AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 98 of 167 8 Knotty Problems Wg Cdr S Harshavardhan Genre: Reflections very recently read a quote which said that “Life is nothing if you don’t have problems” and this got me pondering. Is this statement true? To me problems are part and parcel of everyone’s life. There is no life without problems. None of us want problems and we consider them as the most unwelcome situation that we want to be in and given a chance every individual would like to pass the problem on to others without batting an eyelid. I am not sure if passing on one’s problem is possible but there definitely are a range of problems which cannot be passed on. These are personal in nature and I will term them as “Knotty Problems”. Well then, what are Knotty Problem’s and how does one solve them? This type of problemmay have been imposed upon us may be, as a part of the day to day happenings in our life but in my opinion majority of the knotty problems are the result of one’s own doings. Finding an answer to them will make a great drain on one’s mental faculty. Have I have been sounding very serious till now? Yes, there is no doubt about that. Ok, now to move on to a lighter side, let us now see what are the not so serious Knotty problems that one faces in life? Superficially, many may say ‘Hardly any’ but an insight in to one’s life reveal many a knotty problem. If I have to quote my example, the first knotty problem that I faced was tying my shoe lace. However much my Dad taught me to tie my shoe lace it invariably will in knots by the time I returned from school. It did take time and I finally mastered the art of not only tying but also untying a shoe lace. I have no doubt that even today school going children face a similar problem. A child who is donning a school uniform for the first time is all thrilled about this unique identity and experience. With most of them, their exuberance is deflated when it comes to tying the shoe lace. Ask and many a mother will regale you with their experience of the knotty problems that they have faced with the shoes of their children. I