Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Seperating our sins

“All you need is love” a great man once said. Remember this.
Separation is defined as the act of keeping apart or dividing. That’s the definition in the dictionary but when it comes to separation amongst ourselves as human beings we forget that we separate ourselves from what we believe in and how we behave. We separate ourselves from everything. We try to create boundaries between ourselves because in some twisted way it makes sense in our heads. We view ourselves as superficial name tags instead of actually connecting ourselves to ourselves. We define ourselves based on our origin or religion or race or class but what we forget is that in actuality we are all humans. I do not understand how we continue to separate ourselves from others and also separate ourselves from ourselves.
In my life I have experienced separateness because of the places I have lived in. I have never lived in the place I was born or around it. I was brought up in many different cultures. No matter where I lived I felt like I was trying to preserve my culture while living in a different culture. These things were a lot easier to see in India because the language and food was different. When I went to the states the issue of separateness became very lost in the smaller differences like the color of my skin or my accent. However I also perpetuated it as I used it to fit in. (kind of ironic)

It is much easier in my eyes to separate ourselves from others as we can find different things that can be different from them. We have seen these acts of separating ourselves in the stories of the Nazi commander who killed hundreds of people and went back and sang his kid to bed. But I have noticed these breaks of morals that we hold true on a daily basis. We intend to do good things but we don’t.
Our separation leads to more separation. When we are separated within we cannot help but separate ourselves from others. However there comes a point in our lives when we realize that we are separating ourselves from ourselves and others and a drastic change in our lifestyle occurs. This transformation doesn’t have to be “epic” or mind-blowing but it does happen in a fashion that if a man were to look at it carefully, it would move him.
I don’t know what it is that makes us do things that are aligned with our morals opposed to why we don’t. But somewhere in our minds we know that point and we hide from it. Because it means sacrifice from our current lifestyles and when someone does reach that point it is usually because they have been put in places where they have hit that point enough times.
But I am really scared. It is really hard for me to think about separation and to feel like things are never going to be peaceful and calm. It is in man’s inherent nature to compete and those emotions get magnified with bad experiences. I think, however, that by slowly changing the way we treat each other we can bring that change. My fear however, is everlastingly being converted to hope. And I believe that even though we might not be able to make the whole world be in complete peace I want to know that I acted from a place of love and compassion from within my heart. A place of love. Because “all you need is love”.

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  2. A poem I wrote maybe two years back...kinda reflects but not very much..also its not written in 1 flowing frame of mind..I dont know where the god came from..im more like a struggling atheist or agnostic or watevr..anyway..

    LIFE, MAN AND GOD

    I was born a human,
    Looked a lot like one,
    I was named an Indian,
    Along with another one billion,
    I was branded a Brahmin,
    And was expected to imitate my kin.
    This was the tag I came along with,
    Like a poster over my face,
    But did I try to bust all myths?
    No, I just joined the race,
    The race for money and power
    If only I knew before,
    It would turn my life all sour.

    I was taught to distinguish
    Between the poor man’s platter,
    And the rich man’s dish.
    In the name of creed and caste,
    I was taught to discriminate,
    Or the ‘others’ may lure us,
    Alas! It just led to more hate.
    Being a journalist I was taught
    To make all news spicy and hot.
    Who wants to know the truth, right?
    It’s better to watch actresses fight.

    And though
    All this was taught to me,
    I didn’t have to learn. Did I?
    But I did learn. I did.

    Now,
    When I am tired of this perennial race,
    As death breathes upon my face.
    Oh Lord, I realize,
    The race wasn’t for money, power or fame,
    It was so that,
    You and I could be same,
    So that I could be one with you
    So that the meandering brook
    Of my life
    Could reach one ultimate
    Divine confluence.
    I am a sinner, I repent.
    I never lived for what really meant.
    I can only hope now that,
    My fellow men got
    The message you sent.

    --R PARVATHI(PARO)

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