Illusion!

Sanity and insanity, maturity and immaturity is always separated by a thin line. And more often the ability to evaluate an act before being performed separates the one from the other. Almost every day, one has to confront a situation that necessitates an action or a reaction and in whatever magnitude it appears, the sanity is put to test. However today, in this article, these are no petty issues I am talking about; not a quarrel between a husband and a wife over some disagreement, not a fight between two friends over a difference in opinion. These are the actions and behaviors that result out of pain, out of deep sorrow as one is forced to break out of a long lasted illusion; more in an emotional level than any other. 

One, in such given circumstance may choose to react immediately with an outburst of emotion – normally anger or sorrow or one may choose to brood over it alone in the deep corners of the mind. While outburst of feelings through anger are sometimes good as it releases a flow of suppressed thoughts; sometimes can be devastating as is mostly than rarely, is a one sided opinion or perception. A situation like this puts sanity into test.

Often as a child, the thin line is always ignored and frequently, the line is crossed and they are controlled by the elders or suppressed by the child himself and these acts eventually shape their personality. Hence, I feel that childhood never really puts your sanity into a real test due to a protected atmosphere. And most often the term used for misbehavior at this age is immaturity, the lack of ability to differentiate the right from wrong. And an act of immaturity is always ignored or excused.

But as one grows, one breaks away from such chains that attache him through birth and creates new relationships of his own– friends, lovers, attractions and desires. And as an individual is put to severe emotional turmoil the sanity of an individual is under a real test. When the desired is not achieved, the normal act would be to defend oneself and blame the rest. One cannot help behaving per the personality developed over the years, but one can always think before reacting to a situation and the saner chooses to do thus. He understands the situation and if impossible to solve, adapts to it and moves on. In the process there are several tears, several cries but never an end of tunnel, never a dark room without any hope. And as one grows from one situation to another, the adaptability become quicker and easier. Happiness is not dependent on one person or one moment and self pity is the worst possible way to disrespect one self.

In the novel “In Cold Blood” Truman Capote masterfully captures the life and mind of two criminals and the after effects of their act of insanity. Murdering a family of four for no real reason but probably, as analyzed by a psychiatrist; an act of cruelty against all those people who have hurt the criminals; an outburst of those suppressed anger over four innocent people who had to pay for the mistakes of someone else.

So always much is talked about the "reaction" side of sanity, what about the "action" side of the same coin?

Murders, as defined are often related to taking a life but is it not an equivalent offense to kill an image of a personality? An influenced emotion? or......A collaborative illusion!