A shearing pain explodes inside me as I read The Lion King tonight to my daughter. I could not help a choking voice as I read through Simba running away bearing the responsibility of his father's murder. My little one, does not understand why mommy is so emotional reading the Lion King may be for a 100th time. She hugs me, tells me its OK amma. Simba will grow and come back to scare bad Scar away.
My heart is elsewhere....all those little hearts that read this story with their parents at least once. All those little hands that touched their mom, dad and laughed and cried, and put up a drama to get what they wanted, threw a tantrum to eat, to dress up, planned for the weekend, wrote a wish list for Santa, tried to behave for the presents Santa'll bring....all those little hearts that stopped beating. All the empty homes that stand in the darkness this minute trying to cope with this uncanny truth...
Mahabharatha talks about "Kali" kalam, where things go completely crazy. Where the order of the world changes...but i do not remember reading about such cruelty. Even in madness its beyond belief. A drowsy numbness pains....my soul screeches.
Is this what it is going to be? How many guns are out there waiting to take away lives within seconds, God knows how long it takes for death to happen after a gun shot, but we know its takes about 10 months of incubation period for a human life. That 10 months gets nullified in less than 10 minutes? What agony is this?
Some scholars thought about the country when they wrote the first and second amendment/ yes. True. They lived in a time that required self protection and required weapons. What is the time we live in? What inventions advancement we have? What kind of law enforcement we have now? Do we still need the same laws to apply? We talk going forward in rewriting laws for what we want. Why can't we apply the same to the weapons?
God give the parents the strength to heal from their loss. Heal them with love and your power. Do not enrage even one from these families...yes, it is injustice. yes it is inhuman and unfair beyond reason. But the world cannot handle another loss of innocent lives...
Friday, December 14, 2012
This should not happen. Not there, not anywhere...
Where to start and where to stop? The nightmare the parents and community are living through this minute in Connecticut…if only it is a part of some horrible movie scene…? We all can feel, post and think about them and may be Pray for them. But coming to terms with their loss is OH MY GOD is absolutely unthinkable. What did those kids do? Those kids could have been any kids…we all have kids that go to different schools. Why should someone target these buds?
Can we do a root cause analysis to find the rotten root of this killing epidemic? The epidemic is spreading across America and the globe in various ways. Here it is spreading like a wild fire. Unless some action is taken to contain this wildfire, this epidemic may be the root cause for the fall of a huge Nation. A Nation that once beckoned the world as a dream Nation.
If I start listing the possible causes, - its endless and it touches every little thing we do as parents and individuals every day. What happened to the old fashioned courtesy? Caring? Love, Affection., Respect to the elders, God fearing attitude?
Why do we cultivate violence in the form of movies, games, books, talk in children from childhood? I am overwhelmed.
Why do we need weapons?
Can we do a root cause analysis to find the rotten root of this killing epidemic? The epidemic is spreading across America and the globe in various ways. Here it is spreading like a wild fire. Unless some action is taken to contain this wildfire, this epidemic may be the root cause for the fall of a huge Nation. A Nation that once beckoned the world as a dream Nation.
If I start listing the possible causes, - its endless and it touches every little thing we do as parents and individuals every day. What happened to the old fashioned courtesy? Caring? Love, Affection., Respect to the elders, God fearing attitude?
Why do we cultivate violence in the form of movies, games, books, talk in children from childhood? I am overwhelmed.
Why do we need weapons?
Friday, October 12, 2012
Unknown
Like the invisible cricket’s rhythm
On a serene cold night -
Gnaws a numbing persistent pain
With scratchy claws in vain.
Not near for years
The distance feed the fears
Life and death happen
One is known, the other so sudden.
One in expected ten months cycle
A mysterious known miracle
The other strikes out at will
In an unknown moment makes us null.
Across the miles soars my heart
Reaching out to a life in the past…
Reaching but not reaching
For answers I am still searching.
On a serene cold night -
Gnaws a numbing persistent pain
With scratchy claws in vain.
Not near for years
The distance feed the fears
Life and death happen
One is known, the other so sudden.
One in expected ten months cycle
A mysterious known miracle
The other strikes out at will
In an unknown moment makes us null.
Across the miles soars my heart
Reaching out to a life in the past…
Reaching but not reaching
For answers I am still searching.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Perfection
A little curve in that corner
Bit more color to the lips
Oh...add a shine to the hair...
Do not forget to correct the hips.
Looking for perfection
He is adding finishing touches
To his mind's reflection
Of a beauty's personification.
She looks little too bold
Lo... behold the eyes are li'l bit old...
Passing commentators pass
Looking and Not at the lass.
Multitudes of eyes see
Mindless of what he saw...
The perfection he portrayed
Only one pair of eyes know.
Bit more color to the lips
Oh...add a shine to the hair...
Do not forget to correct the hips.
Looking for perfection
He is adding finishing touches
To his mind's reflection
Of a beauty's personification.
She looks little too bold
Lo... behold the eyes are li'l bit old...
Passing commentators pass
Looking and Not at the lass.
Multitudes of eyes see
Mindless of what he saw...
The perfection he portrayed
Only one pair of eyes know.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Solitude
Delightful solitude
Fills in, ever so gently...
Far away moments caress my thoughts...
Bringing back a childhood lost
Swaying in a lazy autumn afternoon
The leaf doesn't fall -
In a tantalizing wind, only
Floats down with a warm dignity
Fallen leaves never get back
Lost childhood never comes back...
New leaves grow for another fall and
Memories we collect for another cherished moment
Such is life...
Savor, cherish and save some moments
For another solitude
That'll wander your way, on a rare cold evening.
Fills in, ever so gently...
Far away moments caress my thoughts...
Bringing back a childhood lost
Swaying in a lazy autumn afternoon
The leaf doesn't fall -
In a tantalizing wind, only
Floats down with a warm dignity
Fallen leaves never get back
Lost childhood never comes back...
New leaves grow for another fall and
Memories we collect for another cherished moment
Such is life...
Savor, cherish and save some moments
For another solitude
That'll wander your way, on a rare cold evening.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Thaali
I am definitely not talking about not what you order at a South Indian restaurant on a hungry afternoon.
Very recently I heard an observation on “Thaali” – the Mangal Sutra, the Western wedding ring equivalent of South Indian necklace. Someone said wearing it feels like having a dog leash on. To make sure to mark that the woman is the male owner’s property. I just felt WOW. This is a very interesting interpretation of the Thaali. Do married South Indian women, wearing thaali feel like it in general? So not wearing the thaali is a rebellion showing female independence?
Well....I never can compare thaali with dependence. Infact, it has liberated me in so many ways. But that is a whole different discussion. Now on to what I really wanted to share here...
Wearing or not wearing that ornament is a personal choice. Some married women living in western countries might find a long gold or yellow threaded necklace uncomfortable. It would not go with the outfits they wear, it might look odd at their work place and they might have chosen not to wear it. Yet another set might just not feel attached to thaali, an external element to prove their married bondage, love affection and whatever else they share in the marriage. Again personal belief and convenience. So if someone decides not to wear the thaali, its their choice. I understand.
What confuses me is yet another approach. This approach is, oh well I live in America. None of my friends wear it. So I will not. But if I go to the temple, or visit India or wear Indian cloths, I will wear it. I am truly not trying to judge, but trying understand this attitude. Is there a underlying confusion? Is there an element of feminist rebellion? Is that to prove something to someone? If yes, then who and what? I am fine with this approach as well, as long as they do not take a condescending take on those wearing the thaali. This uncalled for attitude is what confuses me. Why? if you make a personal choice and if that makes you happy, then go for it. What the other person does or doesn't is that person's choice...
A co-worker asked me something few months ago. I was eating lunch at the cafeteria with the team, where most of the members from India are vegetarians. I am not a vegetarian. And I was eating pasta with sausage. This non-Indian co-worker cannot believe that I, an Indian wearing bindi and a gold necklace, eating sausage. She asked me, “Are you not worried what your other Indian co-workers will think of what you are eating?”. I said, “this is my food. I am eating what I like to eat. So, I do not have a problem. If they do not eat meat, I respect that I will not comment on it. And if someone comments on what I am eating, I am sorry, but I don’t care.”
Doing what we believe in with conviction will be quiet, and will fit in naturally. Doing things to fit in will become pretentious…at some point.Something more on the same lines...
Very recently I heard an observation on “Thaali” – the Mangal Sutra, the Western wedding ring equivalent of South Indian necklace. Someone said wearing it feels like having a dog leash on. To make sure to mark that the woman is the male owner’s property. I just felt WOW. This is a very interesting interpretation of the Thaali. Do married South Indian women, wearing thaali feel like it in general? So not wearing the thaali is a rebellion showing female independence?
Well....I never can compare thaali with dependence. Infact, it has liberated me in so many ways. But that is a whole different discussion. Now on to what I really wanted to share here...
Wearing or not wearing that ornament is a personal choice. Some married women living in western countries might find a long gold or yellow threaded necklace uncomfortable. It would not go with the outfits they wear, it might look odd at their work place and they might have chosen not to wear it. Yet another set might just not feel attached to thaali, an external element to prove their married bondage, love affection and whatever else they share in the marriage. Again personal belief and convenience. So if someone decides not to wear the thaali, its their choice. I understand.
What confuses me is yet another approach. This approach is, oh well I live in America. None of my friends wear it. So I will not. But if I go to the temple, or visit India or wear Indian cloths, I will wear it. I am truly not trying to judge, but trying understand this attitude. Is there a underlying confusion? Is there an element of feminist rebellion? Is that to prove something to someone? If yes, then who and what? I am fine with this approach as well, as long as they do not take a condescending take on those wearing the thaali. This uncalled for attitude is what confuses me. Why? if you make a personal choice and if that makes you happy, then go for it. What the other person does or doesn't is that person's choice...
A co-worker asked me something few months ago. I was eating lunch at the cafeteria with the team, where most of the members from India are vegetarians. I am not a vegetarian. And I was eating pasta with sausage. This non-Indian co-worker cannot believe that I, an Indian wearing bindi and a gold necklace, eating sausage. She asked me, “Are you not worried what your other Indian co-workers will think of what you are eating?”. I said, “this is my food. I am eating what I like to eat. So, I do not have a problem. If they do not eat meat, I respect that I will not comment on it. And if someone comments on what I am eating, I am sorry, but I don’t care.”
Doing what we believe in with conviction will be quiet, and will fit in naturally. Doing things to fit in will become pretentious…at some point.Something more on the same lines...
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
On human rights...1. Religion
We all have our right to religion. Whatever religion we follow is our choice. We can follow anything we believe in. Following a religion, does not mean hurting the others that do not follow the same. No religion talks about hurting others.
We do not have the right to ridicule or make fun of other religions as well. As much as what we follow is ours, what others follow is theirs. Being sensitive to faith and belief is one of an important survival requirement.
Live your life your way, and let others live their life their way. Never get behind the superiority feeling. Because truly absolutely everyone is the same. We may believe in lot of different things. But we all need food when we are hungry, sleep to stay healthy and love to keep us going. NONE of us can live without these three human needs. Then how can someone be a superior or inferior to someone else?
Above all - all humans die. Immortality is not even a remote possibility, even with all the science and technology. Knowing that we all die one day, someday...sooner or later...why be unhappy?
We do not have the right to ridicule or make fun of other religions as well. As much as what we follow is ours, what others follow is theirs. Being sensitive to faith and belief is one of an important survival requirement.
Live your life your way, and let others live their life their way. Never get behind the superiority feeling. Because truly absolutely everyone is the same. We may believe in lot of different things. But we all need food when we are hungry, sleep to stay healthy and love to keep us going. NONE of us can live without these three human needs. Then how can someone be a superior or inferior to someone else?
Above all - all humans die. Immortality is not even a remote possibility, even with all the science and technology. Knowing that we all die one day, someday...sooner or later...why be unhappy?
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