Stoppage

Some of us who have had the privilege of enjoying a night safari in a forest may have noticed how the deers and some other animals seem to freeze and gets transfixed at a place as the spotlight falls on their eyes . Similarly , all of us , well at least most of us have experienced those moments in our life when, we feel helpless in the face of adversity and cannot reach a decision . Our reactions to the danger , so clear and present before our eyes becomes sluggish . It is as if we can see a big stone being hurled at us but we are unable to take any evasive action . A sense of overwhelming sensation grasps us and takes over our normal response to numb our thinking ability.

This can happen at many situations , big or small . From forgetting answers before the exam starts to waiting for the medical report . Even strong go getting persons can also be afflicted by intimidating anticipations which can immobilise them . And like all other matters , everybody has their own triggers for such panic attacks . Two persons going through the same discomfort or tragedy may not have the same reaction . Take for example , the passing away of a parent . For many , it may provide a sense of relief  ( yes it is , though it sounds harsh) . Or ,let’s say ,  marriage of a daughter . In spite of being an event to be enjoyed , many people get seriously depressed .

As part of human nature, we generally compare and try to judge people based on our reactions to different situations . We are also asked often to put ourselves in the shoes of others to feel the sense of empathy . But there is no straightjacket way of doing this . Our experiences of adversity and setbacks are essentially unique experiences . And the limits of courage , faith  or prayers that we think is necessary to overcome the situation is again a personal matter . We must remember this when we observe others in distress and comment on their inability to cope up with the problem with a decisive step.