As I was driving to work today…. At several of the signal points.. I saw these hawkers… albeit that being a common sight… what set them apart this morning was that instead of selling their usual hand towels or maps or cooling glasses… they were all holding flags… yes.. our tri-color flag… and the weather being so wonderful it is… the flags were soaring out in the wind… making the skis look colorful… my chest swelled with pride at the beauty this scene created.. and a tinge of patriotism filled my heart… and the very next moment.. I felt ashamed… why…? Does it take the occurrence of the independence day to make me feel proud of my country? And then.. I lie a little to my conscious… naa.. I feel patriotic on all days… “really?” asks my conscious… and I contemplate a little… since lying early in the morning is not a very nice way to start the day (esp a Monday!!)… I re-adjust my thoughts.. and reply.. “well.. ok.. not ‘everyday’.. but yes.. most of the days… I do feel proud of my country.. I do feel patriotic..” to that.. my conscious just laughs.. and rests… no further questioning… but this sure sowed a seed of doubt… how many of us truly appreciate being a part of free, democratic
We complain.. we crib.. we yell at the current state of our country.. we have problems with the government… with the taxes.. with the pollution.. the traffic.. the road conditions and so on… and little do we realize that we and nobody else are utmost responsible for this poor state… As responsible and “educated” citizens.. today.. lets take a simple oath to help make this country a better place to live in, in our own small ways… lets agree to follow traffic rules.. not over speed.. avoid drunken driving… not litter or spit on the roads… keep our surroundings clean.. help fund education and food for the not so lucky ones.. discourage begging.. child labor… communal disturbances… encourage literacy.. prevent inequality.. sexual harassment.. avoid drugs.. learn to respect one another… appreciate the privileges we have…
A more effective way would be to actually join the system to flush our the dirt… but for several reasons including fear of life for family and self.. we’d rather stick to safer jobs of being a banker or an engineer than sticking our necks across the line… yet.. we do have other alternatives to contribute towards the betterment of the nation and I plead that we make the best use of it…
In our own ways, lets set examples… lets make a difference
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