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.