A smile that is what I recall of that baby. A sweet-knowing smile that she gave me while lying in swaddling clothes. She still has that charming and disarming smile. Now she is no-longer that baby. She is the baby-girl-woman now. The apple of our dad’s eyes. The Kunju of our Mum. Our bacha for ever. Our beloved chuklumaav. Our sister. My sister. Mine and Renu’s. Reena!
An avid believer in the power of the one who turned water into wine. She vouches by the Jewish Carpenter. Always acknowledges the impact of this carpenter. His art as the master carpenter of her life is undeniable. She celebrates his goodness through music. She is the modern Mary and all generations shall call her Blessed. The Cross of the Carpenter is her favourite symbol. She is the quintessential cross-bearer, not her’s alone, but others’ crosses too.
Elizabeth Fry. Does that name ring a bell? Ms. Fry was an English prison reformer, social reformer and, a Christian philanthropist. Who would have ever thought that the 19th century reformer could have instilled some life-altering values in an eighth grade girl? Reena did not win any prize in that elocution competition. She however, won an ambition – a passion to undergird the cause of the prisoners.
A new chapter unfolds; a new world waits with open arms to embrace her. It’s an eyeful to watch her persevere to transform her dreams into reality. I have confidence and confidence alone. That has been Reena Mary Maria’s Song. She is marching to Vienna. Bhandup to Vienna. Wow! People asked what good could come out of Bethlehem. Well what good could have come out of Bhandup!! B.E.S. English High School. Central Government Servants Quarters aka C-Sector. The Water Tank. The Guava Trees. Bhandup East, Bhandup West, Bhandup Gaon!!! We even came to be known as The Bhandup Sisters.
Time to bid adieu to Bhandup has arrived. The hills of Vienna beckon and they are alive with the Sound of Music. Hope Vienna will enable you to strum new chords which will reverberate ,rejuvenate and revolutionise your world. May your world be free from prison bars always. May you surmount all impediments and always fly up high.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Free?
Freedom,Liberty,independence,individuality, my-self are the catch-phrases of our age. We rave and rant about our spaces, territories,places.All of these reek of ownership,posssession.Can we truly break free?Is there something like that?
Are we all not the product of chain reactions;the origin of which we cannot trace and when we are unable to trace that origin, we think we are free. We cherish coinages such as "disconnected","disengaged","detached","out of range" etc.Blissfully glossing over that "something" which links us to "some" "other" things we triumphantly envisage we are individuals existing upon the sole merit of our identities, our thoughts. However,our identities and our thoughts are outcome of the preceding identity or thought. We position ourselves in the sphere called "different","non-conformist".How do we become "different" or "non-conformist"? By refusing to adhere to the set norms and patterns we achieve the status of "the free-spirited mavericks","the glorious aberrant"but could we absolve ourselves from the onus of having modelled our existence on something that has preceded the present.Can we deny the parasitic link which exists between us and the rejected ideas norms etc? We feed off them and gain our subsistence from what has gone before.
In our naivety we presume that if we do not depend on any human being,then we are independent.Is that the only meaning of being Independent or Free?Does freedom come into being only when we cease to affect others or be affected by others?Can such a state ever arrive?
Nature compels us to depend on her. We may sever all ties with the human race;cleave with our self alone in the name of "discovering our Self" and "feel liberated".But,if nature decides to stop having any connection with us what would be our plight?.We cannot breathe if we fail to receive oxygen.We depend on the Universe,the cosmos to breathe.? Are we not dependent on something called "air"? We compromise!!
Are we all not the product of chain reactions;the origin of which we cannot trace and when we are unable to trace that origin, we think we are free. We cherish coinages such as "disconnected","disengaged","detached","out of range" etc.Blissfully glossing over that "something" which links us to "some" "other" things we triumphantly envisage we are individuals existing upon the sole merit of our identities, our thoughts. However,our identities and our thoughts are outcome of the preceding identity or thought. We position ourselves in the sphere called "different","non-conformist".How do we become "different" or "non-conformist"? By refusing to adhere to the set norms and patterns we achieve the status of "the free-spirited mavericks","the glorious aberrant"but could we absolve ourselves from the onus of having modelled our existence on something that has preceded the present.Can we deny the parasitic link which exists between us and the rejected ideas norms etc? We feed off them and gain our subsistence from what has gone before.
In our naivety we presume that if we do not depend on any human being,then we are independent.Is that the only meaning of being Independent or Free?Does freedom come into being only when we cease to affect others or be affected by others?Can such a state ever arrive?
Nature compels us to depend on her. We may sever all ties with the human race;cleave with our self alone in the name of "discovering our Self" and "feel liberated".But,if nature decides to stop having any connection with us what would be our plight?.We cannot breathe if we fail to receive oxygen.We depend on the Universe,the cosmos to breathe.? Are we not dependent on something called "air"? We compromise!!
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