The connections - part 1

The Umbilical :  
Birth of a child and the lift-off of a rocket vehicle cannot do without an umbilical appendage. The growth cycle of a foetus depends on this highway for the supply of blood, nutrients and the efficient removal of bio-waste. Likewise, the essential supply such as fuel for a rocket motor flows through a set of umbilical attachment; the natural and the man made functioning in inimitable, unique style.

The foetus gets a peek into the external world through the emotional signals transmitted by the mother via the umbilical cord; whereas the inanimate brain and heart of the launch vehicle keep in touch with the ground reality using its umbilical.

The child continues to grow under the care of parents (tutored by the alignment of the DNA helix) opting to toe the line or experiment with slight variants or totally deviate from the guided path. Likewise, the pre-programmed on board computer oversees and commands the critical functions of a launch vehicle carrying payload. Yet, like the growing child, it continues to travel in the chosen trajectory or deviates slightly or goes totally out of control due to internal snags or external causes.

If the growing child is a cynosure of the family, keeping the parents in a joyous state, the delivery of a satellite, in the correct orbit and in good health is an ecstasy experienced after every successful launch, by the nation.

The separation of the foetus or the launch vehicle from the umbilical is an eagerly awaited event, marking a perfect delivery, on earth or into space, respectively. The function of the umbilical ceases at this very moment.

After the childbirth, the umbilical cord leaves its signature belly button as memorabilia, on the anatomy of the baby. No such birth mark is left on the body of the launch vehicle by the umbilical, unless the receptacle for it on the rocket casing is deemed as its belly button. The umbilical for a rocket motor stays on ground whereas the baby and the umbilical get detached from the womb.

The umbilical of the foetus is specific and gets only one chance to perform. The umbilical on the launch pad gets refurbished to await another launch. This is the uniqueness of this appendage.

The Open Heart surgery:

If the title made you to imagine the unimaginable, of a patient with acute heart problem getting ready to undergo an open heart surgery, it is time you curbed your predilection to take off at a tangent. This topic is about a mundane subject on estrangement.

The chief editor of this subject matter could be one’s ego, chauvinism, outright thanklessness, haughtiness or psychological upheavals. The underlying root causes are the mindset of the subject person to ‘hold back’, not knowing to how relax and take things with equanimity without chewing on the ‘cuds’ from the  past. In such a mind, regret or guilt generates a perpetual storm, becoming a glitch in personality development.

Inadequacies in balancing reality juxtaposed with imaginary causes, failure to distinguish between peace and principle get buried under a mask of an introvert. Expression of inner feelings takes the form of a morose ‘Morse’ code type conversation, letting out inappropriate or out of sync responses.

Any topic reviewed by different editors turns out looking different, reflecting the persona of the reviewer. Likewise the stressed subject person may find a place in the spongy, thorny or rocky category.

Any individual who keeps on soaking up emotional conflicts, not daring to open up to express feelings or opinions becomes the spongy type. This individual continues to dwell in stoic silence until the time this silence is mistaken as a sign of weakness or when unbearable emotional squeezing is applied. Then the sponge spews out, only to soak up another load of self inflicted miseries. Unlike the natural sponge, this person absorbs to squirt and regret within.

When a person starts hiding each melancholy in a separate cell, cloaked in sweet memories and cocooned with tenuous attachments, that person qualifies to become a jack fruit or thorny type ; outwardly rough and inwardly yearning and soft to the point of flowing out. Nevertheless, affection without perfect understanding still resides in this mind, suffering the pulls and pressures of everyday life.

The rocky version is really a tough nut to crack as we are looking at a person who has totally withdrawn into a self-exile. The gaunt face and faraway look are the characteristics of this personality. Cataclysmic impacts of self doubt, lack of mental courage, sensitive over trivial matters and tendency to brood over past glories or failures have hardened the psyche to such an extent, no feeling escapes from this mind - a walking, human black hole. Even in this extreme frigid person, positive feelings do reside – like the toad living inside a granite block.

However contrite the person might be, the remedy is simple but difficult to implement – open up the heart and eyes, laugh with the world, play with time and wow to have a good day, every day! The holder of the blocks and keys is the sole agent of change, who is none other than the afflicted person.