Certain hope

We do so many things in life, some of which are clearly geared towards a far distant dream.  We are hopeful and in a sense sure of achieving that dream - we wouldn't be spending all that time and energy if we were not 'so sure'.  However, not everything has to go our way either.  Things may go haywire and our sustained and years of effort may be totally lost, in view of the intended purpose.  It certainly causes pain and heartache. But I think what causes real pain and suffering is when you realize that the effort is 'wasted' not because it was worthless or you failed, but for some silly and absolutely ridiculous reason as your caste, or religion, place of birth, or some else's like or dislike. How to face angst? Helpless anger?

To see a life, especially a young promising and enthusiastic life, killed in some senseless violence.   To see an activist being murdered for fighting what everyone knows is a just cause.  To hear of a whole family shattered by the rape of a young daughter, only because they belonged to a particular caste, or religion or section of society.  To come to know of a friend who has been denied promotion or benefits due to him only on account of him being of a different group than the one in authority... all of this puts to question the notion of having a dream, slogging it out for it... If all one works for can be wiped off by something so trivial and for no reason, then why strain? 

Yet we do!  We invest our time and energy in our plans.  We slog it out for our dreams.  We plan for years ahead of us.  We hope! If we let doubts or fears grow, we'd not be able to do anything at all! 

(But merely having hope is like walking carefully through a minefield - hoping that we do not step on one!  As long as I'm not the one stepping on, everything is fine.  Doing something about the minefield itself is an act of courage.)  

Being privileged and contented

Speaking of being favourites and being favoured, I remember distinctly reading long time ago how the boys at the oratory fought with one another claiming to be the favourite of Don Bosco! 

At the oratory there were boys from different backgrounds, though mostly poor, and of different ages.  Some had only seen the worst of life.  Others had for sometime been loved and cared for.  Those experiencing love for the first time at the oratory, for that matter anyone at all showing some concern for them, surely would have felt great.  Of these some would have wanted 'more', failing to cherish what they already were experiencing.  Others would have felt great just to be loved.  They would not have bothered whether someone else is loved 'greater' than them.  For them to be loved was in itself a great experience. 

However, am sure only those who felt contented with the love they received, felt 'privilege'd in that sense, AND wished to share that privilege, made a difference in the lives of others.  The rest, simply drowned in the pool of 'privilege' - never thinking beyond themselves.  

Favourite people?

I've often heard priests preach on the main theme of today's reading from the Acts of the apostles, where we see Peter telling, "God has no favourites."  Really?  But the whole history of the world and recorded testaments of religious show that God does have favourites: he chose Israel over other nations, did all those wonders and miracles for them, restored them their land, guided them and led them through the centuries, then when he wanted to send his son, he again chose the same Israelites.  Not only that even among them he had the tribe of Judah as the favourite.  When Jesus came on earth, he chose the twelve as apostles, and among them John was cited 'as beloved' of the Master. 

However, that can be said to be one side of the story.  Viewed from God's side (if we may), I think God loves all.  That's it.  He isn't loving one more than the other.  But those who experience his love and are moved by that, feel privileged.  Those who feel that 'others' are privileged, often fail to see how blessed they themselves are! But we always calculate our blessings on the basis of what we do not have rather than what we have!  Or worse, on the basis of what other have and I do not! 

The danger is when those who feel 'privileged' or are seen by others as 'privileged' start to act differently.  Those who honestly experience God's love, will not differentiate or discriminate, least of all, look down on others.  They'd prefer to share that privilege in their own way with others, joyfully. 

So it is right to say that God has no favourites? Perhaps the better way to say it is that God loves us and I am his favourite!  

Salesian summer bloom

Today while working in the garden, a confrere said, "Anyone looking at you now will know that you're not local! Only Indians can be wearing flip flops while working in the garden!" and both of us laughed.  I said, "What's the thrill in working in the garden if you cannot feel the grass at your feet and touch the mud with your bare hands?"  Most locals working in their garden tend to wear shoes, rough jeans, a pair of gloves, a hat and some even an apron.  And if they are mowing the lawn or trimming the hedges, then there is the additional gear: helmet with a visor or protective glasses.  My working gear: an old t-shirt, a pair of shorts and slippers (the last one is often dispensed with)! And I'm enjoying it!

The flower near Don Bosco's statue has fully blossomed and the other two buds on the plant too are blooming...

Other flowers and plants are really beginning to bloom.  I'm done with all the seeding.  Spent the past two days making cuttings of some of the plants and hopefully they should take root in the coming months.  Every plant that I bought at the garden centre has been 'multiplied'... each of the dainthus has been made into four!  So far so good.  Once they really take root, I'll put them out in the open.  The pansies are looking great.  The petunias are growing well. However out of the six plants that I got, four are of the same colour!!  Should get a few more of other colours.  From the six I bought, I've already made 12!  That's just the beginning!  They'll soon be a few dozen more!

Summer bloom

Some shots of the University 'forest'...

 This particular bush is a thorny one. But each node where there is a thorn and a leaf, there is a flower too!!  Very tiny but very beautiful!

Feels like home

Feels like home to me... a lovely song with a very deep emotional pull.

Situate the song in the movie, My sister's keeper and it's all the more powerful and moving.

Something in your eyes 
Makes me want to lose myself 
Makes me want to lose myself 
In your arms 
There's something in your voice 
Makes my heart beat fast 
Hope this feeling lasts 
The rest of my life 
If you knew how lonely my life has been 
And how long I've been so alone 
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along 
And change my life the way you've done 

It feels like home to me 
It feels like home to me 
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from 
It feels like home to me 
It feels like home to me 
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong 

A window breaks down a long dark street 
And a siren wails in the night 
But I'm alright 'cause I have you here with me 
And I can almost see through the dark there is light 

If you knew how much this moment means to me 
And how long I've waited for your touch 
If you knew how happy you are making me 
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

(Lyrics by Chantal Kreviazuk)

Healing of the soul

Speaking of children, especially very young ones, I remember watching a particular video of a toddler walking the dog.  But on finding a puddle along the road, he does what children are intrinsically bound to...

Cannot but perfectly agree with one of the comments on this video

The soul is healed being with children. (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

Innocence busted

There are occasions when one comes across a piece of information or learning that bursts a bubble of well preserved ideology or belief.  The resulting conflict and confusion is quite terrifying. Children most often are seen to undergo such phases when they are learning new things. 

The other day a teacher was narrating how in his class, while discussing about human food and diet, he found a boy looking totally stunned and shaken.  When asked what was the matter, the boy asked in utter shock,

Are the animals killed when they are alive?

Well, that would have been a hard day of learning for that little boy!  

Dissent and dissection

In the early Church Paul and Barnabas travel back to Rome to discuss with the apostles and elders about the right way of going about concerning the pagans joining Christianity.  The issue being whether they should first become Jews or need not.  The apostles decide that they need not. But this does not go down well with the Pharisees who were converted to Christianity. 

These days the German bishops are seriously discussing and debating about the distribution of communion to non-Catholic partners.  Like Paul and Barnabas, these Bishops too are zealous disciples seeking the best way forward.  And like Paul and Barnabas, they too trace their steps to Rome.  Wonder what will come of this discussion. 

Wonder what Jesus would have said?  Perhaps it would not have become such a big issue after all, if he were to have said a word about it.  But even in his own times, there was dissent and difference of opinion.  When he spoke of him being the bread of life and his body their nourishment, some of his faithful disciples did not like it and left his side.  So there is no big surprise that there are disagreements and differences of opinion even among the leaders, or frontline protagonists on the same side. 

It made me think of a surgery to remedy an ailment.  A cut is made, the remedy done and the wound stitched up.  The wound may heal but the scar remains.  What is once cut will never regain the original bond.  These debates concerning the betterment of religion, while debated in good faith, need not always yield perfect solutions.  (Perhaps ayurvedic treatment is better... no side-effects, but takes time!)

Nature's royal colours

With the glorious sunshine, warmth and the good rains in the past few days, the whole country is now green!  While the grass is all green on the ground level, the trees offer a variety.  With different trees at different stages of spring growth, there are varieties of green.  The only other colour bursting forth and providing an excellent contrast to the various shades of green are the occasional red or purple colour plants or trees.  Got to see and admire this lovely sights around the Founder's block at Royal Holloway. I think it is the Purple Beech tree or the Red leaf maple. Whatever the name, it looks gorgeous!

The Founder's West block in the backdrop