Daily Fix
Do Something
T. SHER SINGH
When I stand back and survey the panorama from time to time, I am often reminded that there’s a whole world out there that reflects life’s ironies and reminds us not to take things TOO seriously.
There’s humour of sorts in everything -- thank God! -- and it helps me ensure that I don’t ever slide into inaction and too much reverie.
I remember marvelling in law school how the names of opposing parties in a litigation often came together -- at random, of course -- loaded with irony.
A landmark case involving a horrendous case of sexual harassment, for example, had the real-life name of “Cherie Bell v. The Flaming Steer House Tavern.”
Once I became a lawyer, I had to have occasional dealings with a law firm called “Smart & Biggar”. Really. Really?
Some day, I’ll list for you my collection of such examples of .. what else could you possibly call it? … ‘God’s Humour’.
Then there’s India’s mass-murderer of the day, Sajjan Kumar.
The words in his name literally mean the “prince of goodness”.
Unlike his famous namesake from history - Sajjan the Thug - who had renounced his evil ways and had turned himself into a model citizen after his redemption at the feet of Guru Nanak, Kumar remains a thug.
Though the latest verdict on the worldly fate of this 1984 criminal came as no surprise, at the very least I needed, as always, some comic relief to cope with the anger and the sadness that usually accompanies much that emanates from that sad country. Even if I have to grasp at straws and dig deep into the wells of life’s ironies.
But as Sikhs, heirs to so many blessings from our Gurus, we have other, richer wellsprings at our disposal.
They are in our DNA.
Collectively, they’re called chardi kala.
It comes into play not when things are rosy but when they are challenging. Especially, when there are dark clouds above, it instantly provides the silver linings.
It turns anger into energy, and we get invigorated into action.
It turns sadness into sehaj whereby we welcome the lows that life brings, with the same aplomb that we employ when savouring joy and success.
Times when bad things happen are opportunities for us to grow.
Never should we allow them to be wasted opportunities.
Those of us who live in free societies, immersed in opportunity and affluence, we should never let ourselves be distracted into empty protests and endless arguments into who did what and why and when and where …
These are times to tap into the energy unleashed within us by our enemies and turn it into a constructive force.
I, for example, renew my vows to myself every time there’s cause to be sad or angry … and with so much to be done, in a way, each time it’s a gift.
Our enemies serve us so well … in the Miltonian sense (“They also serve who only stand and wait …” In fact they do far better than merely stand and wait, by reminding us over and over again that we have miles to go … that there is no time for rest.
This day too, with more news of how India has failed yet again on doing the right and decent thing, is one to renew our personal vows.
To take on small, manageable tasks and goals for ourselves.
I, for one, promise myself that I will do at least ONE thing EVERY day which will add to the community effort. No matter how small, how insignificant, how unknown.
If each one of us does that -- if not every day, how about once a week? -- no matter what our strengths are, no matter how limited or varied our resources are, we will change our world … and we will change the world at large.
The trick is in working in teams, in supporting others who are on our wave-length, and helping each little project become a little bit better and bigger and faster …
If I feel isolated or cannot think of anything I can do on any given day -- and it can be helping out another Sikh who needs help; supporting a Sikh institution; doing seva; etc. -- I turn inwards and work on myself, because there’s so much work to be done there. It’s equally important, as much as working for world peace: “munn jeetay jugg jeet - conquer thyself, you’ve conquered the world!”
So, let’s not fritter away this opportunity when we can allow Sajjan Kumar to turn each one of us into real sajjans.
Sure, it feels good to complain and holler and scream.
But it feels even better, trust me, if we DO something too.
Something.
Anything.
Do.
Not just talk about it.
[What're YOU gonna do today!]
May 2, 2013