Some days everything falls into place, and you know there is hope and humanity exists. It so happened I was taking my evening class with a motley crew of children who start coming to class from 4 pm onwards and keep on walking from far away to attend and be with me. It must be the grey hair that is appealing to them or just the crooked nose. I was taking my attendance, and generally, we were doing our salutations with each other when one entrant, a young, exceptionally fair Sardar boy said Ma’am I am Sarwan. I said ok and wrote his name. The kids around started saying that he had come for a couple of classes but had left after that. Sarwan, very boldly declared that he had told his mother that he will come for class and wouldn’t miss it now. Then he introduced another new boy sitting beside him, whom he said was his brother; Shankar.
Imagine my surprise when I looked up. Shankar was a relatively dark Hindu boy dressed up in layers of woollens. He proudly called him that he is my brother, and he lives with us. I was taken aback at how can a Hindu boy be his brother and what made him say all this. I smiled and loved the reaffirmation of faith in humanity. It is so refreshing to see this. This little boy made me believe in all the things that are posted virtually. It does happen, there still exists empathy and compassion.
No one told the little boy to differentiate with the boy just because he was dark-skinned or he was his father( a bhaiya), son. Punjab is one of the most rampant states where racism exists. We are blatantly the worst in discriminating another human being on the basis of colour and even worst in calling another a name because of him or her not being a Punjabi .
And then some days, there is a glimmer f hope that things will change and the future looks bright in spite of the onion prices making us cry and watching a slugfest between the finance ministers! Imagine, its onions v/s avocados!
Although quoting my favourite author, it is our choices…. that show what we indeed are, far more than our abilities.
Every day we are faced with situations, and it is in our power to make the right choice. All lies in or hands and in making the right judgement, we can change the world step by step slowly.
This is a feel-good post, and we needed this after all the dismay and sadness of the last few days. And all the gloom was lifted by the encounter in the morning. Justice served.
There is always a chance, and it’s happening.
Ravneet Sangha
