Confessions & Confusions: Cry of a Common man!

“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).