I was unwell the past week, especially so in the last two days. The doctor said I had low BP, an eye infection and a possible migraine among other things. Bogged down by this and then later by the terrorist attacks, I didn't schedule my weekly team meeting or attend my weekly seminar today. Far from expressing anger or irritation, I was touched by the heartfelt messages I received from my teammates and workmates. They sent me words full of love and concern. And willed me to bounce back faster than I would have done on my own.
We would have done that for most or all of our friends. Stood by them in a tragedy and willed them to bounce back, to be productive with their life and move on having learnt something from the adversity. Why then aren't we doing that to our beloved Mumbai? On Twitter, facebook, newspapers, television, I see personalities and citizens promising furiously not to forget, not to forgive, to let the wounds fester. Why? Just so we can prove to our politicians that they are wrong. Like children who decide to never achieve anything significant because they're angry with their parents and want to blame them for making losers out of them. But in the end it is the child who loses out.
Sunday at the Landmark workshop, they shared what some of them were doing post the attack. They were working on changing the way the world listened to India and Mumbai after the terrorist attacks. By simply altering the language the world was hearing. Instead of empty words of anger like 'This country is full of imbecile politicians' or 'Every Indian should get military training' they decided to speak of progress and action - 'Yes, the incident happened, but we're back on our feet and back to business.' 'We're committed to fighting terrorism and live our lives as best as we can'.
It might sound like a small thing, but if we really heard this everyday and saw this every day, we'd have hope and spirit floating around us, and actually be able to think clearly and take action, not provide reaction.
I love watching Tom and Jerry. And although child psychologists have a different view on it, I love watching how both of them bounce back from any assault. Beaten to a pulp one minute and back in shape and chasing the next. That's spirit, that's being constantly in action. If Tom stopped one day and started furiously shouting at Jerry and doing nothing else, it would be a boring rant. Somewhat where we're heading.
Right now there are a lot of good intentions floating about shrouded in anger. If the shroud slips out, what remains is a heartfelt desire to do something. In the beginning we will not see a way, but as long as we take a stand, we will always find a way to get there. So let go of the anger you're holding onto and free your hands to take action. For till you are bound by your fury, the siege is still on.
1 comment:
Hey! I differ and I beg forgiveness for that. I think it is not the rebellious sentiments here that say we shld not forget and we shld let the wounds fester some. I don't think we mean that we shld not forgive. I don't think we mean we shld harm more and many more with this anger. I don't think it means we shld start piling nukes at other countries. No neither is it abt sulking, or weeping alone and not forgiving ever.
I think for the first time in a long long time Bombay feels untied under some emotions- emotions of fear, insecurity and a need to do something TOGETHER> I think there is an inherent fear that says gosh 'what if' this repeats itself and next time I am not so lucky to LIVE?! What if I was the diner at Tiffin or Wasabi and got killed? What would happen to my family after me? And it is these kind of deep insecurities that make people readily want to allow the wounds to exist for a while - so that it will give rise to a collective motion, a movement, a something, called Action! Hopefully constructive action. An Action that will find not a ricochet but an Action that will strengthen us as a People of one Nation, an Action that will propel us onwards and together. Thats why we think we don't want to forget so easily and move on. Moving on we are...but forgetting, we are not! I hope this makes sense.
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