Thursday, December 11, 2008

A post script to the Mumbai attacks...

Much has been talked and written about the terrible attacks on Mumbai just two weeks ago... And the pain that has been felt by us all is actually indescribable, to say the least... However, here's another point of view:

My 8 year old nephew has been hearing the word 'terrorists' and 'bomb blasts' for the past some time now. He was asking us about who terrorists were, why were they coming to Mumbai only and was concerned as to what they wanted. In our attempt to placate the young mind, we just said they are 'bad' people who hurt others and destroy... and that they are not just coming to Mumbai, but all over India. Which got him wondering more and asking us, 'but why our country only?'... and in all his innocence he answered his own question, "Of course it is because they don't have a country as beautiful as ours and are also jealous, so they want to take it over and because they can't they are trying to destroy it".

We then tried giving him a peek in the future by saying that these bad people who are coming are also making people living here bad...like one rotten apple makes the entire pile rotten adage... To which he confidently replied, "So What? There are so many lakhs of good people in India, that even if some become bad, there are more who are good and will overcome them." His view about his country is so clear- no matter what, his country is the best. It is a view that many of us as adults lack.

It's such a beautiful viewpoint- if we see it from the point of the children of this country- who are not totally aware of the acute gravity of what happened, the politics or the aftermath attached with it...but know in their heart that their country is wonderful and good will always prevail.

If we see the larger picture truly and have this unequivocal love and pride for India that comes from within, and the positivity that no harm can ever happen as long as we are all there together ... The future of India is definitely secure, no matter what.