Its like wide streets, getting smaller narrow, as we headed past childhood, where “the mind was without fear & the head held high,” (Tagore).
Now I’m learning that Borders are more than hemlines, and Race not just feet running to a Timer. War was in History books; Democracy – a constant;
what never changed was that we were taught from young, to pray for our Governments. Gran did that every morning. She read the papers and listened to political news along with Beatles on Radio Sri Lanka. She was horrified at Mini-skirts, and she wept prayers for us children to be bold, walk tall, good people, not taking advantage of anyone, even ourselves.
Ma after her, was the product of that kind of praying. She ran a Govt all by herself in every locality we lived at; she could’ve run for Office. And she did,that with us girls, raising us like sons next to a neighbour that lived under the Purdah, once a
…landlord who didnt like our nonveg creed. She told him what came out our mouths was important, not what we put in it. She stood up to another Neighbor that beat her daughter for being born a girl. There was casteism, forms of local beliefs that opposed human rights – Ma wrapped her sari round her shoulders, lifted her head high and told them that we were all children of the living God, if we’d take that gift.
One Christmas on a tribal island, she and dad had every one home for dinner, and gave out Brotherhood till no one dared display meanness to each other even in the name of local law.
I saw and still see good people around, that represent the essence of why we are a nation, of what our responsibilities are. How have I changed?
Today I’m not praying for my nation/ continent/planet from a back pew. I’m saying it out loud. Unashamed to say am praying Diaries! Yes I’ve had a prayer diary for my earth, with cut outs of faces, news clips, and dark headlines. Its worked? Some did. Local / cross border chaos has alerted me, like never before to care deeply for our leaders. Every morning I pray that the Lord God will meet our Heads of State/ Ministers/ Chiefs/Presidents/ Heads of Governance… That God will bless them with His kindv wisdom, Grace, Justice and unlimited persistence in completing good works begun.
Watched “Unbroken” last night – a True story, hard to believe that, in a Time where it is survival of the fittest, any which way.
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