do we zoom our bikes on the zigzag roadways at a top gear to reach the destination? Why do we gobble our  food down our throat without relishing each bite ? Why do we always are in a hurry to complete the work? Why do we instantly message ?Why do we never miss a chance?

Probably the answer could be life is short and time is fleeting. With each passing breath we are moving towards the inescapable . However in this hurry we do miss the beauty of nature which has painted this earth in varied colours. The rays of the morning sun, chirping of the birds, colours of the sky , star studded night fail to catch our attention.  Just spending time with friends without a mobile in the hand or having lunch/ breakfast or dinner at ease with dishes passing from one hand to another accompanied with laughter of the loved ones can never be enjoyed if one is in a hurry.

Goals, tasks, aims are important but not at the cost of missing important functions or family gatherings. Slowing does not mean becoming lazy. It just means getting rid of anxiety, tension and worries which come up like unwanted pop ups . It means to ‘stand and stare’ in the words of Wordsworth. It means to prioritize the list of things and fulfill  the wish list . It also entails more quality time with family and friends. It means acknowledging the gift of life given by the Almighty. It means to spend leisure time doing nothing and just enjoying the ‘me’ time. It also means to sit back and ponder over the things which the Almighty has given and trying to decipher the real happiness. Infact happiness which eludes us often like a butterfly is just next to us but in the hurry to make our ends meet we are lost forever in the myriad world of complexities. Why make life look more complicated when it is just a simple cycle of things.

So bury the hurry and stay healthy, happy and cheerful. Slow down a bit, deliberate on your thoughts and dawdle in this wood -world. It has been aptly quoted by William Shakespeare:

“Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast. “

“Bury the Hurry” by Ritu R. Agarwal (PhD) , Associate Professor of English, J.Z. Shah Arts & H.P. Desai Commerce College