One Monday Morning.

One Monday morning, Rajeev was getting ready for office, Mr. Raman called up and told KK’s “daughter Vidya committed suicide. Cremation will be in the afternoon”. “Tragedy is following that family. Its hardly a month since KK’s brother expired.” This year too seems to be very bad for them”.

We couldn’t believe what we heard. Rajeev left for office, asking me to meet KK and his wife Jaya. Vidya was such an active, extrovert, smart girl. Almost going to complete her studies. How could she do like that? Why did she do that?....All type of questions filled my mind.

After leaving Rohan at school, I went to KK’s house. Few people lingered around. KK seemed to be composed. But Jaya was inconsolable. “Hey God! I prayed to you for a child, and now see what has happened?” “Is this why I prayed for to see this day?” She cried : “How could she do this? She could’ve waited for two more days for us to come back”. Some of her friends too couldn’t control their tears. I also became emotional. Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t wait to see the dead body.

After coming home, Raji told the news has come in the newspaper. The news read: “IIIrd year medico hanged self over lover’s death”. Her boyfriend died two days back in a freak accident. She couldn’t take it and didn’t want to live.

Today’s generation is highly sensitive. Every other day, similar news are reported in media. These youngsters forget their family. Even in Vidya’s case, had she for a second thought about her parents, she wouldn’t have taken such a drastic step. Where have we gone wrong in bringing up our next generation? Is it happening because of the self-centeredness or due to too much of protection and care extended? These incidents remind me a saying that one grown in fire will not sworn in the sun. Probably growing in a nuclear family with all the attention, care and love and facilities are making them vulnerable to stress, tension, troubles and competition.

I personally feel that half the problem lies in the fact that parents and teachers have no time to guide the youngsters in the right direction or channelise their energies. Teachers today are not as committed as before. Parents are setting boundaries for their children. Nor do they spend quality time with their children. On the whole, media excess, cultural attitude, attitude change, self- centered lifestyle, communication gap between parents and children, peer pressure are all contributing to frustrated and deviant or unruly behaviour in youngsters.