The Ascent Of Man

From birth and the long journey thereafter, from the cradle to the grave, Man is restless. The infant wants to sit up and then crawl in a hurry before successfully standing. He who stands wants to run seeks wings for his flights of fancy as he watches the birds fly.

“Never rest till Everest”, said Tenzing Norgay as he with Hillary faced the beauty of the tallest mountain.

Whatever be the problem, the spirit of conquest calls for a salute.

Here is the picture of a jubilant man climbing above the clouds, facing the uncertainty with expectations beyond his dreams. Who knows what’s behind what he is beholding!

This ascent is the story of man over the millennia. Not just the outdoor athlete, but the myriad indoor strugglers – those who battle poverty, hunger and sickness in loneliness and solitude. Not just those who by small steps show improvement but even those unsupported and standing still, hopeful that tomorrow will be another day, days of possibilities and expectations that triumph will be theirs. For every descent is an ascent. Of such are the lives whose fate hangs in the corridors of hospitals and jails, and the uncertainties of unending lanes and streets of life.

Let us salute those who rise to heights with cheerful faces and glowing hearts.

For the journey is a long, on the twin wings of faith and hope -- between the lying infant to the aged prostrate, with trust kneeling by the bedside.