THE SUMMER WILL, SOON, RETURN

 



“We’ve got to live no matter how many times

the skies have fallen.”

D.H. Lawrence

 

Pain is pain… When there is loss, a tragedy, a calamity (whether manmade or natural) in our personal lives or in our society… anywhere around the world – pain inside us is inevitable. We are not lifeless stones… we bleed, we cry, we grieve…

When a dear one dies, I feel the loss, and feel the pain…

When Hamas killed helpless citizens in Israel, I felt the anger, pain and helplessness… In retaliation, when Israel has been ruthlessly bombing the innocent citizens in Gaza – hundreds and thousands of them – how can I not feel the same anger, pain and helplessness?

Just as one felt when Japan mercilessly bombed the Pearl Harbour… and when, in retaliation, America destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki…

Just as one felt when al-qaeda brought down New York’s magnificent Twin-towers,  and, when the consequent mayhem was unleashed by America in Afghanistan and other countries…

Just as I felt when, Milan, my dear ex-student, died a couple of days ago after battling for life – in a state of coma – for nearly four months… He was in his forties, and had gone leaving behind his wife, son and all his near and dear ones – yes, in grief…

Just as we now feel on watching the devastation in Wayanad and in Himachal Pradesh… Imagine when beautiful villages – in a single strike by Nature – get completely wiped out! If you and I happen to live in those villages, our entire families get wiped off… No, get buried alive, in one go!

Watching these scenes, if we don’t feel sad, scared and small – well, we should be some hard stones!

Still, having said all this, I, also, want to say this: Life is such… Pain is such… Grief is such… When it comes, it comes… There is no way we can escape it…




The only way to deal with our loss, pain and devastation – is to grieve over it completely… Feel our ‘smallness’ our ‘helplessness’ completely…

Then, it is done…

Life goes on… We need to move on. Yes, memories may linger, but not necessarily the ‘suffering’…

For, to stay – or not to say -  in an endless state of suffering is, always, our choice…

Loss, pain and devastation, if dealt with gracefully and gratefully, will only make us better human beings – more compassionate ones.




“In the midst of winter,” says Albery Camus, “ I found there was, within me an invincible summer.”

Gaza and Wayanad will, soon, see that ‘summer’…

Life does…

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic’s:1. www.trippoto.com 2  BBC/Getty Images

 

Video: moneycontrol

 

 

 

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