Good Thoughts?

I had to write this before I could post any more blogs.

I planned to write on this blog because I believe every person gets good thoughts once in a while, and it is a part of being a good human being to develop these thoughts and make them known to people. I believe doing our part in spreading our good thoughts definitely helps in increasing the good will in the world.

But where does one get good thoughts from? There always are minor squibbles in each person's life. And most of us get over them and smile in front of the world neverthless. That smile might be fake sometimes for most of us, but still it gives sense of hope. A smile returned with another smile, even from a stranger, gives a sense that there is some good existing in the world. There is this sense of things being in order. We play these little games, but they do a lot in maintaining a sense of well-being in the world.

But last week has been shocking and I personally found it difficult to maintain that smile. And it was not for personal reasons. First, my city, Mumbai, was attacked. Again. For absolutely no fault of theirs, more than 200 people lost their lives, and around 1000 were injured. This comes along when the wounds of Varanasi blasts have not even started healing! For some it may be a way for gaining political clout, for others, mean to spread their version of a religion and for yet some other people, a simple means to vent their frustrations with what they think is wrong. But for those who died, and their families, it meant the end of the world, the breaking of a sweet thing called 'home'.

This was not just a single incident. There is havoc going on in the Middle East, not to forget Afganistan and Iraq. There was a bomb-blast in Pakistan too. Without going into who is right or wrong, any action or inaction leading to the death of so many people is wrong. There is news that some 600 Indian farmers committed suicide because of various reasons - not able to support their families, pay loans and malnutrition. In any other country, 600 suicides in a span of a few months would have become the talk of the whole nation. In this case, neither the media, nor the government seemed concerned.

Terrorism, hunger, poverty, lack of education, diseases... the list goes on. These are the real problems facing us today. No matter how much optimism one has, one has to accept that the world is going through a very bad phase now. Not only is it bad that about half the world is hungry, the problem is the other half doesnt care about it.

In this context, where do the good thoughts fit in? How does one flaunt the smile to a stranger when the inside is full of disappointment, anger, resentment and depression? The answer, I believe is again in hope! In spite of all the bad things happenning, there still are people working for others. There still are the common men and women of the world who believe in the value of life and love. The same blasts in Mumbai which signified inhuman acts by some men gave an opportunity for others to show their human side. There were 100s in the hospitals within an hour of the blasts to volunteerily donate blood. That is a sign that the indomitable will of human spirit is still strong and nothing can crush it.

Sai baba, a sage from India, said the biggest mantra for a human being is 'shraddha and saburi' - faith and patience. With these, a man can climb mountains of difficulties. There is still faith in the human side of people, in the fact that even in this age of inhuman killings, there are people who believe helping another individual is their duty and can derive happiness from doing it. All we need is patience. If there is any strength in the feeling of love, the human spirit shall survive - as it has done in the past.

Meanwhile, we should all do our little part in spreading the good will. We should all still give that free smile spreading happiness, we should still use our means and facilties to spread our good thoughts. There might be a dark night going on, but the only thing that will come out of it is a bright morrow.

Let us all join hands and work for the survival of good will and love. Let us all wish for a happy world and spread the hope. Let us all give that smile!:)