Chaos!

There is so much chaos in and around our lives. Everywhere one looks at, there is noise, outrage, unhappiness, distress and uncertainty. When did this happen? We have become such slaves to lifestyles that chaos has become an essential part of us. Don't we all long for some solitude? That ME time, away from people and places increasingly! There are retreats now customised solely to help us achieve this inner peace and calm that we have been searching for from the vagaries of our busy lives.

Nature has become a friend suddenly. So many people go on weekend trails and hikes on mountains, which is absolutely great. It also tests our physical fitness while really getting us acquainted newly with the many facets of nature. We miss out on so many things during the daily chaos. Even children who were thought to live stress-free lives for generations are now found to suffer from depression and anxiety. This is becoming worrisome. In our longing for better lifestyles and living conditions and luxuries, we are increasingly just cutting ourselves from the simpler pleasures of life. How difficult is it to sit idle at home some weekend and not fret about socialising or attending events? Chances are our public appearance might not be such an important thing to people than our own solitary time.

Peace is often a state associated with calmness of mind. It is indeed. And peace not just comes from being around nature or quieter surroundings but really being dissociated from material things. Our constant run-of-the-mill approach towards life is hurting not just our health but our potential as individuals. A friend who is in United States for business recently sent me some pictures of daytime Chicago and nighttime California and Bay area. What I felt after seeing those city pictures with illuminated skyscrapers was just chaos laid bare on an urban landscape. Tall blocks of glass and concrete all over the horizon with just a speck of sky noticeable from the roadside. Is this the ultimate habitat that we have created for our luxury? When I first studied Architecture in Barcelona, notably Antoni Gaudi's designed structures, a wave of amazement swept all over me. Friends discussed that Gaudi's architecture made the city look chaotic, and I looked at all of them in disbelief. How our visual sense is marred with geometry and free-flowing forms! A non-architect would perhaps be surprised at the free-form Gaudi designs, but us Architects, we are only pleased with angular and geometric patterns. This too is another example of how our sensibilities to match with natural surroundings has changed over the years. Perhaps a bit of Soul-searching would help us distinguish between our feelings for natural forms and man-made realities.