WHATEVER HAPPENED TO OUR INNOCENT DAYS?

 




“If a man is to shed the light of the sun

on other men,

he must, first of all, have it within himself.”

Romain Rolland

 

Last evening, I was talking to (over the phone) one of my very old students, now a dear friend. He is in his mid-fifties and, for many years, he has been working and living in Singapore. “Sir, I am heading the risk-management team in this global bank. But, every time I address my subordinates, I remind them this: ‘Your fundamentals matter... be them subject-related, or be them values-related.”

When I asked him if he was in touch with his schoolmates and friends, my friend said, that he was in touch with all of them for a long time till the emergence of social media platforms. But, when he saw how they – once his close friends - started venting out publicly their polarizing, hate-filled views in the WhatsApp and other social-media groups, he decided to stay away from all social-media groups. “Many of them have so hardened, that they are best left alone,” he said.

My ex-student, also said this: “Sir, I have been living in this apartment in Singapore for several years. The authorities have a rule, that on each floor of every building, there should be multi-ethnic residents. So, on my own floor, I have a Chinese, American and Malaysian neighbours. And, we have such a wonderful co-existence.”

I told my friend about a book we had published some years ago. It was titled – ‘I am Good, The World is Good’. It was put together to encourage little ones and young ones to develop a mind free from religious, cultural and all kinds of social bias. The title was inspired by my late mother’s favourite line. You see, she hadn’t been to a school or a college the way we had been. Every time, her little sons came home to complain about someone after a fight in the village playgrounds, she would have this ready piece of advice – ‘Havn Boro, Sounsar Boro’... Translated from Konkani, it meant: ‘I am Good, The World is Good’.

So much for our ‘education’... We are ‘uneducated’ if our hearts spew the poison of prejudice. Sorry, whatever high position you hold for your earnings!

I have unfollowed or unfriended so many of my own ex-students and friends, who have been relentlessly spewing hate and polarization on social media. I tried advising some of them, which only backfired on me. Hence, I, as a rule, leave these people alone... There are so many of them, and, it’s beyond my control.





But, a while ago, I couldn’t help from leaving this comment, in one platform, deeply pained to see some of my dear old students, even after their retirement, are busy, from dawn to dusk, spewing poison... I wrote this:

“I started off as a teacher for you guys...You lived in the same amazing colony (Anushakti Nagar), studied in the same wonderful school (Atomic Energy), played and partied with friends with different castes, faiths, languages, never ever bothered about each other’s political leanings... Those were such glorious days of your life. It pains many of us here - your teachers - when you fight over those who you will never ever meet in your life, those who will never ever know, that you guys ever existed in this country. Please spend some quiet time with your loved ones at home. They are watching you, my dear, dear ones. Love and blessings.”

I don’t know, if this is going to backfire on me or not... But, my heart said, “You’re their teacher... Do it.”




 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic’s: 1. Alexandra Koch  2. dimistrisvetsikas1969

Video: Happily

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