A Citizen’s Agony

                                                                                                     Oct 20, 2001  

A Citizen’s Agony

 
These are trying times. Since WW II, the world has seen many conflicts but by and large there have been a tremendous social and economic progress all around. Many citizens of the world learnt to live together and progressed in education and understanding of each other. 
September 11th 2001 will be written in the history books as the watershed when the world took few steps backwards in trust and compassion for other human beings. As ordinary citizens, we are agonized as to how to live our lives. We look at everything at a different perspective. We have questions galore! The future is so uncertain. We are not sure of the economy and of our investments. All old rules are in tethers at this time. We question all our decisions. Many times, we are also inflicted with remorse. 

The Government tells us not to worry but at the same time we find nervousness in their actions. We need to develop heightened awareness as to what is lurking around the corner.  
After all these years of progress, education and understanding of each other’s culture and religion, why is such barbaric behaviour amongst us? Some time back we had Hitler, Stalin and others who were educated and sophisticated in their thinking yet their cruelty had no bounds. These days we have Bin Laden and his likes terrorizing the ordinary citizens for some unknown causes or perceived wrongs of history.  
The terrorism associated with the events (and resultant torture and killings of fellow human beings) in Middle East, Palestine/Israel, North Ireland, Kashmir, Albania, Yugoslavia, and Africa are heart rending. What is happening in Afghanistan is not pretty. The terrorists have run amok. It seems the world has gone mad. So we believe!  We are made aware that life is cruel and fragile. The pain and suffering in far away lands is searing our souls. 
The present event will need to work itself out. We, as ordinary citizens, have no control on the events but we need to be prepared for and bear the consequences as these may unfold. We cannot relent and we shall continue with our daily lives but more aware of our family, friends and community around us.  We need to expand our horizon and not clamp down on our activities, shopping, travels and extending our hand of compassion to fellow human beings. 
All religions and cultures sing about peace and humanity but in reality evil men misrepresent these religions to achieve their evil ends. Violence begets violence! Our prayers are that sanity will prevail and violence will be extinguished. We pray that we have amongst us leaders who will take lessons from likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King and while proactive to fight injustices they approach the issues with non-violent methods.  I would like to offer the following prayer, which may help, hopefully, to extinguish our agony. 
Forgive do I creatures all, and let all creatures forgive me.

Unto all have I amity, and unto none enmity.  Know that
violence is the root cause of all miseries in the world.

Violence, in fact, is the knot of bondage. “Do not injure any living being.”
This is the eternal, perennial, and unalterable way of spiritual life.

A weapon, howsoever powerful it may be, can always be superseded by
a superior one; but no weapon can, however, be superior to non-violence
and love.
 
Pravin Shah

PRAYERS FOR PEACE - Jain Prayers for Peace

Playing with fire