I AM KANAK... AND HERE I AM










Today was the first session of our P.D. Programme (2017). The 17-year-old Mahak had encouraged her 15-year-old cousin brother, Dhruv, and her own sister, Kanak, 13,  to join the programme. 

 God makes each one of us different… rather special. Kanak finds it  difficult to open up… She is extremely shy and nervous. So, today, when I was encouraging our young-ones to tell us their names – while seated – Kanak’s name passed just like a ship passing by the night. “Beta, we did not get it,” I gently prodded, “Tell it loudly and clearly again.”

“I am KANAK,” the little lady managed to gather more stream to tell us who she was!

“That’s good,” I praised her for her courage, “Your self-confidence starts with your own name… believe in it… Believe that you are good… You have the right to be yourself.”

I show our young-ones several inspiring videos. I have kept ready many gripping stories about Malala, the young Pakistani girl, now 19, who goes around the world, meeting heads of nations speaking from every august podium… just to propagate one cause: education for girl child!

Malala’s father, a teacher, ran a small school in her village, Swat valley. Malala, then barely 13, was very fond of books and education. When, overnight, Taliban invaded the valley and took control of the it, the gunmen destroyed homes, shops, schools, temples and  churches, all alike. The school run by Malala’s father was turned into a rubble in a wink... and they all fled for their lives… But, Malala refused to bow down before the gunmen… She refused to give up her love for books and education… One afternoon, in October, 2012, the gunmen entered the school-bus, in which Malala and her friends were commuting,  screaming, “Who is Malala?”

“I am Malala,” replied the brave girl!

Malala was shot at point-blank… Three bullets… one of them passed a few threads above her eyes… yet, the young lady survived miraculously…

The rest is history!

Malala inspired the entire world with her grit and sole mission: education to every girl child and gender equality.

At 17, Malala became the youngest Nobel Prize recipient. Nation after nation recognized Malala for her courage and mission… “I am Malala” became the symbol of human dignity and self-confidence… Yes, later, became the title of her sensational book, too!

Yes, just as I told, this morning, our own 13-year-old in the class, “Say it loudly and proudly… I am KANAK!!!”

There is a whole world of truth packed in that one little assertion: “I am KANAK.” Yes, if we do not have faith in our own name, our own identity and self-worth… how can we ever feel confident in life?

“Start with your own name,” I keep reminding our young Malalas and Kanaks, “Say I am MALALA… I am KANAK.”






Today is Holy Thursday. The Passion of the Christ is about to begin…

Jesus Christ’s last hours are approaching… He knows what was coming upon Him… the torture, humiliation, Crucifixion…. He is human here on this earth and, so, he is afraid and left in turmoil… His courage has waned… doubt has come to overtake Him… He has become weak, vulnerable… He goes into the lonely garden of Gethsemane and prays to His Father… again and again, “Father do away this Test from me… but, if it is Your wish, Thy will be done.”

It is only after this powerful prayer of ‘acceptance of God’s will’, that Jesus finds in his soul the courage to face the blood-thirsty mob who has come with torches, lanterns and weapons… “Who is it you want?” He asks looking into their eyes… “Jesus of Nazareth,” they reply… “Here is He,” Jesus stretches his arms to offer Himself… The Holy Books says, “They drew back and fell to the ground,” on hearing it. So, He asks them once again, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they reply… “I told you that I am he!”

And, they capture Jesus and take Him away for what was to be fulfilled!


Fear is there in each one of us… It was there in little girl Malala… It was there in the Son of God, too… It is there in you, me and little Kanak… All that we need to learn is, to go on our knees and pray for the courage to say…

 "I am KANAK...

and here I AM.”


GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Avinash Mantri

Video: YouTube



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...