Arpita, my maiden name means dedication. It implies complete devotion to something or someone; usually but not exclusively to God. It could be the dedicating service to the poor and even devote their complete lives to a cause or belief.
Today, we all humans are ready to rip living beings (human, animals and plants) apart on the basis and for the sake of religion, gender, race, money, fame, and success. There is a constant fear that just another being will kill us – in spirit, body or soul. The apocalypse is not far.
So what do we do? Do we cry, pray and await our Lord? Our savior? The Incarnation of Krishna*? Or we take small steps towards bringing humanity back to the world?
The first option invokes faith, but the second option invokes hope. I would, any day, hope, rather than merely having faith.
To start with, we need to dedicate (Arpit/ अर्पित) ourselves to the cause of humanity, for it is we who can restore the world.
There are very many actions, thoughts and ideas working towards resurrecting back our world and reinstating peace and humanity.
During the course of this month, I will try to bring out how people around me are trying to save the world from malice, cruelty, and atrocities, and how they are working towards eradicating malism and gloom.
Head to my fellow A-to-Zder, Sumana Khan's post for the day. She pens her thoughts at This and that. I owe today's word prompt, "Arpita", to her.
I have always adored Deepika Padukone. A beautiful actress,
who knows how to act, is uncommon in Bollywood. A timid actress promoting Om
Shanti Om alongwith Shahrukh Khan, to the bold woman answering all possible
questions from media, yet living a spirited life. She has come a long way. She stands out to be a lady of grit,
integrity, and self-confidence.
Just a couple of weeks back, she talked about a phase in life,
when she was depressed. With pots of money, beauty to die for, success and
fame, she was depressed, seeking consultancy. Many viewers said this was for
publicity. Such people are common in the Indian context - whatever an actor
does is for publicity. I disagree, because out of everyone, atleast Deepika doesn’t
need publicity. I take it as she said it – it was about awareness.
“If I can impact one life in this entire
process of speaking up and letting people know that it's something I have been
through and something that I could deal with because I had a fantastic support
system."
While
browsing last evening, I came across another of her powerful videos. This video
is collaboration between director Homi Adajania and Deepika. Its title reads 'My
Choice' and is dedicated to #VogueEmpower, Vogue India's social awareness
initiative. It is written by Kersi Khambatta, and shot by Tassaduq Hussain.
I
watched it several times today. A black and white, no flash, no noise video, yet
powerful and emphatic. It has several shares on social network sites.The
message is loud and clear – women should have a right to have their own choice.
My Choice. Good work Deepika, good job team, good job vogue.
My
question.
Will
this video achieve what it wants to?
No, a part of the world will not be
affected by the video.
This
big chunk of population of the world will include men and women both. They are
the ones who strongly believe that women are meant to be objectified. They are
born to follow certain rules set by the society, and take up a set of
responsibilities including bearing babies (number of babies could be decided by
godmen). They are born to be quiet, to be submissive, to be tread upon. They have
to live for others. They are groomed to have no self-respect, no self-love, no
self-compassion, and above all, no identity. And they live with it. And die
without it.
Yes, if the women watch it, get inspired
and wake up.
This
video will be a truth, if all that I wrote above, holds untrue. It is not very
hard to think that it will reverse, if and only if women want to. A woman has
to realize that she is a human being. Like all other human beings, she can have
emotions and feelings. Like all human beings, she can have her own choices. She
can feel happy, satisfied, content or joyous. She can feel hungry, exhausted,
bored or exasperated. She can feel pain and pleasure, love and hatred, respect
and contempt.
She
can have dreams and objectives for her own life. She can nurture her reasons of
joy, be it writing, flying, building, driving or raising a child. She can
disobey and defy the rules of the society, living your own dream, if that is
what she thinks is right. She can think, she can talk, and she can have her
opinions. She can be identified instead
of being objectified.
If
at all, she wants to live her life, and not her kin’s, a woman will have to stand
by herself and has to focus on her well-being and love herself. She has to
fight the world, for the world will definitely try to trudge upon her. This is
not going to be easy, but it will definitely be more pleasurable than living a
life of other’s choice. Placards and slogans will not help, videos and talk
shows will not help, others talking for you will not help. You who can do it for
yourself. Be self-compassionate and self-loving.
This
is the link for the wonderful video, thanks to Deepika and all the 99 women. You
make us think.
For
the second time in a row, this April, I will be posting everyday. Due to hectic
professional schedule, I did not do a theme reveal for my challenge. As an
informal reveal, I will be writing about compassion, which will revolve around
women and children. This series will be a part of the 1000speak – 1000 voices
for compassion www.1000speak.wordpress.com as well as
A-to-Challenge www.a-to-zchallenge.com
To
begin with, I would like to take this self-compassion test. Please note your score,
put it in the comments section. I invite you to read my posts this month. At
the end of the month, do take the test again. If the score changes for good,
you will succeed in making yourself happy.
My mum always says – “Nanha sa dil hai, zor se dhadakta hoga”.
(Kids have a tiny heart. When they get hurt, emotionally or physically, the
heart must be beating so fast).
Whenever I see my 6 year old son doing
something I wouldn't want him to, I remember mum’s words. A normal 6 feet wooden door is like a giant gate for him. He
has to use his full force to push it open. A community park with one sand pit
and a couple of small swings, is a big
playground for him. A bus is a wonder for him, the tires are like big tractor
wheels. The different time zones are amusing for him.
“How can Australia be
sleeping when its day time for us?” “The world is round, and we still do not
fall?”
Today morning saw him playing with a stick (he is a stick
collector, all sizes and shapes. I have a corner in my house dedicated to
sticks, a feet to 4 feet long). He had placed it on the wooden floor, almost
digging it in, and rotating it continuously. I was getting late for work, and
he was getting late for school. But all he wanted to do is tell me something he
was keenly observing looking at the shadow of the stick. I was getting agitated
– getting late and worrying about the floor – not a good combination. But I
listened to him (remembered mum’s words J
)
“Mom, look at the shadow, its twirling and whirling smoke making
its way to the sky, arising from a bakery’s chimney. I can tell from the aroma
that the baker is baking yummy cinnamon buns.”
For a minute I was awestruck. His innocent imagination
overpowered my worries, and I hugged him and smiled. He was a happy boy. This is how the kids think. Their imagination runs wild. All
they ask for is love, patience, and compassion.
I would definitely add a few words about bullying. My son
faces it, almost every day. The stronger kids in his class laugh on him, naming
the things he cannot do – cartwheels, football goals, run as fast; things he doesn't know – superhero stories, movie characters; places he has not been to –
Disneyland, Legoland, USA. The list is endless. But he knows how to handle
them, he is strong at his words, he communicates well, and knows how to deal with
this kind of bullying behavior.
But he does feel sad, very sad, and feels low
about himself. I thought of helping him. I introduced him to Justin Beiber’s
song – “Never say never”, and now it’s his favorite. I asked him to relate with
it. And then I asked him to list down all the things he can do, all the things
he knows about, and all the places he has been to. Trust me; he filled a full
sheet with those. I was a happy mum, and he was happy boy, tapping his foot on
the "Happy" song.
Today over a 1000 voices raise compassionate awareness on the topic of bullying. Building From Bullying… finding positive ways to inform, enlighten, and change. I am not knowledgeable enough to write about bullying, which was this month’s topic of discussion. Instead I wrote about compassion towards our children.
मेरे देश की होली, मेरे घर वाली होली,रंग भरी होली, गुलाल से भरी होलीमाँ के किचन में बने पकवान वाली होलीथोड़ा बहुत भांग चढ़ा लेने वाली होलीजोगीरा गाने वाली होली, राधा कन्हैया की नटखट सी होली टोली वाली होली, दिल जोड़ देने वाली होली सुबह पक्के रंग, दोपहर भर रंग छुड़ाने वाली होली शाम को गुलाल भरी होली, रंगोली सजाने वाली होली कान्हा को याद करने वाली होली, भैया दीदी केसाथ खेली होली, दोस्तों को कीचड में लपेटने वाली होली, अपने प्यार संग छुप के खेली होली प्यार भरी होली, मेरे यारों के संग खेली होली अब यादों वाली होली, पुरानी बातों वाली होली आप सबको मुबारक हो!
He woke me up. It took me time to register his
existence. I felt my stomach churn. My head was spinning; a big boulder seemed
to be rolling in my skull. The little congruence capability made me realize that I was in a hospital.
“Haven’t I told you to take your medicines on
time?” his eyes were glaring with anger. I felt meek and helpless, unable to
utter a word. My tongue was cut, as it happens during Epilepsy convulsions. He
turned back, and went away, probably to see the doctor. I tried to close my
eyes. A fierce pain shot from my eye sockets. This time is was really bad, I
thought.
I limped back home after a few hours. It must
be a muscle pull due to the fall. Last what I could recall, I was practicing
wall climbing in the adventure park, one step towards achieving my dream.
8th
November 2013, Dalhouise, India
Leela pulled the blanket, and rubbed some
mustard oil on my sole. I didn’t like it, but she insisted that helps regain
the strength. Leela was a helper in my school (my dream was fulfilled), where I had been working with the Epileptic patients, mostly children, to regain their motor skills. Soft rock climbing was a part of it.
The boulder was rolling in my head, giving me the same helpless
feeling I have been used to now. I think I drifted off to sleep, because I didn't hear the door open. I felt a familiar, soft but strong touch on my forehead. The
fragrance of my favorite Body Shop calming oil filled the room. I instantly
recognized the musk.
“Don’t say anything, I have put some ointment
on your tongue, it will get better soon”, he said pouring a glass of cold chocolate
milk shake, one hand still in my tangled hair, massaging the oil. He remembers
my favorite drink, I thought. Bereft of emotions, I closed my eyes, and drifted
off again.
“Power, money, fame, name – nothing could make
me forget that day. It was snowing, almost midnight. My body was full of
blisters, probably some sort of allergic reaction. The pharmacies were all closed,
except one. You wore the heavy black boots, pulled the thick Canada goose, and
off you went to buy a soothing ointment for me. That instant of compassion.. I want you back in my life.”
His eyes were moist. Change
was evident.
A few years back, when I was in high school, I went
to visit Tamanna School (www.tamana.org). The visit was a part of the social initiatives in my school, where year 12
students visit old age homes, blind school, and schools for kids with special
needs. I got the opportunity to spend time with children (ages 6 till 16).
Those
two days are amongst the best days of my life. I got to witness humanity, truth,
purity, love, compassion. There was no sign of pity or sorrow. Those moments
were full of empathy for others, respect for each other, friendship and selfless
love. They changed my life.
I was a buddy to a not-so-little boy, 12 year old
Bijoy, an epilepsy patient. He loved sun. His favorite seat was next to the window, which opened
into the lush garden. As he drew the painting, his hands not fully under his
control, but his desire so strong, I could see the sun rays fall over his
innocent yet intense face. When his elder brother, Mr. Roy, picked him up that
afternoon, I could see the pride in his moist eyes looking at the drawing sheet with a yellow circle and some streaks of blue.
Epilepsy is a nervous disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures. Symptoms vary from person to person. There are several types of Epilepsy. The patient cannot drive or swim, it could be life threatening. 65 million people suffer from Epilepsy. Seizures can be controlled, but the disease has no cure. The seizure needs to action, no medicine, no injections. The most which we can offer to an Epilepsy patient is compassion, love and care.
Compassion spreads without any extra effort. A
gesture of love stirs gratitude in us. It costs nothing.
February 20th, 2015 is United Nations World Day of Social Justice. More than a thousand bloggers, across the globe, post today to spread this message, in a hope to spread love. Read my post on "how it all started" here - 1000Speak
Join us. Share your story with all of us and link up here.
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