BECAUSE, DAMRU CAN PLAY ANYTIME

 

“Opportunity does not waste time with

those who are unprepared.”

Idowu Koyenikan

 

If it is pandemic, it’s so for all of us. If kids are locked at home - bored, fatigued and depressed, so are their parents and grandparents. If school and college kids are locked at home - frustrated and are devoid of interest, so are their teachers and Principals. If the employees are anxious and worried, so are their employers. If citizens of the country or states are not able to see any light at the end of the tunnel, so are their governments…

Has anybody been spared by these dark times?

I am a teacher, and I, too, find myself asking: ‘When will it all end? When will my anxiety, worry, fatigue, boredom, depression – yes, when will all these go?”

Go they will, I know. But, when?

So, when I see my students uninterested, fatigued and bored, what will I tell them - “Chill dudes, you have my company”? Or, is there a better way, by which, I can make them realize, that despite the dark times, we all – they, I and everyone – have to keep working, keep preparing, keep hoping and keep waiting?

Well, we all are together in it, giving each other this uneasy company. But, it’s better to nudge each other to keep working, keep preparing, keep hoping and keep waiting, than just sulking and losing all hope.

So, this morning, when I saw this familiar gloom in one of my batches, I knew I had to do something to dispel it.  There was this story which was doing rounds during the pandemic. I thought, I would tell them this story:   

 

DAMRU CAN PLAY ANYTIME

 

Once, Lord Indra was angry with the farmers. He declared, that there would be no rains for twelve years. “You will not be able to grow crops,” He thundered.

The farmers humbly pleaded with Lord Indra.

Indra Deva concluded, that the rains were possible only if Lord Shiva played His damru (drums). But, He had secretly discussed with Lord Shiva and requested Him not to agree with the farmers. When the farmers came to Lord Shiva, they were told, that the drums would be played only after twelve years.

Disappointed, the farmers decided to wait for twelve years.

But, one of the farmers decided to continue working. Despite knowing, that there would be no water, he diligently kept doing the cultivation work in his fields – preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, and helping with the manure. Other farmers began to mock at him. Some asked him, “Why are you wasting your time and energy when you know, that it will not rain for twelve years?”

The farmer replied, “I know why the crops will not grow. But, I am doing this only as a practice. After twelve years, I may forget the process of growing crops and working in the field. Thus, I keep doing this, so that when it rains after twelve years, I will not find it difficult to work.”

Hearing the farmer’s argument,  Goddess Parvati was pleased and said to Lord Shiva, “You, too, may forget how to play drums after twelve years.”

Lord Shiva was worried! He played his drums, just to check if they were working. As soon as Indra heard the sound of the drums, it started raining… and, the fields of the farmer, who worked diligently, were full of crops…

But, the other farmers were only left with full of regrets!

 

“There is no better option, my young friends,” I told my students, today, “We all need to keep working, keep preparing, keep hoping and keep waiting… Trust me, there just isn’t a better option.”

Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” In life, opportunities are, always, grabbed by those who are ‘ready’ to grab them. We call it ‘luck’ or ‘fortune’… Don’t we?

So, today, when I was nudging my students to keep working, preparing, hoping and waiting, I, too, had no better option, but to follow suit…

Because, damru (drums) can play anytime!

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic’s: pixabay

Videos: Simon Garfunkel/pac bal