Number game

The thought to write this blog post triggered from the recent news about Sachin Tendulkar's double century in one day international cricket. I haven't read much about the details but just observed the overwhelming reaction of the public on social networking sites and in person. Before I proceed any further I would like to say that I have deep respect for Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. From my point of view he has given his best to the path he has chosen in life which apparently I feel have not done myself, to be more precise not even any nearer to an inch of what he achieved. The following is not in anyway related or based on him. It's just that this incident and the reaction of people to it has triggered me to write about a thing, which I have been thinking for long.

Sachin has made his first 200 score in one day international cricket. This is the highest score in one-day international cricket by any human that has walked on this planet earth. The thing that makes me wonder is others have made 194 and so on. Most people such as I don't even know about them. It is just a number(200), very near to (194, etc) and then there is such a huge cheering. I feel same respect for the person before his 200 and even today. I think it is just a coincidence that he got to stay till the last over and make this number. What if though he stayed till the end, he couldn't get enough chance to play or he played but couldn't make that number or something else. There are countless possibilities that might have happened. I guess what I am trying to say is why so much hype for this number.

Similar to it are other areas where we are so much engrossed in this number mania.

When you are aging, you feel the pressure of this increasing number. When you are young you look at this number and feel great about it.

By the number in the paycheck, you draw, you pump your ego or deflate depending on what your mind perceives it as more or less respectively.

By the height of your body structure, you feel happy or sad.

By the weight of your body, you crave or avert.

By the score you achieve in your test, you admire or hate yourself.

By the number of people who like you, you feel elated or depressed.

By the number you spend, you feel you are the rich dude walking around or the poor chap.

By the number of miles you drive, you feel, you have achieved something great or wasted something.

By the inches of your biceps or chest, you walk around as if you are going to stay here forever or belittle yourself.

same is with the number of calories you eat, the rank you get, the number growth your company makes, the number by which your stocks increase, the number of children you have, the number of girl friends you make, the number of things you memorize, the number of dresses you wore, the number of perfumes you used, the number of your eye-sight, the number of cars you own, the number of the price of the car, the number of the rank of the car you own, the number of movies you watch, the number of days for the long weekend, the number of days you slog to work, the number in which your product is sold, the number of days before the school finishes, the number of days before the exams are over, the number of degrees you achieve in your career, the number of different types of food you tasted, places you visited, things you read, wrote, ... the number , the number, the number.

Oh enough. From morning till night, professional to personal, birth till death, good to bad, everything, every thing is measured in numbers. Even the quality is being rated in numbers.

After all, there is the infinite universe beyond these numbers, there is darkness, light, etc. and finally there is life.

Hope we come out of this number game and enjoy peace and happiness beyond the numbers.

Disclaimer: Having written this I do not advocate that I am out of it. I am just like most other humans revolving in this madness. I just wanted to throw light on the situation and hope for the best.