Problem and solution — two sides of the same coin?

From one week to another, we drift, or are we living a life of purpose?

Are we just floating with the daily schedules and meetings, or do we manage to think of the world as a universe and enjoy the perception of us as a soul amongst billions of other souls and stars?

As my friend said, the first time we spot a grey strand of hair, we skip a heartbeat. We try our best to hide it. Then comes the second and third, and soon we are not hassled about it.

The first time we face a problem, we think the sky is going to collapse on us. Another friend said, "In life, there have to be problems. But the reality is that problems come with solutions."

Maybe they are sides of the same coin — one side has the problem and the other the solution.

My friend pointed out that in most situations, we are stuck complaining about the problem.

Today I am sitting in a building with windows facing the garden. The birds are having a marvellous time. We have all been complaining about the flies. They are thriving because of the mango season. There is a man walking around with an electric fly swatter. He is quite successful.

But out in the courtyard, the birds are in short flight mode as they sweep the flies away from their resting points. What we see as a problem seems to be a joy for the birds as they continue to feast on flies. The birds showcased their skills; one moment it was perched on a tree branch, and the next second it spotted a fly and darted out to scoop it up and returned to the spot.

I had not even noticed the insects. Birds, of course, would reply, 'It's our business.'

Naturally, birds see things faster than humans. When something is in motion, it is usually a blur for us. Can you imagine? Science explains that birds like flycatchers can note individual wingbeats of a fly, and that is how they can track erratic movements in real-time.

They also have something called "anticipatory tracking skill." They do not just fly directly to the insect; certain birds calculate intercept courses. We often see this skill displayed in sports while passing a ball.

The birds who were content continued and left, while others flew in for their turn. At times the birds competed with each other too.

Now it is time to look at the scenario from the flies' perspective.

I remember an animal-friendly person asking, 'Why kill them when they only live for a few days? Just shoo them away.'

Could the fly be thinking the same?

With the birds zooming by, the flies must be tired of dodging and wondering, 'Why me?'

The flycatchers can perceive individual wingbeats of a fly, but the fly is not a weakling.

Flies have compound eyes, and they are made of thousands of individual lenses. This is how they can have 360 degrees of vision.

Can you imagine our state of mind if we had this sense?

How would we ever stay focused?

This is why by the time you attempt to swat the fly and take a swing, he moves away even to the ceiling within 50 milliseconds.

Their vision and time are different from us. They even have taste receptors on their feet, which help them to identify nutrients and bacteria.

They are much more equipped than we can ever think of. Have you ever wondered if flies can cause stress in humans?

Flies are actually known to cause significant stress in humans, ranging from mild annoyance to serious psychological distress.

It is the season of the flies, and I constantly happen to overhear conversations between people inquiring if they have a fly problem in their homes.

The stress caused by flies often stems from a combination of biological, emotional, and social factors, according to the experts.

Persistent flies can make one feel helpless and frustrated and often feel responsible. The experts reflect that the constant sound of buzzing or the anticipation of a fly landing on food can trigger a state of being defensive or hypervigilance, keeping a person constantly on edge.

You hear the buzzing and immediately you want to chase it out. One little fly can ruin your afternoon nap. Now we all know lack of sleep can cause irritability and impaired cognitive function, which further compounds stress levels. Then there is something else — flies can trigger pteronarcophobia (fear of flies) or general entomophobia. This can even cause panic attacks, and in some situations people dread and avoid exploring the outdoors.

Flies become a problem in this situation.

There is an interesting quote by Albert Einstein, "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Somewhere along the way, from the beginning, being entangled in the problem, facing it, and solving it, we happen to grow. We may never be the same person as we were before we came across the problem.

Stephen Covey is credited with this quote: "The way we see the problem is the problem."

And yet there are others who will continue to live around the problem.

Solution providers probably would ask us to first of all define the problem clearly. This is where most of the time we find the solution.