Skip to main content

Open-Air Prisons

Love and affection are all open-air prisons here (பாசம் எல்லாம் இங்கே வெட்டவெளி சிறைகள்). How true are Palani Bharathi’s lyrics! There is a kind of quiet captivity in caring, not because we want to escape it, but because we are never really outside it.

A week ago, I was away, and my mother was looking after my dog, Hansie. I gave her all the instructions about his treats. But when she told me he had not touched anything, not even his favourites, I felt heavy-hearted. You know that feeling, if you have ever been there.

The more we see, the more we agree to things that once we believed to be meaningless. Vallalar’s famous words, “Whenever I saw a withered crop, I withered,” speak to many - some connect at a surface level, while others journey deeper to experience their true meaning.

I see them sometimes, on buses or in public places. One day, he screamed loudly, apparently for no reason. Another day, she screamed loudly for the same reason. His mother got used to it. Her mother got used to it. I got used to it too. In fact, nowadays, I don't even turn to look. The mothers no longer seem embarrassed; they simply act in ways to avoid disturbing fellow passengers.

The more you trust God, the less you need answers.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My Book Shelf - Year 2017

I find it difficult to get this reading order. And I guess it would be still harder to read them without changing the order. I may allow one or two new books to be included in this list, if required. Share book reviews and ratings with Kovil Pillai, and even join a book club on Goodreads.

My Reading List -- 3

I love reading books in the predefined order, especially after completing my first two lists ( Reading List 1 , Reading List 2 ). So here is my third list. Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami Murphy’ a Message to Dog Lovers by Ernest Gambier-parry The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life by Lilly Singh Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks ReWork: Change the Way You Work Forever by David Heinemeier Hansson, Jason Fried The Gory Story of Genghis Khan: Aka Don’t Mess with the Mongols by Nayanika Mahtani The Art Of Living : The Classical Manual On Virtue, Happiness And Effectiveness by Epictetus A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens So You Want to Know About Economics by Roopa Pai Wonder by R J Palacio Life is Tremendous: Enthusiasm Makes the Difference by Charlie Jones The Giver by Lois Lowry The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by don Miguel Ruiz Alexander the Great by Jacob Abbot...