REMEMBERING THOSE LIGHTHOUSES
Pic.: Azriel D'Souza
“Inside my empty bottle, I was constructing a lighthouse
while all the others were making ships.”
-
Charles Simic
Today is our 67th Republic Day. Our housing
society’s 20th. “Ours is a society of simple people… with simple
aspirations,” I said, this morning, during the Fag-hoisting ceremony… “We are
one big-family.” I said this as the head of this family… The Hon. Chairman.
What about our nation? If I were
the head of this nation, I think, I would have said the same thing, too, about
all of us in this vast, beautiful nation…
Are we not one big-family of
simple people with simple aspirations?
After the Flag-hoisting ceremony,
the Youth Association of our society had organized the Finals of cricket
matches… first little children, then ladies and, finally, the rough and tough
youth. Mrs. Gujar, a cheerful Rajasthani lady from the losing team, took all
the ladies, including my wife, to her house – after losing the match – for some
snacks and a cup of hot tea!
What was that?
I hadn’t held a bat in my hand
for forty years now… But, the young kids made me feel I was one of them… Satkar,
the otherwise fiery bowler, showed a lot of mercy while bowing to me!
What was that?
As a society, we don’t need much
to live here happily. What destroys the fiber of a society – a nation – is the ‘greed’
in every form… The excess!
To live here happily, and to celebrate
life, simple joy is enough!
I had been to our local Magistrate’s court yesterday on
some society-related work. There, I bumped into Medha Patkarji and her associates.
“Namaste ma’am,” I greeted her, and
she responded to my greetings as if we were known to each other for ages!
What was that… That,
straight-from-the-heart gesture?
We do not need much to feel happy
and connected.
But, then, I kept thinking about
people like Medha Patkarji. They are so simple, so simple… that you wonder, “Do
we really need much to go about our lives fearlessly and peacefully.”
Vishwanath, a friend of mine,
said to me, last night, “People like Medhaji are the light houses… They exist
to give light and direction to people from far and wide… But, they cannot help
the darkness right where they stand… Diya
tale andhera… At the base of the lamp, there is, always, darkness!
“Let’s not forget the sacrifices
made by our national heroes and martyrs.” Well, I have been getting this kind
of messages since yesterday…
Does the lamp we light know that
it is sacrificing for us?
Does the lighthouse know?
Does Medha Patkarji know?
We are simple people with simple aspirations.
Wish you all a happy Republic
Day.
GERALD D’CUNHA
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