SONG OF SOLOMON
“I
am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”
Song
of Solomon 2:16
King
Solomon from the Old Testament is hailed as ‘the wisest king’. The words cited
above, which feature in the Bible (The Old Testament), therefore, must be wise words.
So, the other
day, when my friend Joe and his wife Mariette, who live in my hometown
Mangalore, came over to invite us for their son Nikhil’s wedding, I sighted King
Solomon’s wise words atop the wedding card…
What did Solomon
mean?
Meaning of any wise
words, always, is as one makes out of them. I do not know what Joe and Mariette
– or the young couple Nikhil and Renisha – had made out of those words; but, my
little wisdom allows me to make this out:
“I
can only love my partner as much as I am able love myself.”
Which means,
unless I am able to see the beauty and flaws of my own being and accept them,
nurture them, be kind and compassionate towards them, and celebrate them - how can I make space to accommodate my
partner? If I am my own beloved, yes, then only my beloved can me mine.”
I have
deliberately removed one of the apostrophes!
Went over the
top?
Let it…. Suffice
to say this: “We are one”!
Nikhil and
Renisha’s wedding date is scheduled for coming Saturday (9th Jan.)
and Roce ceremony (like Haldi ceremony) is scheduled for 7th.
Early in the
morning, today, Joe had sent me a message:
“Gerry, Mai
expired at 12 in the night!”
(Joe's Mai)
Before we learnt
to call our mothers ‘Mom’, ‘Mummy” or “Mamma”, we had learnt to call her ‘Mai’…
Joe’s Mai and my
Mai had a lot in common…
They both had crossed the age 85…
They both had
many children…
They both had
hard-working, and meager-earning, husbands…
They both
struggled endlessly to keep their families afloat… earning some supplementary income
like raising a couple of cows at home (whose milk they could sell) or grow some
flowers or veggies in their backyard (which they could sell). In the process,
all of their children – including Joe and I - too, could grow into fine men and
women…
They made us
educated…
They enabled us
to make our own children even more educated…
Probably, we
have succeeded… Probably not!
The wisdom of Solomon,
Sir… I doubt it comes with the so called ‘Progress’ or ‘Education’ in life… I
really doubt!
Joe, on his way back
from office, often, stop his car and visit my Mai. He would spend a lot of time
talking to her and try to fill the vacuum of my absence. Sometimes, he would
arrange for a sleepover… My Mai would spend a night or two at Joe’s place and
come back a lot happier…
I, particularly,
remember the final year of our graduation. So many days and nights I would be
spending at Joe’s place, studying together… and so many days and nights Joe
would be spending at our place. We both had similar financial situation… But, O
God! The size and the kindness of our mothers’ hearts!
With literally nothing
in hand, they had almost everything!
It’s tough for
Joe’s family to deal with the situation at home, now. Wedding is just a heartbeat
away… I think, they won’t – and shouldn’t – postpone it. Joe’s Mai would not be
happy with that, I am sure. Nikhil and Renisha will, always, have this memory,
to keep reminding them of King Solomon’s wise words:
“I
am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”
As I said, the
meaning of any wise words is, always, what we make out of them!
Several
years ago, my wife’s cousin, Anil, had died of a heart attack. He was barely 40
and even younger was his wife, Rebecca. They had two small girls. On the day of
the funeral, Rebecca was inconsolable. Seven days later, we attended a remembrance
Mass, followed by a small gathering at home. Young Fr. Donny, a close relative of
Anil, was sitting next to Rebecca’s elderly mom. She was such an affectionate
and gracious woman… All the while, she was holding Fr. Donny’s hand with her own wrinkled
hand. At one point, she, innocently, made this request to Fr. Donny: “Please come
for my funeral, too.”
Fr. Donny, who is
known for his wit and wisdom, quickly assured, “Of course, I will.” Then, he, innocently,
said to her this: “But, you must let me know the date!”
If marriage is a
‘calling’, the death, too, is one!
Miss you Mai…
Rest in Peace, and bless Nikhil and Renisha with ‘wisdom’ above all other
things.
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic's.:1. & 2. pixabay 2. Niyothi Lobo
Video: Celine Dion/MonMonTheWhiteRose
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