Humility and Gratitude - On the Verge of Extinction?

Optimus Prime: Movie Transformers
Source: Google

    "There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve, but who we are and why we are here, are not among them, those answers we carry inside.” Optimus Prime, the primary hero and the leader of the Autobots in the Movie "Transformers", despite possessing advanced robotic brilliance, matchless weaponry and incredible power learnt this profound truth that he and his bots weren’t omniscient. And yet, we humans repeatedly fail to come terms with it, don't we?

    The recent tweets and comments of how Mumbai’s spirit has forced the cyclone to leave the city left me thinking, do we even realize what we are talking about or is it just again one of those moments where we get so carried away that we choose to ignore the harsh ground reality while pretending it's all good only because the odds turned out a little bit in our favour even though we had nothing to do with it. While I am relieved beyond measure that the cyclone didn’t turn out as ghastly as it was perceived by the authorities, especially when they had mobilized the Indian Navy Rescue Team in advance, it’s downright foolishness to talk as if we overpowered the cyclone. We didn’t. We were no Supernatural Avengers in making it change its direction. For some reason, the cyclone lost its intensity leaving us unscathed and we couldn't be more assuaged. Had it not done so, then we, especially Mumbai would be now grappling with another massive problem to deal with, as if this virus didn't jeopardize us already.

    Some pictures are floating on the internet showing how the storms blew away many rooftops, collapsed a few walls and the landfall uprooted the trees injuring and even killing a handful. As unfortunate as that it is for all those distressed families, so far, the damage has been relatively on the lower side is what we hear. Imagining if the cyclone had indeed made its way into the city with its full force and vigor, makes me shudder. Because once again, the poor would have been the first ones to literally find themselves in the 'eye of the storm'. With their livelihood already destroyed, their houses would have been knocked down too. Many would have been injured and who knows how many lives would have been taken. Rich might find a way out or rebuild their lives, but what about the poor who account to nearly 40% of Mumbai’s population? The city can talk all about its spirit, but recently it has made very clear on how it chose to treat the migrants and the poor, but that’s a topic for some other day.

    What I am trying to say here is, that no matter how advance we claim to progress in technology and brag about our strong economy, there would always remain a gap of “the unknown” which is going to surprise us or cripple us in the form of floods, earthquakes, locusts, Corona, Amphan, Nisarga or something else. We are not invincible as we like to call ourselves to be. We can plan all kinds of plans to take a trip to the moon or mars, but even earth itself is beyond our control. Life and death are beyond our control. 'Nothing is impossible with us' is not always true. We will never know certain things and the ones we do know are the ones that were meant for us to know. The more we accept this, the more grateful we will be for what we have, the more grateful we are the more humble we will be, the more we stay humble, the more as an individual and and as a nation will we be filled with empathy for our fellowmen which is the need of the hour.

    One of the famous authors, Rick Warren says, “Humility is not denying your strengths, it’s being honest about your weaknesses”. How true! Sometimes I can’t help but wonder if the situation in Mumbai would have been a little manageable if we had braced ourselves better or sought assistance way back from other states who implemented better strategies to contain the virus. But our prideful Mumbai spirit wouldn’t allow it, because we are "self-sufficient folks". And what if around the globe, instead of hanging on to our vain political agendas, each country had worked hand in hand with its own leaders and others as well as towards the same goal of saving more lives, would we have succeeded? Odds are we may have.

    Then why do we choose to rather puff out our chest and let our own people die instead of stretching out our hands to others for help or to save lives? What good is that prideful spirit which doesn't grieve or care for its own? Isn't that how we've become - less humble, less grateful and even less sensitive. If this pandemic and all other misfortunes attacking us left, right and center doesn’t show us who we are and what we've become, then I don't know what will.

    So for once, how about instead of bragging we are the ones to spare the cyclone (even if its just a joke), we leave our pride aside and stay humble and grateful that the cyclone in its mercy spared us. 

#StayHumble #StayGrateful #BeThankful #BeSensitive