I Have A Dream...

Thank you, Dr.Martin Luther King jr. for the abundance of positive energy today.

 It is the 50^th year of the iconic ‘I have a dream’ speech of King, and even though half a century has elapsed, the powerful words of this brilliant orator still exudes the same influence and motivation as before.

Come to think of it, isn’t there a raw power in his words, ‘I have a dream’? I felt so, especially as I read through his speech this morning. I just love hearing powerful orators who motivate and inspire and I must say that I was roused by the powerful words of this timeless orator, who filled me up with hope and goodness, not mention a wonderful energy.

I know I am just an insignificant, common citizen of this nation, but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming and hoping… for better days to come.

I dream that one day, we would be living in a corruption free land where people are not influenced in any manner by money or fame or any other criteria.

I dream that one day we will enjoy democracy in its truest form, and will be led by educated and enterprising leaders who will lead our nation to pinnacles of glory.

I dream that one day my country will not be divided on the basis of caste, creed, color, sex, religion, or political affiliation.

I dream that one day all Indians respect each other’s rituals and religions and live happily in tolerance.

I dream that one day we will learn to value and adhere to the laws of the land.

I dream that one day women would be treated with respect and will not be looked upon as mere objects of man’s lust.

I dream that one day my country would be self sufficient in its agricultural produce and that my countrymen would never go hungry.

I dream that one day our children would respect nature and its bounty, and replenish this land with the greenery that it deserves.

It is my hope, it is my faith, that one day the future would be ours. But instead of dreaming alone, why don’t we make it a collective dream and steadily work towards it?

Join me in my dreams… United we can!!!

The Friday Persona

Come Friday morning and he used to be present at our gates for alms. In fact, his visits were so regular that very often we used to realize the dawn of a Friday only by his presence. Lanky and dark, the shabby man well past his prime was always dressed in a tattered lungi and a full shirt which had seen better days. A makeshift bag created from old scraps of cloth was slung down his stooping shoulders. Perhaps it held all his worldly possessions that had been painstakingly collected through the passage of time…With an unsteady gait the bent skeletal figure tightly gripped the metal frame of the gate as though for support, and rattled the latch so as to announce his arrival to the household.

More than the sound made by the rattling of the latch, it was a deep hollow cough which made us aware of his arrival. As I went out with a few rupees in my hands, I would often witness acute spasms of dry, racking cough that would hit his frail body causing him to gasp for breath. He would accept the money that I handed out to him, acknowledge his gratitude by raising his bony hands to his forehead and depart as insignificantly as he came.

Some Fridays, he would be looking very ill, and as I went out to give him money, he would show me a medical prescription, indicating the need to buy medicines.  Some other days, it would be a wound on his leg which required a doctor’s attention. Then I had to go back to get some more money that I would hand over to him. But sometimes, in my hurry to finish off the morning’s chores before starting off to work, I would willfully choose to ignore the plea in his eyes. I would then see him slowly head towards other homes in our locality, anticipating the generosity of yet another household.

It has been a few months since his visits stopped and often I wonder why he seems to have disappeared… Could it be that he is too ill to move about to make money for his daily bread?
Could it be that he has relocated to another place to visit other homes every Friday?
Or could it be that he has finally found a blissful release from the miseries of this world?

Wish I knew….