THE DELUGE AND THE DROUGHT





Pic.: Chetna Shetty

There is only one God and we all are His children. So, as our Father, he cares for us. Yes, a Father never forsakes his children.

“Pray for Chennai.” I have been receiving this appeal on social media repeatedly since yesterday. It is pouring relentlessly in Chennai… It has wrought havoc everywhere there… Loss of property and lives… breakdown of communication and transport system… People are stranded at the airport and railway stations… Power is off at several places… There is no food to eat or clean water to drink at other places… Times like this are terrible… “God please help these hapless people in Chennai.”

That’s my prayer to God. Yes.

Here, in Mumbai, the story is exactly opposite. We did not have enough rains this year. The water shortage is already felt by us… The situation would turn grimmer as days pass by. “Please pray for Mumbai.” Yes, this has been an appeal for quite some time. “God, send us some rain… Have mercy on us.”


Do our prayers really make any sense? Do you think there is that ‘one God’ – all merciful and all caring – somewhere up there who listens to all our prayers? Chennai is nano-centimetre away from Mumbai on God’s map… Why has He sent deluge in Chennai and drought in Mumbai?

Well, I am just asking… Just asking. I know, there is no one around me to answer it; and, even if there is someone, I know it would be an answer from someone like me – a child of God – and not God Himself…

Deluge and drought are simply metaphors in life. Life around us abounds with such contrast… Someone out there gets triplets and someone out there has been on his knees, for years, craving for an offspring… My only child is physically, mentally and academically all fine. My friend’s is not. My health is, so far, fine. My neighbor’s not. My marriage has lasted this strong and this long for almost a quarter century. A couple there has hit the hard rock within two weeks of their marriage… Someone can afford to spend a fortune on his children’s education… Someone cannot even afford the most basic education for his.

Yes sir, life abounds around us with this contrast… the deluge and the drought.

And, I am quite mystified about the role God plays in it…

“God please give us some rains… And, God, please stop their rains!”

And despite this mystery, if I were to answer to the question:
“Has God been kind?”… I would say, without even one blink - “YES”!


GERALD D’CUNHA


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