Or does it? I sometimes harbour doubts. Everywhere around us, the instances of people who don’t follow this abound. And they are doing as well for themselves.
Honesty gives one peace of mind and can help one hit the pillow at night without regrets. Apart from that those who go against this thought are the ones who prosper. I grow a conscience in everything I do which makes me do only what’s right. Looking around I find myself out-numbered and ruthlessly side lined.
Whether in professional offices, all economic life, in the services, in educational institutions, everywhere it’s those who market themselves well, without content or substance but can verbalize their nonsense are considered worth listening too. Or those who by a crooks’ skill can take centre stage. Or those who plagiarize ideas and thoughts and project them to be theirs. Or those who are loud and unrelenting in outshouting others. Or those who incessantly profuse wisdom while those who know better mysteriously choose to keep quiet. The adage ‘empty vessels make the maximum noise’, I guess wasn’t made from nothing.
My country’s first Prime Minister, who has subsequently been maligned much for political reasons, had said a few words whose context I do not remember, but I have liked them so much that they have stayed with me since I was a teenager. He wisely said, “Strength does not lie in strong language or shouting but in other things.” Sadly, never given a thought by many.
Over the years as I have lived my life in this world, I have wondered often whether it is a dis-service to our own honesty too, if we let an injustice happen, especially when we see it or have known it or are aware of it? A question and doubt which I haven’t been able to ascertain an answer for from many around me. The divisions in society on this aspect are extensive and stark. People hide behind the cloak of ‘I do no harm, but I cannot take responsibility of the world’. Find such clued-up experts of pseudo theories an aberration on established viewpoints.
A life lived for just oneself which has been of no use to anyone or one which hasn’t left the world a better place, I believe was just mere existence and not ‘lived’.
Living and savouring each moment, taking in all around me, even if distant, reacting to every situation around me, valuing what is said to me, honouring every word of what I say that’s honesty which I guess makes my life credible.
Well, hopefully!
Where the kids have not disappointed, as usual it’s the adults – especially from my country for no one who we have written to: politicians, new channels – none have reacted to this valiant response by the children who have opened out their hearts for all the Front-line warriors fighting the COVID 19 virus by making sure our essential services run while we stay indoors.
But you don’t know the indomitable spirit of some of us who BELIEVE – believe in doing good, believe in spreading cheer, believe in believing even in these trying times!!
Wickedlyours 