Nov 13, 2010

Compassion...


Today I felt compassion within me for a few minutes.

It happens to me only about every once in a while. And yet, when asked about my biggest strength, I can only think of compassion.

I thought today about how small I am. Insignificant. Ordinary. Un-special. No, not in a self-deprecating manner. More like, in a realistic manner. Sure, the human race has been really great and is capable of a lot more. It's amazing how far we have come in terms of science and technology and arts and all that. But is it really fair for me to use the word 'we?' I have no part in man's progress, personally. I am a mere spectator, the user, the consumer, the audience. My contribution to this world, humanity, this universe has been and most probably will always be nil. This is me being honest. This is reality. My lifestyle is focussed on my survival and my well-being, not on contribution. Just like millions of other people.

So it got me thinking, what is it that I could even be capable of contributing, if I ever decided to contribute. I have no great special skills. Not a scientists mind, not an engineers, definitely not an artist's. I am not rich to give away money, nor am I influential to make other people give away money. I do not have enough knowledge to impart to children, atleast nothing that Wikipedia cannot tell them anyway.

Give I can, only of myself.

So I was walking on the street today, looking all around me. Suddenly people didn't seem like people to me. Suddenly, each person I looked at seemed like this intensely vulnerable being with layers and layers of protection about them waiting to jump to self-defence should anything attack them in any way at all. Some through violence, some through hateful speech, some through fake cheer and laughter. Suddenly I was being mirrored in everyone around me. Same core, different exterior. Suddenly, I was emptied of all judgements. Suddenly, I was full of love.

It all lasted a good two minutes. Suddenly, I then lost it.

This is my meagre contribution. Like the small, pitiful gift of beaten rice poha brought by Sudama. I wonder if there is a Lord Krishna lurking around somewhere to see some value in this.

3 comments:

  1. we need some more beaten-rice-poha :)
    what are you up to?

    ReplyDelete
  2. :) nothing much... been baking/cooking/reading/writing/yoga. having a good time for now. how have u been?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your blog. Thanks for writing.

    ReplyDelete