Preaching?? Blah!!

 "One should do this for being happy"

"One should not crib"

"Just live in the moment"

"Everything is just a sham"

These are some of the lines that stay afloat where ever you go. There is always at least one person who is completely absorbed in uttering such saccharine coated words in mannerism ranging from monotony to dramatic one.

It is so easy to gently push a bundle of sticks dipped in syrup of advice, at the earliest possible moment when someone shows signs of sharing problem or the rare quality of being a patient listener.Sometimes it is genuine and has a touch of real concern for the other, but most of the times, it is just a tool to over display your concern for the every living being on the planet or belittle others by showing that what they did was wrong and nobody can guide them better through difficult times. Not a matter of much surprise, agony aunts and uncles are mushrooming everywhere at an exponential growth curve.

Preaching or lecturing somebody for hours is the favorite pass time of many around. We all fall for this lucrative lollypop at some point or other, and mostly its unsolicited. Even when poor soul at the other end is subtly hinting 'please stop torturing me!!' by making some noncommittal sounds, the great preacher in you won’t pay any heed. He/she will continue for hours while silently patting oneself on shoulder on how noble one is to spend such valuable hours on guiding a poor in-dire-need soul.

Giving advice or opinions is always good but to remain in its good shell, it has to be solicited, appropriate for that moment and truthful with no hints of self-praise or comparison in disguise. Sometimes even a person in utmost distress doesn’t want dollops of caramel coated advice or bitter gourd reminder that he/she is responsible for this present situation, but just a simple comfort hug .

And that’s the advice aimed straight at the great self appointed preachers of all times . :-)