None of us humans in the planet could have seen this pandemic of epic proportions coming. But few things are becoming apparent in these times…
“I don’t have a feeling of inferiority. Never had. I am good as anybody, but no better.” – Katherine Johnson (NASA research Mathematician)
The quote resonated with me albeit in a different manner. These words, I felt, applied to the primal instincts of my need for food, water and basic needs, the same as my fellow beings. The common denominator…
These needs take predominance during crisis like this one. It was not visible when things were seemingly normal, but have been shaken and seen to be fragile. The pandemic affected all the physical realms of borders, classes and color ruthless in its imparting of symptoms, no differential treatment.
I thought this pandemic shocked me to reflect and rethink, pause for another millisecond before I took that “another” bag of rice or an that extra carton of long life milk from the super market shelf. The idea that I need to stock up even items that I have never used in the past or will use in future struck me like a thunderbolt.
I am used to throwing items out because it had an expiry date attached to them without a second’s pause.
Did it need this virus to teach me that I have been taking more than necessary just because of my economic ability? Or have I just woken up from a “pretence bubble” ; that a single grain of rice takes seasons through years to harvest and come to our table. Its not to say that I haven’t thought about the food that I threw out. But today that enlightenment probably has arrived.
I have realised that my individual minimalism maximises others availability to items. This, after pretending for so long that my needs are greater than that of others. I cannot be oblivious to another person who co-exists on this beautiful planet, trampling over their essential needs due to my want.
The second lesson, when we moved to Australia with our newborn son, Srini (my husband) performed all jobs as a daily wage labourer. For me that was a lesson first-hand in the dignity of labour. In the aftermath of those hard times, Srini mentioned multiple times that in those moments – he had nightmares of what could happen if he could not fend for his family. His sole mission was to somehow provide the daily bread to his newborn son and me.
Fast forward 2020, my eyes have opened to the dignity of labour of those thousands of individuals who work as daily wage earners. They have travelled from their rural ground to create a livelihood and provide for the daily basic needs of their family. I cannot remain oblivious to those individuals. The very same people who drive our cars, work in our homes to keep it clean and safe for us.
It strikes me today, that even post our short stint in almost starting from scratch – I never realised that I had the wanton disregard for the bounty of resources that were there available to me. The entitlement to everything and easy access to food was embedded within without a conscious awareness. Hoarding or wasting, came very easily to me.
These happenings took me back to a scene in the Tamil movie “Unnal mudiyum Thambi”.
The father is a renowned classical musician is practicing with his son, precisely at that moment, there are cries from outside the gate asking for food. The son is not able to focus on his practice because those calls wrench his heart.
Father: Those off-key cries should not disturb your concentration in the divine practice of music
Son: Do not compare hunger pangs to off-key notes
Father: Only when you bring fives senses to single focal point can you be a great artist
Son: I am human first, then an artist
This particular conversation is so relevant to me today than anytime ever. The able and the talented will not shine as their need to satiate their hunger and thirst comes to the fore and dominates their entire waking life. Even when they close their eyes, it would not be to sleep but out of sheer fatigue and starvation.
If my individual living in “Minimalism” can serve as food if not for hundreds but for one person – we will come through this together and live in a progressive environment.
“If you want to eliminate hunger, everybody has to be involved” – Bono Irish singer-songwriter, musician
Contributed by: Nature’s method blog by Srividya https://vidyasworld26.wordpress.com/
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