"DAD, DON'T WE EAT THE ANTELOPE?"





















Pic.: Neerja Panchal

There is a dialogue in the Disney-movie ‘The Lion King’. I go back to it, regularly, just to refresh myself when I get weighed down by some of my daily confusions… particularly my confusions about good or bad, fruitful or wasteful… to strive or to give up and so on.

Mufasa: Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.

Young Simba: Dad, don't we eat the antelope?

Mufasa: Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.

I find this conversation between the father and the son – the King and the Prince – very relevant for all of us in all walks of life… Because, Life is, in deed, a great circle… and, all events, all things… and all creatures … are, in deed connected in this great Circle of Life.

What we sow, we reap…

What goes around, comes around…

Joy reminds me of sorrow… and sorrow reminds of joy…

Life reminds of death… and death reminds of Life…

Smile and tears, hope and despair, fear and faith… God and Demons… all come into my life only to make me what I am…  

They come only to remind me of the ‘other side’ of the story…



So, when I feel hopeless, at times, I try to console myself saying, that my hopelessness has come in me just to help me ‘see through’ it… to make me more confident, wiser and stronger…

When I am bogged down by the feelings of being unloved, it only ends up making me feel worthy of love that is being showered upon me… “How can I feel the love and joy, if I feel deep within me unworthy?”… This is the wisdom, eventually, my feeling of insecurity ends up leaving behind in my heart: the wisdom about love and joy.

Yes, there is no point in wasting time on crying, blaming or trying to get even with someone… When such feelings come in me – and they do, they do – ultimately, they come only to teach me the truth: “Honey, pass through the Circle… Understand the balance… Respect all beings… Respect all feelings… There is no waste in life… Everything goes on to make you what you are…  Yes, the King or the Pauper… A happy man or an unhappy one!”



And what choice an unhappy man has 

if he wants to be happy?


Get out of it!



GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Krishna Saran said…
Wonderful lines. wonderful post. Krishna
October 21, 2013 at 3:58 PM
Anonymous said…
Interesting piece!!
--- Prya
October 21, 2013 at 6:11 PM
Gunjan Sharma said…
As always, inspiring!!!!!!!!! Gunjan
October 21, 2013 at 6:22 PM
Divya Awasthi said…
The Lion King dialogues are inspiring, one of the all-time greats. In this post, I was once again transported to the amazing land of King Mufasa and Simba. Thanks, keep writing evey day.
- Divya Awasthi
October 22, 2013 at 9:09 AM
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