THE GLOBE ON MY TABLE... AND THE GLOBE I LIVE IN











Pic.: Aparna Khanolkar Sheth


“At its best, life is completely unpredictable.”


Whenever I see, on someone’s table, the globe, I, instinctively, take my hand over it... “How cute; how smooth and gentle!” I tell in my mind as I start rolling it...

Then, invariably, a thought comes to me: “What if I were to run my hand over the real globe, the real world? Would I feel the same cuteness... and, would I tell myself, “How smooth and gentle?”

The world I live in – the real globe – is rough, uneven, and even dangerous and scary! Imagine the fierce oceans and mighty mountains... Imagine the deadly jungles and burning deserts... Yes, the real globe comes with roughness, danger and challenge... as much as it comes with smoothness, safety and ease. In fact, I live in the world which has more unevenness than evenness!

But, then, the globe on the table reminds me... that’s how it is... and, that’s how it is supposed to be...

Uneven-ness and unpredictability, quite regularly, comes knocking on my door, right as the Sun goes up... often, any time during the day... often, when the Sun has gone home...

The globe on the table reminds me... that’s how my day and night are going to be – uneven, volatile and unpredictable, at times... And, that’s how it is supposed to be!

Thus, it is sensible to accept the reality, that, the world I live in – the real globe – is not all that cute, smooth and gentle as the globe on the table appears to be, feels to be. With this very acceptance, I think, come the inner silence and strength to go about living in it... Yes, with all its unevenness, unpredictability, danger and ferocity...

When God put those mighty mountains and fierce oceans, those deadly jungles and burning deserts on the belly of this real globe,  He must’ve, certainly, had a plan, a design...

I am sure, this divine plan includes the well-being of His children – you, me and all of us...

Let the globe roll... Let’s feel the roughness, the danger and ferocity... and, still feel the cuteness, smoothness and gentleness of ‘What IS’...



GERALD D’CUNHA



Comments

Lohita said…
Excellent piece and very apt. Lohita
September 18, 2014 at 12:18 PM
Girish. Patil said…
True, the world we live in is not 'flat'! Girish
September 18, 2014 at 1:28 PM
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