WHEN IT POURS IN TORRENTS




“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”

Anonymous

It’s 5 in the evening as I type these words… It’s dark outside, and it’s pouring in torrents!

Somewhere in Assam, China and other places, rivers and lakes have swollen and fiercely swallowing up the villages and towns. And, somewhere the earthquakes have flattened out what Man had built… And, everywhere, there is this dreaded virus, already.

Some live as one big family, all together, in this lockdown… and some live alone, all alone. But, apparently, loneliness has nothing to do with the number of people we live with. I am sure, many, many, many may agree with me when I say this: You can live with a dozen people at home, yet feel lost and lonely. On the other hand, you may live all alone in the house, yet feel loved and protected…

“Thank God, you are living with your family,” I said this, today, to someone who was endlessly cribbing about something, “Just be thankful.”

Thanklessness is man’s worst virus. The life of an ungrateful soul is a bottomless pit… It’s a calamity!

Imagine this: We are all locked down inside our houses. And, despite the pervading fear and anxiety – knowing very well where we stand at this point of time – if we still choose to crib, envy and hate – if we allow ourselves to be impacted by the toxic news and debates of dirty politics, prejudice and war… Yes, to me, that’s being ungrateful to Life… That’s abuse! The bottomless pit!

The dark sky and the torrential rain, the floods, the earthquakes and the virus – these are not within my power. But, to allow or not to allow myself to be impacted by the toxic prejudice around me, and let my heart to be a bottomless pit or a sublime orchard…  yes, this is very much within my power…

And, when I know this much, won’t it be enough to help me through this darkness?





The sky is growing darker and darker, the rains are relentlessly lashing… Even the thunders have joined to make this into a sombre evening…

But, to look outside and grumble, or look inside and be thankful … yes, that’s the clear line between the bottomless pit and the sublime orchard!



GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: pixabay

Video: emptyhandsmusic


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