A proverb exists which has been handed down to us by our elders from years but which we don’t heed till the sword of consequences hangs right above our necks threatening us. It is then that we realize the meaning of it only to be overpowered by Oblivion’s curse right after the event has passed. Yes, it is the proverb “A stitch in time saves nine”. This wisdom filled proverb if followed by all and sundry would reduce all our efforts and tension by a huge amount -in many cases it will also succeed in preventing bad blood amongst people.
This is not only true for our daily lives but is true for humanity as a whole. History is replete with examples of people suffering greatly because they didn’t place that single stitch in time and waited for the cloth to show a huge tear and before finally attempting to repair it causing a great deal of more repair work than there would have been required if the work had been commenced earlier. A very good example from the pages of History would be to take up the example of the division of India and Pakistan. The British Governor Generals followed a policy of ‘Divide and Rule’. They separated the Hindus from the Muslims by bringing in feelings of mutual distrust. In fact records show that the Secretary of State Wood had explicitly said so in a letter to Lord Elgin, then Governor General of India: “We have maintained our power in India by playing off one part against the other and we must continue to do so. Do all you can, therefore to prevent all having a common feeling.” The irony is that the Indians too saw this tear but took too long to sew it. If the tear had been stitched that very day then the division of a wholesome India into India and Pakistan would have never come into question.
History however is not the only storyteller that corroborates the truth of this proverb. Literature is also replete with examples. Many novelists have written about fights between young lovers. Many of these novels have also ended as a tragedy because both of the lovers even though they loved each other a lot did not attempt to fix up the rift between them which over time grew larger and finally resulted in broken relationships. A good case in point would be Tess and Angel of Tess of D’Urbervilles. Angel and Tess both drift apart on their wedding night itself because Angel feels that Tess had not been faithful to him. At this point however, had they attempted to talk out their differences and understand each other a lot of later problems could have been avoided. As the author mentions, “If Tess had been artful, had she made a scene, fainted, wept hysterically, in that lonely lane, notwithstanding the fury of fastidiousness with which he was possessed, he would probably not have withstood her.” As it is they did not do so as a result of which both go through years of unnecessary hardships which leads Tess to also resort to murder before they are finally united again.
Hence this old proverb, acting like gold, when put to daily use, can make not only our lives but also that of people around us happier and smoother.
Works Cited
Hardy, Thomas. "Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy - Google Books." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://books.google.co.in/books?id=Gcfs7radJtQC&pg=PT230&lpg=PT230&d
Pande, Dr. B. N. . "History in the Service of Imperialism." Islamic Civilization. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/pande.
