“What is your spirituality? What is the name
of your soul? Whom does your conscience worship?” Perhaps, these are some of
the questions nobody can answer. Not because they are illogical and insane, but
they don’t have a definite answer. And maybe
that’s why we try to hide our incapabilities of answering these questions, with
a mask of religion and cultures.
I’ve written many blasphemous articles (as
they say) before and like everyone, even I claim to express my ‘Freedom of
Expression’. There have been innumerable moments when I’ve come home stressed
and slept off without having dinner. Well, staying alone away from family has
its advantages and disadvantages too. Advantage is that, I’ve learnt to cook
different recipes with limited ingredients and on the other hand, loneliness
always sucks. If I’ve cooked something great and I want to share it with
someone, I don’t have anyone to do that. Anyways, the point I was trying to
make, whenever I come home stressed, it is my mind that seeks for comfort,
contentment and peace. It is the mind that searches for different sources that
can provide all these and in the end, it is the mind that is under control and
hence, we get a sound sleep. In such stressed conditions, the mind doesn’t
bother to filter the sources under the category of culture, religion, caste,
morality, and so on. It doesn’t mean that a person is not mature or well-grown;
it simply means the person doesn’t have time or the energy or the mood to get
into all that risking his state-of-mind, which is supposed to come back to
normal for the next day’s work schedule. I am that person – not normal, not
totally stressed, and not filtering the sources.
If I can ease the tension by watching a
movie, I’ll watch it and bring my mind to its normal condition. Again, I don’t
filter a movie by its genre. If I don’t have a conducive environment that
allows me to unwind myself, I won’t respect that environment. As a child, my
parents gave me everything I wished for and they ensured that I never became a heretic.
Even to this day, no matter whatever wrong things I do, I don’t stop praying
day and night. Does this make me sacrilegious? I honestly don’t know. I live in
a country that is known for its diverse cultures, yet doesn’t respect a single
one that is different from theirs. This is a country known for rich heritage,
yet the citizens of the very country vandalize it. This is a country that is shining
in the world map for many scientific and technological advancements yet have
most of them leaving the country to work abroad. And, I am one of those citizens
who are wondering - why on earth I have to suffer the ecological and economical
miscarriage of this country? What is my fault in all this?
I wish to live without hassles, but I can’t.
The world is populating and I am yet to marry. I cannot raise any issue on this
point. My family expects me to carry on the legacy. I want to have a good job
with a good team and a good salary that justifies my talent and qualification.
Well, that’s an over-expectation or most probably, an impossible dream we all
are living to realise one fine day. What else can I wish for then? Or any common
man can wish for that matter - to live peacefully with everyone and love
everyone unconditionally? Naah! Our ego would never allow it; at least for
those who are in the business of power and position and are hungry for wealth. They
would not even think of letting the world, peace out. The country would be left
with no leader if all were seen as equals. Justice doesn’t even come in the
picture in that situation. Am I not eligible for a life I wish to live for? Will
I live to tell bedtime stories to my children? Or would they live a life in a lifeless
country? If the legacy of hatred can be passed from generation to generation,
then we can take a stance and break that tradition. Why not propagate the
legacy of love across religions, across countries, across species or across
nature? What would happen if we didn’t do all this?
I can imagine of a few possibilities.
Firstly, the country would die because equality would mean a straight line on
the ECG screen for statesmen. They would want it to be erratic. That’s what
keeps the country alive. And let’s face it. Some of us love to be among the unequals
– artists and atheists (often addressed interchangeably). Secondly, the country
would be left with people who love to feed on other’s emotions and weaknesses
(commonly termed as zombies). Thirdly, the country would prosper infinitely
with copious flora and fauna (meaning, there would be no humans left and no
more humanity to kill). Finally, after all the human beings and humanity are
erased from the face of the earth, there would be no human being who would paradoxically
campaign for “Go Green” and continue demolishing the forests in the name of
“Global Growth & Development”.
I
wish there was a provision to choose non-living things as my friends and adopt
them into my family. Like I began my article with a couple of questions, I’d
end with similar questions – What is the spirituality of a tree? What is the
name of its soul? Whom does its conscience worship? May be now we can try and
get some answers and I am sure we will definitely find it (if and only if we
consider trees as living things just like human beings).
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