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

Kushal Khanna said…
I admire u for this new interpretation of the old saying. Thanks. Kushal
Hiten Khatri said…
Lovely post, inspiring!!!!! Hiten
Anonymous said…
fully agree with what you have said... our weakest links are the once we shd be mindful of.
-- Nilesh
MEENA SHARMA said…
YOU INSPIRE ALWAYS! THANKS, GERRY SIR. MEENA
Lavanya Prabhu said…
Absolutely good. Excellent image. My compliments.
...Lavanya

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

"WE CHOOSE OUR JOYS AND SORROWS LONG BEFORE WE EXPERIENCE THEM."

WHEN A BIRD IS ALIVE, IT EATS ANTS... WHEN THE BIRD DIES, ANTS EAT THE BIRD

THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...