Quasi Terrorism

My colleague in Trainers’ Association, Zahoor Zaidi speaks often about the threatening trepidation of terrorism. He insists that terrorists are not just those who directly snuff or maim lives, but also those whose diminutive acts led to eventual destruction and devastation. In fact, Zaidi’s analysis exposes even seemingly innocuous acts as paths to peril.

Motorists who ignore speed limit restrictions endanger the safety of bridges they travel on. Citizens, who refuse to align to the responsible management of garbage, trigger a deadly epidemic. Those who carelessly pollute water and environment jeopardize innocent lives. What may seem as casual transgressions toward social responsibility end up akin to quasi terrorism.

Irresponsible behaviour is born of contempt for collective responsibilities.  When narrow motives eclipse the common good, we involve in acts that eventually lead to the endangerment of lives. It is pertinent to note that often, proactive promoters of selfish greed contribute to deadly acts of destruction. Humanism is oft attacked by careless acts of irresponsibility.

To be better at ensuring zero tolerance to acts that lead to quasi terrorism, we must ask ourselves: Do our careless actions violate the common good? Does our self-centredness result in glorious insensitivity to the lives and livelihoods of others? Does our indignant talk result in committed and consistent actions as citizens of an interdependent world?

To BE BETTER at escaping the vice of quasi terrorism…
Let’s respond with responsible acts of humanism!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Struggle

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through a little opening. To help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings. It never was able to fly.

When we lift weights in the gym, we experience a lot of pain. However, we know that the harder we push ourselves, the stronger we become. We see the pain is a good thing. Struggle becomes a source of enjoyment and accomplishment; when we take it on voluntarily. To enjoy life’s hardships, we must stop resisting them and stop seeing them as unfair. We must embrace the situation, and take pleasure in the difficulties.

It does not make the pain go away, and life does not become suddenly easy. However, by inculcating that sense of challenge and adventure, we give up that limiting belief that life is supposed to be easy. Instead of pining for something easier, we learn to enjoy the parts that are hard.

To better at living we must give up the dread of pain and hardship. So easily we find something new to worry about or fear. We strive to avoid the struggle, not realising that struggle is inevitable. It is pertinent to note that real strength is acquired through that very effort.

To BE BETTER at taking on every challenge…

Embrace the struggle’s accompanying pain!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Envisage

Last Saturday, we led students of Mustifund Higher Secondary School to an uphill trek, from the 13^th century Tambdi Surla Temple to the majestic Vajra falls. Most of the young trekkers were first timers. The strenuous climb was turned more prickly by the numerous leeches on the way. Every five minutes, a tired voice would inquire, ‘when shall we reach?’

I would inform ‘reaching the destination depends on speed, not distance’ and then add, ‘but when you reach it, it will be worth the effort!’ When I would describe the magnificence of the waterfall, the young enthusiasts would discover a renewed vigour. On reaching the milky cascade, one boy confessed that the description of the destination helped defeat the tiredness of the trek! I admitted that it was the only way to keep up the energy.

So often the journey can turn tedious and weigh us down. As fatigue rises, hope diminishes and doubts get magnified. It is in such predicaments that we can recharge our tired mind by looking forward to the eventual destination that we have set out for. The vision, of the destination that awaits us, will help us revisit the initial intensity of our intent.

The music legends ABBA sung it so well, ‘and my destination makes it worth the while; pushing through the darkness, still another mile.’ To be better at maintaining our passion during a wearisome journey, we must, in our mind’s eye, envisage the desired destination. In fact, the best vision is one that can envisage the entire spectrum of midway experiences as well.

To BE BETTER at every journey that looms large

We must revisit to the end vision we envisage!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.