Let’s Not Be Easy On Ourselves: A Lesson From Brussels And Others.

My heart goes to the entire city of Brussels.

Planting a bomb is easy. Detonating one is easier. And remotely exploding some place is the easiest. But what is difficult is planting a sapling. Bursting a water balloon on someone’s head. And calling someone miles away just to say ‘Hi’.

We are always inclined towards things that are easy. Things that require very little or no effort to think or judge. And it begins right from our childhood. Failing in an exam- cheat. Caught doing something not right- lie. And this grows up to become an essential part of our personality. Stressed because of a situation- take drugs. Not working out- escape. Facing failure- blame.

But this is not how we should be. We should be thinking more. Deciding more. Balancing more. Being considerate more. Living simply more.

I do not know how terrorists think. I do not know how they end up being a terrorist. But i do know, that they were also once as human as you and me are. May be, for some that moment of being a human is too far off in the distant memories of childhood. But still, it was there as a part of them. And then, they decided to do something everyone was doing. Something everyone told them to do. Something they didn’t think of. Something that was not themselves.

Let’s not be easy on ourselves. Not one bit. If you like something, pursue it. If you want something, ask for it. If you have thoughts of sinking, ask for a life boat. If you are taking up arms, ask for the reason. A valid one. One which you could ask yourself for justification when you’re looking at the mirror.

I’m 25. Not much of an age. But i have seen myself making mistakes. And brooding over them, for a very long period of time. And it has resulted in nothing good. Ever.

My life, is just like yours. It’s no different than yours. You may not have money. I do not have it too. But we can both do something to ‘earn’ it. Not ‘get’ it.

You may not have a family. I too, lost many near and dear ones. But we both can be a family to someone else. Like i did.

You may not have a friend. Believe me, I have lost many. But we both can extend a hand for friendship. Ask for friendship.

You may not have a partner to love. I’ve too never had. But we both can be sincere towards someone or something and trust me, love will reflect back.

You may not have hope. I too didn’t have. But i woke up every morning just to live one more day the life i wanted. We both can try this.

You may not have an arm or a leg. I have survived tumor and battling blood poisoning. But we both can forget about what we don’t have, and see what we do.

And finally, you may not have someone to tell you, guide you, mentor you, or just listen to you. Believe me, i was also at this threshold. Ready to end this life. But i didn’t. Because i was told, by my own self, that this is not what God/Allah/Jesus or any other being who has created me, would like to see me doing. I didn’t.

So don’t be easy on yourself. Not one bit. It may hurt. It may bruise. It may bleed. But if you truly love something or someone, follow it till the last breath. And make sure, that it is constructing you. Not destroying you. And it is, by far the most difficult thing that you’ll ever do. But it will somehow, make everything easier. Because you will connect with your true self and nothing matters more than that.

Pray that we be tough on ourselves.

My heart goes to every individual of Brussels.

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