Black sheep

Every family that I look at seems dysfunctional. Members of most families behave like planets circling in their own orbit. Mothers serve as the comet flitting from planet to planet, in some way finding links between the various celestial bodies, none of whom seem to have any similarities with each other, excepting of course that each is convinced his is the perfect path and everyone else is a fool!

Talking of celestial beings brings to mind the three angels who told the shepherds about the baby in the manger and obviously, that brings only one thought to my mind: sheep.

On usual days, the only time I think of sheep is when I'm advising people not to think of sheep when they want to sleep. I'm naturally a good sleeper and can fall asleep almost instantaneously but I live with a man who struggles to sleep.

I have a theory that if you want to sleep and start counting sheep, suppose the sheep came charging; then you would not be able to count fast enough and then they would have gone ahead. Which means that either you have to race ahead (and even in the mind where all this action happens, it might be a tiring exercise, especially if you are the slothful type); or you have to rewind it and see it like an action replay. Then the problem is to determine how much you need to rewind. I think the whole exercise is counterproductive to slowing the mind down. It makes it race and gets you more energized. Which obviously means, you need to have a chocolate cookie. If you, like me, have major OCD, that means you can't sleep till you have brushed your teeth all over again and that means bye-bye to restful slumber.

Anyway to come back to sheep, every family has a black sheep. It's amazing how the same environment and same genetic pool produces diametrically opposite individuals. One, the early rising rooster who jogs five kilometers daily, eats a balanced but hearty breakfast, cycles to work, has a protein shake after a quick shower in the office and then goes into meetings, effortlessly carrying his point through. The other is the type who sets the alarm for nine thirty, (shouts at anyone who dares to call before eight) snoozes his alarm half a dozen times, finally rolls out of bed, tired and grumpy at ten and cribs about how badly he slept. After waking himself by drinking two cups of tea and then standing under the shower he finally manages to eat two slices of toast and makes his way slowly to his office which is just down the road.

What a contrast between the two. It's unimaginable isn't it? How every family manages to produce one perfectly normal human being and one blackest of black sheep.

That one self righteous prig who just can't stop showing off about how he leads the perfect life. He earnestly tries to convince everyone around him about how they could improve the quality of their life and the air quality as well, if they would just adopt his practices. There is nothing more irritating than these noble, well intentioned, holier than thou individuals. Their mothers should have smothered them at birth but alas she didn't know he would grow up to hound her for not having fiscal sense. Didn't he realize, she raised him even without all that knowledge? Unthinkingly, he will shout at her to watch her diet. Why? Who wanted to live longer anyway, to hear more lectures on nutrition and diet?

I am of the opinion these sheep should be segregated and put into a pen but they might escape from there. It might be better to send them to colonize an island where they could hound each other with their early morning cheerfulness and diet plans.