Page 98 - #letter to son

TWILIGHT
Dear son,

My father and maa were unschooled. Yet they marshalled enormous
respect and trust of the village.

They were honest, simple and rustic folk with a natural earthy aura.
Their wisdom was borne out of their experiences and their simplicity
out of their bucolic roots. They lived a happy and worry-free life. When
I think about it today, I know their hearts were pure and their intentions
sincere. They lived a life of honesty and truth. Their actions did not
mask any hidden agenda. They slept blissfully at night – their comfort
mattress was a clear conscience.

When I relate this with today, I’m amazed at how sleep management
has taken such a scientific shape that it has emerged as a multi-billion
dollar industry. I wonder how sleep scientists are helping their clients to
sleep better. I can’t imagine how people can teach other people to sleep
better. Or how sophisticated mattresses and luxurious pillows are still
unable to make people sleep in peace. Or how they have to resort to
sleep-inducing drugs and medicines.

I suspect the reason for sleepless and restless nights cannot be cured by
drugs or sophisticated sleep support systems and techniques. A clear
conscience is enough. A day’s worth of hard labour is enough. A sense
of sympathy and empathy for others is enough. But alas, people try to
find a cure from elsewhere, a cure that is insincere and unreliable.

My parents had the most authentic answer to a good night’s sleep.
Accountability. If your heart was pure, your intentions genuine, your
approach transparent and your thoughts unpretentious, there was
nothing that could take away your night’s sleep.

Among the many influential who would give anything for a night’s
worth of sound sleep are businesspeople and those in polity. When
I reflect on this, I find that though businesspeople have some sort of
accountability to their shareholders and stakeholders, I want to know
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