The falls, the pains and the conditionings

This blog is on my mind for the last two years. This thought dawned on me while climbing the stairs of Ta Keo temple in Cambodia and since then I have been thinking of penning it down, but never really did it. Perhaps everything happens when the time is right. Whatever it is, now I can't hold this thought in my mind without sharing it. So here it goes;

It was the first day and the 2nd temple visit on my trip to Siem Reap. There were fellow tourists of all age groups around. Same was the case that morning when I was admiring the view. Lot of people around. There were few kids who were running carelessly and at the same time group of men and women scared of each step. I myself was keeping my foot cautiously on every step. Why I was scared, what I was afraid of? When the place was same then why people had this different attitude? Why I wasn't like those kids, not afraid of falling or slipping?

I think the answer lies within all of us. It's the past conditioning, it's the pressure of doing everything 'the right way' that makes us so conscious that we are afraid to take another step. We are afraid of falling, more than pain, it's the shame that keeps us from taking the next step. And for many this is greater than every other fear and they stop exploring or venturing into the new altogether. Are kids not aware of failures, falls or hurt? They are! But for them the curiosity and pleasure of exploring the world is much more appealing than the hurt, the pain. But as we grow, we keep on piling the pain and shame in us. We forget the pleasure of curiosity and exploration and just remember the hurt and pain. Why can't we condition ourselves to remember pleasure only and forget the pain. And above all can't we take our failures just as failures and not be embarrassed of them? We just remember the pleasure that we got in the journey and if we fall then cry for a while , get up and again start running in the hunt of unknown pleasures.....