I recently met a soldier in the Army who became a friend. And this morning he shared with me a newspaper report about colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Lance Naik Dinesh, Naik Rajesh, and police sub-inspector Shakeel Qazi being killed yesterday after a firefight with two terrorists.
He also said that in such times its the Army vs India and the rest of the World.
I asked him what he meant by that because I didn't understand fully.
He said, for India- this news hardly matters.
And it's true. Had I not met him, I would have read it in the newspaper as just another news I'd roll my eyes over. I would not spare a thought about the immense loss to all these families. Today, every news report coming from Kashmir relating to the army has suddenly started mattering to me.
We've become so immune to violence and receiving sad news that we have now learned to ignore it, turn a blind eye to it. And move on.
Seven families are bereaving and it doesn't matter to India. To the World. I say seven, because, if and when the families of the terrorists know of their son, brother, husband, a father losing life, no matter who they were, which side of the battle they were on, I think it's going to hurt. And hurt deeply. Because death is permanent. And losing life matters.
And while our army men (and their families by extension) have chosen to be in this profession, today I want to appeal to the World and to Indians- to please stop. Spare a thought. Perhaps, pray if you can for these families. As these small gestures matter. Be sensitive, nurture empathy- as this matters. It shows solidarity, it brings comfort to the bereaving.
We turn a blind eye to so many other things too.
We turn a blind eye to domestic/sexual violence. Every day in the paper, someone somewhere experiences violence.
We turn a blind eye to the poor around us.
We don't want to be sensitive. We want to be practical. We choose the path of convenience. I choose the path of convenience.
I know that I can't change all of the world's problems, but I also know that by being sensitive and being empathetic, I am ushering in a big change in small ways. Perhaps, if not anything else, I can at the least offer a listening ear to someone's story of experiencing violence or inequality. Perhaps, I can adopt a homeless child and provide him/her with a loving home environment and access to opportunities so as to be able to make a life for himself/herself.
The possibilities are immense if one were to stop and think about it deeply. And there is always a way if there is a will. The first step is to generate the will. And this starts with stopping to care. Sparing a thought. And this is my humble request.
He also said that in such times its the Army vs India and the rest of the World.
I asked him what he meant by that because I didn't understand fully.
He said, for India- this news hardly matters.
And it's true. Had I not met him, I would have read it in the newspaper as just another news I'd roll my eyes over. I would not spare a thought about the immense loss to all these families. Today, every news report coming from Kashmir relating to the army has suddenly started mattering to me.
We've become so immune to violence and receiving sad news that we have now learned to ignore it, turn a blind eye to it. And move on.
Seven families are bereaving and it doesn't matter to India. To the World. I say seven, because, if and when the families of the terrorists know of their son, brother, husband, a father losing life, no matter who they were, which side of the battle they were on, I think it's going to hurt. And hurt deeply. Because death is permanent. And losing life matters.
And while our army men (and their families by extension) have chosen to be in this profession, today I want to appeal to the World and to Indians- to please stop. Spare a thought. Perhaps, pray if you can for these families. As these small gestures matter. Be sensitive, nurture empathy- as this matters. It shows solidarity, it brings comfort to the bereaving.
We turn a blind eye to so many other things too.
We turn a blind eye to domestic/sexual violence. Every day in the paper, someone somewhere experiences violence.
We turn a blind eye to the poor around us.
We don't want to be sensitive. We want to be practical. We choose the path of convenience. I choose the path of convenience.
I know that I can't change all of the world's problems, but I also know that by being sensitive and being empathetic, I am ushering in a big change in small ways. Perhaps, if not anything else, I can at the least offer a listening ear to someone's story of experiencing violence or inequality. Perhaps, I can adopt a homeless child and provide him/her with a loving home environment and access to opportunities so as to be able to make a life for himself/herself.
The possibilities are immense if one were to stop and think about it deeply. And there is always a way if there is a will. The first step is to generate the will. And this starts with stopping to care. Sparing a thought. And this is my humble request.
No comments:
Post a Comment