THE WEAKEST LINK
Thapa was
the trusted and loyal servant of Balasaheb Thackeray. People, like you and me,
would have never known this fact. We came to know about it only during the
final journey of the charismatic Sena-chief. Thapa, who served his master for
years on, was now there as one of the Thackeray family-members… He was there on
the funeral-carriage through out the final journey… He was there to light the
final pyre. I consider it to an incredible honor for a simple soul like Thapa…
His life is blessed!
When Bruce Wayne (The Batman) was a child, his
super-rich parents were killed by a mugger and the child was left alone on the
dark streets… He was rescued and raised by the family Butler, Alfred. Every time I watch a Batman
movie, I really wonder what would have been Bruce’s life without this physical
and moral anchor – this trusted and loyal Butler
- Alfred… the ‘Rock’!
“A chain is as strong as its weakest link,” it is
an age-old saying.
The weakness of Thapa would have been Balasaheb’s
disaster… no matter how strong and invincible the Sena Supremo appeared to the
world!
Likewise, the weakness of Alfred would have been
the death-knell of Bruce Wayne… no matter how immortal he came about as the
Batman!
Yes, Life
is like a chain. The pendant, the diamonds and the shining beads are the most visible,
acknowledged and admired parts of the chain… The string, which holds all of them
eternally together, is hidden. The links are so crucial… but, they are, always,
taken for granted. And, the worst: the weakest link is, the most ignored, the
most under-estimated!
And, that is our death-knell!
Let’s look around in our lives… Who is our
Pendent… our expensive diamond? Who is our string? Who are our links? And, yes,
who is the one we ignore the most – the weakest link?
To me, the phrase – ‘The Weakest Link’ – has a different
connotation.
It is someone – anyone – whom I ignore even
though I know he or she is so crucial… Even though I know my life can derail
without his or her help…
He can be the watchman of my Society, who remains
awake all nightlong and guard our gate when we are fast asleep…
He or she or she can be the cook who comes to
prepare our meal…
He or she can be the compounder of the most
reputed doctor in his busy dispensary…
He or she can be the helping hands at the OT of the
finest surgeon in the country…
He or she can be the hairdresser of the reigning
Super Star of our Bollywood…
He or she can be the ones, who quietly mind the water
reservoirs of our city…
The ones who make sure that we have power all
through the day and the night…
The strangers – the autowala, the taxiwala, the BEST bus-driver, the motorman who runs
the trains… the one who operates the signals… the Police who are toiling on the
burning streets… The peon of my son’s college… the friends and teachers who influence
him… my wife… the people who matter for her daily activities…
Yes, this and many more are my versions of
– ‘The
Weakest Link’ – the link that I ignore,
we ignore.
Any link in my life can be the weakest link…
if I
ignore it…
My Life – this beautiful chain – will, always, be
as beautiful and as strong as its weakest link…
The link that I ignore…
Fail to acknowledge, love and respect.
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Sanchita Choudhury
Comments
-- Nilesh
...Lavanya