Peace on Earth Part II

The twittersphere and much of facebook is so dominated by gangrape posts, it frightens me. Is there really so much bile, anger, resentment, frustration, self importance and delusion in people I actually know?

What happened to "let he who hasn't sinned, cast the first stone"?

Or to "change yourself before trying to change others"?

Or to those three fingers that point squarely back at you?

What happened to forgiveness? Is it too hard, or just not the fashionable thing to do any more?

When I tweeted, with mild trepidation, that perpetrators are victims too, I got some noisy disagreements. Is knowledge of basic criminology so low, or is it just convenient to ignore it when the popular shout is "Crucify him, crucify him"?

On Christmas eve, I would like to humbly offer this opinion - that violence of any kind, to any individual or species, is abhorrent. The rape of a soul, or spirit, or heart, or mind, takes longer to heal, and causes more far reaching and insidiously hideous effects than the rape of the body - but makes no media news, because it is invisible.

And who among us has not committed that crime, has not bent another's will to suit our own, has not contributed to mass murder by distance?

Ahimsa, non violence, is perhaps the only answer to our times. Buddha preached it. Mahatma Gandhi practised it. Christ both preached and practised it.

Tragic that we the people of India, who once used it to overthrow a super empire, now ape the West with candlelight protests and two minutes of media fame. Sound and fury signifying nothing.

Non-violence is not easy. It requires soul searching, quietitude, genuine compassion for all beings good or evil, followed by enlightened means to rectify and save. It's the only slow but sure way to a better society.

Sharing once again my Christmas blogpost after the 26/11 attacks. It saddens me that it continues to be relevant four years later. But then, that is the wonder of life.

http://lynnisms.blogspot.in/2008/12/while-preparing-to-compose-christmas.html



 

The roaring tide

My favourite movie of all time remains the one and only Born Free. Watching the story of Elsa as a little girl created in me a deep and abiding love for animals and nature.

Every single time I listen to the original song, tears spring to my eyes even as a smile will touch my lips, as the memories of all the animals I have rescued and loved come rushing out.

Here is a modern version created by the Born Free Foundation. It lacks the soufulness of the original, though May's guitar work is as resplendant as always. And the magic of the lyrics with their promise of freedom, no matter what, is perennial.

You're free as the roaring tide...so there's no need to hide.....

 

Comfortably numb

Have been swimming lazily below the surface the past fortnight, staying out of the public eye, except for a few tweets. Came up for air a couple of times to meet a few useful business contacts for coffee at Costa's.

But did venture out to turn a couple of somersaults and nose a few balls at the Lintastic Diwali party on the 7th where they dedicated a nostalgic Bollywood "please don't go so soon" type of song to me, while I stood indelicately on the wrought iron park bench (see pic below). I also gave out the prizes for all the nonsensical games - bottles and cans of various persuasions from beer to pickle to perfume.

Now to get to work on my talk for the India for Animals Conference in Panjim later this week. Mmm, but the waters are so warm and comforting, I'd rather just keep gliding along.

Significant journeys

More than a year has passed since I last posted here. My klout score is 63, and  Qnary score is 55. Facebook, twitter and linkedin rule my social media world.  No one visits this blog anymore, so it's a good place to speak softly to myself and hear it back years later. I come back here to the long form only when something momentous happens.

Like on October 26th, my birthday. And the last officially public day of an entire era in my life. I had stepped down as Chairman and CEO of Lintas Media Group, and the fact would be made public the following Monday.

God is great. He ensured that I spent the last few hours of my tenure in a tough and powerful post in the cutthroat world of advertising and media in the most relaxing yet inspiring way possible. Aboard a small yet highly resourceful boat that was built and first wet her bow in Goan waters. That set sail for a nonstop solo circumnavigation of the world a few days later. Whose journey coincides ironically with my own internal journey to a new life in the social development space, as the restraint period imposed on me comes to a close after seven months.

By the time INSV Madhei returns home successfully, as I am sure she will, I will hopefully have launched my new venture aimed at helping less privileged Indians using my own special and unique skills.

I will follow the posts written by the boat's brave captain almost like a compass. The most important journeys in life can only be travelled alone. One can share the experiences with others, but can one can only experience them alone.

Here are some pictures:http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151514262669546.592082.552584545&type=3