GAYI BHAINS PAANI MEIN

Pic.: Amrita Jeurkar

When a friend of mine, wrote in one of the WhatsApp groups, last night, “Gayi bhains paani mein”, I wrote back:

“Nothing is a waste in life… not even tears.”

The friend of mine was referring to an uncomfortable situation, where, it seemed, the consistent efforts to come out of it had gone wasted… yes, my friend had expressed his dismay by saying… “Gayi bhains paani mein”.

Apparently, one believes, that, once the buffalo goes into water, it is very difficult to bring him out.

Well, the proverb may have some truth. But, I know, that, however difficult a situation seems to be – at this moment in my life - it is only a ‘life situation’…

It is not my life!

And, every situation, which is man-created, either by me or someone around me, ‘has to’ change as time goes by…

It cannot outlive the creator!

In the above situation, the creators were others… with some cruel intention. So, no way the particular situation could live forever and ever…

No way would the buffalo stay there in water all his life!

Years ago, a 16-year-old girl by the name Gitanjali suffered long and succumbed to cancer. Her parents found hundreds of little poems – call them scribblings – written by the young girl and hidden by her under her bed , pillow and everywhere… One of them had this line:

“Nothing is a waste in life…

Not even tears.”

I was young and unmarried when I read Gitanjali’s line… About thirty-five years have passed by… And, I still believe, she was right…

“The buffalo ‘has to’ come out of water, my dear friends… Be brave,” I had advised them.

GERALD D’CUNHA