THE LITTLE BIRD WAS SOUND ASLEEP
“When you make peace with yourself,
You make peace with the world.”
Maha Ghosananda
If
the images of a White police-officer in Minneapolis state in America choking down
(with his knees) his fellow-Black citizen to death was extremely disturbing and
provocative, the images of the White Police-chief of New York City and of several
other cities in America kneeling down to hug the protesters, walking with them in
solidarity in their peaceful protest-march… yes, these images are extremely empowering
and healing.
What a time for this unfortunate episode to explode, and what
a way!
In a way, all over the world, episodes like these are waiting
to explode… It can be anywhere, any moment. Trust me, I am not a Prophet of
Doom… I am a die-hard advocate of peace… I am an incorrigible optimist!
But, that doesn’t make me bury my head in the sand and say, “Everything
is fine… Sab changa si”!
Everything 'will be' fine… Yes, I believe in that.
Storms never last. But, I did not say, and I won’t say, “Storms never come” … For,
they do come, they do!
Tonight,
here, along the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, a cyclone is expected to hit. We haven’t
yet gotten over the deadly blows of cyclone Amphan along other side of the
sub-continent. And, here is Cyclone Nisarga, just a few hours away!
True, if it’s Life, it can’t be free from storms, cyclones
tsunamis, earthquakes… and, yes, deadly viruses, riots and rampages… They come,
because that’s Life!
My head is, therefore, not buried in the sand… It looks up to
the heavens and prays: “O God, have mercy on us!”
In
this world, for every racist police-officer – or whoever it is – that chokes an
unarmed George Floyd to death, there are countless gentle souls, regardless of
their races, to provide the healing touch… Yes, if one uses his knees to kill,
the others use theirs to go down and hug…
That’s the kind of life, I believe in… Such Life will outlive
all the frightening stuff in this world!
Soon, the storm will pass. My head is not buried… It looks up
to the heaven and prays: “O God, have mercy on us.”
Peace is not absence of wars… Not absence of storms,
cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, riots and rampages. Late Billy Graham wrote in
one of his books this so eloquently…
“The storm was raging. The sea was beating against the rocks
in huge, dashing waves. The lightening was flashing, the thunder was roaring,
the wind was blowing… but, the little bird was sound asleep in the crevice of
the rock, its head tucked serenely under its wings. That is peace – to be able
to sleep in the storm in God. We are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusions,
bewilderments and perplexities of life. The storm rages, but the hearts are at
rest… We have found peace at last.”
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: www.townsvillebulletin.com au
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