The Sugar Cane Theory

I have vivid memories of my childhood with the sugar cane. We would sit on the side parapet wall of my house, hold the large sugar cane pieces and peel the skin using teeth, take large bites, deliciously grind them in the mouth and spit the pulp after extracting all the juice. While we could do this brave act only as kids, I am told our parents generation could do it upto their late 30s and early 40s. I know it is un-imaginable and alien to the kids growing up with video games and the Internet.

My Sugar Cane theory has emerged from these cherished childhood memories. Learning during school and college is like drinking machine extracted sugar cane juice. It is everything together, without frills, neatly served, not savoured the hard way. Passing out of college is not the end of education. Rather it means that one is ready to start learning. Learning now becomes having sugar cane the traditional way. Learning is hidden in the chewing of work, hard earned. It requires one to be vigilant, learn the art of extracting and filtering learning while undergoing the grind of Job and Life. To me, learning in school/college sans exams was always fun. However, learning today has been lot more subtle and I am enjoying it in on a different plane.