SING A NEW SONG, CHIQUITITA

“Chiquitita tell me the truth

I’m a shoulder you can cry on”

From the ABBA song – ‘Chiquitita’

One of the comforting moments, during these days of lockdown, is when you receive a quote, a video with a reassuring message from someone who really cares for you. During these many weeks of stay-at-home, I have been touched by many of them. Maybe, it’s not the quote or video, per se, that has made my heart melt, but, I suppose, it’s the openness of my heart – how ready it is to receive them. It really amazes me to see how my heart responds… Even a very ordinary message or an old, often-heard song, now, all of a sudden, comes to stir me… make a lot of sense… and, yes, provide comfort and reassurance.

These are bleak days for all of us. We may live in our mansions or in our huts… But, the Time seems to have stopped for all of us!

Sheetal, an old friend, who hadn’t been in touch with me for a long time, sent, last night, these words…

“Noah’s family was on lockdown

for 40 days and 40 nights…

And, God protected them.

God will do the same for you.”

Well, Noah’s story was one of my earliest Sunday-school stories. I was a little boy of age five or six when I first heard it. Look, how it comes back, today, to make a fresh meaning… and not through any Priest or Sunday-school teacher, but some old friends – a Hindu - who, now seems caught up inside the same-old arc!

“Don’t worry my friend, God will protect you and your family,” … What else does one want to hear in times like these?

Tabassum, another friend of mine, sent to me the story of Sayyidina Yunus (as) and, wrote, “I think, this story is there in the Bible, too.”

Yes, it is there in the Old testament. Jonah was thrown into the violent sea only to be swallowed by a giant whale… He remained in her belly for three days and three nights.! Our Sunday-school teacher had dramatized as to how the big fish flushed Jonah out through her mouth when he had obeyed God’s Will!

Again, the story came back to me, this time, through a Muslim friend… and, yes, just in time… When we all seem caught up inside this big fish’s belly!

Believe in the Good Lord – whether you call Him Jehovah, Ishwar, Allah or whatever – and you shall be saved!

Naïve?

It seems, only the naïve things matter in times like these!

How powerful, how wealthy or famous we are – yes, this fact hardly matters. The pride of our knowledge is completely punctured. It seems, the lesser we possess and know the better. For, all that is ‘needed’ has been always there… and promises to be there… Such is the beauty of being light and naïve!

Joe, my friend from my hometown, sent to me two messages, today… Both tell me the same thing - the lighter the better, naiver the better. Here is the first message…

Portuguese billionaire, Antonio Piera, President of the Santander Bank in Portugal, died due to Corona infection. His daughter wrote on Social media: “We are a wealthy family; but my father passed away alone, suffocating, looking for something free - which is air… Money stayed at home!”

And, here is the good-old ABBA song, Joe and I, both, would hum along our way home from the college…

Hope and reassurance – in whatever form they appear – are, always subtle and naïve…

Just as the Portuguese Billionaire longed for when he died - free air!

Just as the old ABBA song reminds:

“Try once more like you did before

Sing a new song, Chiquitita.”

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Catherine/Pixels

Video: DazzelDigit