Story to Tell

Pedro was leading a group of teenagers on a cycling trail. A young girl slipped off her bike… her pants had a tear at the bruised and bloodied knee. Her friends gathered around and expressed concern. The young lady smiled and assured them, ‘it is a small thing!’ Pedro disagreed, ‘it is big… you have a story to tell!’

He was saying that the incident would turn into a story to be told. The trials and tribulations, the challenges and obstacles, the failings and failures… test our ability to cope with them. The hurt and the pain will fade but our response to it will turn into a worthy narrative.

It is important to note that our personality is empowered by such adverse situations if we take them on. The young girl was ready to move on and hence she would have a story to tell of her ability to rise after the fall. She chose to not be pulled back by momentary hardship.

We must be ready for setbacks and hurdles. They are part of life. Never mind the magnitude of an unexpected pushback, what matters is our comeback. We must remember the brave ones are the ones who face the deterrent, despite real or imagined intimidation.

Take ownership of every block that deters

A story to be told will rise from the jitters!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Broken Cup

Young Ikkyu, happened to break his teacher’s antique teacup. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu asked: ‘Master, why do people have to die?’

‘This is natural,’ explained the older man. ‘Everything has to die and has just so long to live.’ Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, said: ‘It was time for your cup to die.’

Like all Zen stories, there are lessons from the broken cup. We know the things we make will not last forever. Some things we make will join the heap. Some may last longer and inspire others too. We create things to be useful as well to last. But there will be a break point.

We must see the end as well as the beginning. The acquisition of an asset is the responsibility of its disposal. We must accept that our time is short. We will grow tired. Our utility will diminish. Our cup will break.

It is important to understand and accept that the cup will break. We can take outmost care and we could do everything in our capacity to ensure that it lasts. We have to move on without lamenting much for the broken cup. Instead bring to mind the joys it served!

Don’t cry for the broken cup & how it fell

Remember instead how it served so well!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Flow

Once, when asked to describe a friend, I used the analogy of water. It appears in three states of matter and can transform interchangeably between vapour, liquid and solid. It takes shape of the vessel it is put into and finds its own level. While these characteristics depict adaptability, the greatest value comes from its ability to flow.

Flowing water is the most active landscape‐transforming agent on the earth's surface. Waterways erode, transport and deposit rock and sediment to produce landforms such as canyons, valleys, deltas, alluvial fans, and floodplains. Running water creates waterfalls, streams and brooks that break into pleasing song.   

The analogy was used to describe Dadu Mandrekar, a man of many parts! Like the flowing waters, he travelled from one interest to another, from one skill to another, from one place to another. He was a prolific poet, writer, journalist, editor, photographer, historian, nature enthusiast, social activist and a champion for the reclamation of human dignity.

Sadly this analogy was shared again when, Dadu made an early exit. The man with a mission, to take the intent and content of the Constitution of India to every home and heart, passed away on Constitution Day. His achievements were a result of his tendency to be on the constant move, adapt to newer experiences and produce literature based on the learnings.

Like water, Dadu’s life was a restless flow that achieved significantly to produce deep valleys of knowledge, develop rising new skills, create lakes of synergy, unleash waterfalls of expression and irrigate a better understanding of human dignity and social justice as envisaged by his inspirational icon Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Dadu had great eye and ear for observation. He was a committed learner who kept moving around… flowing to learn and unlearn…. He made an impact because he refused to stay still and stagnant. He learnt fresh stuff and applied it to fresh performances. The flow may have stopped but the humanscape he carved out is a testimony to the impact of his flow!

Do not stagnate… move & go…

Learn & unlearn with the flow!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Teach Right

President of State 1 of Samraat Club International, Dr Uday Kudalkar was speaking at a seminar. He shared an advice he when he joined as faculty of anatomy at the Goa Medical College. The Head of his department told him, ‘Do not teach wrong!’

The instruction was to only teach what one is sure of. ‘If in doubt’, the senior told, ‘ask for time and return with the right information or clarification.’ What the elder expert was sharing with his young colleague was the mantra of ‘teaching only right’!  

The learners must not gullibly accept anything and everything the teacher says. But since they trust the teacher, teachers can be careless in passing on what they may not know at all or not know enough. This results in a breach of trust.

The present times are called the Information Age. However it is pertinent to note that it is also the misinformation age. Social media is becoming a fast track for quick ‘gyan’ which is creating ‘teachers’ who ‘teach wrong’. In the hurry to pass on, what is shared is oft wrong.

We must sift facts from the fiction. We must unlearn conditioning and overcome limiting prejudices. We must confirm the learning before we pass it on. We must learn right lest we teach wrong. We must be careful that we do not teach wrong. We must teach right!

Sift the chaff from the grain

Teach right so learners gain!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Tolerance

The word ‘tolerance’ refers to varied meanings:  endurance, fortitude, stamina or even the permissible deviation of a standard. However, it is pertinent to note, on the International Day of Tolerance, the relevance of the word in context of this era of rising violence and widening conflicts that are characterized by a fundamental disregard for human life.

On 16 November 1995, UNESCO's Member States adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. They affirm that tolerance is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others.

People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe. Tolerance is not only a moral duty, but also as a political and legal requirement for individuals, groups and States. All stakeholders should ensure equality of treatment and of opportunity for all groups and individuals in society.

Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others and should help young people develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning. The diversity of our world's many faiths, languages, cultures and ethnicities is not a pretext for conflict, but is a treasure that enriches us all.

Eventually it is about acceptance that comes from being open minded. It is about recognising the dignity of every human being and the right to be and seem different. When we reach out to the commonalities despite the differences, we find it easy to connect with the reality that we belong to the same family of Homo Sapiens.  

Everyone can enjoy their deserved dignity
Tolerance will enhance human personality

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Youth are Now!

Yesterday, a protest meet was organised by traditional fishermen and others to oppose a proposed marina in Goa. In between the speeches, a group of young boys and girls moved in to the empty spaces between the crowds and broke out into a dance to the tunes of a protest song.

The youthful moves had an uplifting effect on the audience… more so from the words spoken by two of them to explain their distress as well as resolve to save their land, lives and livelihoods. The young man decried the patronizing line ‘Youth are the future!’ He firmly declared that ‘Youth are Now!’

He is right! Youth are side-lined despite all promise of being torchbearers of the future. They are brushed aside by the older generation as being naïve and inexperienced. The irony is that the wisdom of experience comes only through going through the act of experience. Seniors deny the youth the freedom to participate beyond being foot soldiers in their cause.

Those in positions of power, whether political power or those within civil society, recognize that youth can easily be mobilized with great effect. What they forget is that youth are active agents of change, first for now and then for the future. The ‘today’ in their hands will create the ‘tomorrow’ that will be.

Youth must be allowed to spread their roots as well as shoots and grow into capable canopies! The ones who are good enough to vote at the age of 18 years are surely adept to make other choices, too. Remember that youth icons like Bhagat Singh made significant contributions in thought and actions before being martyred at the age of 23.

Youth are Now! Let them root…

To aim at the future to shoot!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Way to go

Ejji K Umamahesh passed away a day before his 72nd birthday in Chennai on 16 October. When he went for a high risk heart surgery, he wrote his own obituaries, asking his family to put them up in case the surgery is not successful. The obituaries reflect the way, the actor chose to script his life… and death!

For Facebook, the former car rally driver wrote: ‘I regret to inform you that my vintage vehicle that was being restored, in spite of the best mechanics in India with mastery over their craft, modern tools and expertise at their command, did all they could to revive it, but unfortunately did not succeed…’

For the newspapers Ejji declared that ‘he lived on his own terms as a Religionless Citizen of the World on Village Earth…’ To his ‘friends, enemies and those in-between’ he wrote, ‘Thanks for sharing my exciting life. My party is over, and I hope there is no hangover for those I leave behind. Time is running out for everyone. Live well, enjoy your life…’

Ejji started off as a toilet supervisor at a Theatre, went on to be a successful businessman and eventually quit the rat race to do exactly what he really wanted to do. He lived his life to the fullest and by his motto, ‘Live! Don’t exist.’ But while he indulged in his many passions, his life was not of self-centred spoils but of progressive thinking and responsible living.

An ardent advocate of unostentatious weddings, his non-religious marriage cost just sixty rupees in 1975. He kept evolving his thinking and other skills. He involved in many social organisations pursuing humanitarian work. Ejji willed his usable organs for transplantation and his body for medical research. In life and death he chose the way to go!

Ejji showed all of us the way to go…

In life as well beyond death’s door!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Assumptions

At TedTalks in 2007, James Randi stated that audiences easily make assumptions. He pointed out that what was assumed to be a microphone in his hand was actually a beard trimmer. Also, he was wearing empty spectacle frames and it was assumed by the audience that he was looking at them (which he could not without his real glasses)

Randi showed that people are easily fooled and deceived as they make assumptions. He described himself as a conjuror - a person who does clever tricks that appear to be magic. He began his career as a magician – as The Amazing Randi - and later devoted his life to investigating the ‘woo-woos’ - paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims.

While conjurors use tricks for an honest living by entertaining people, there are those with dishonest intent. The tricksters and psychics claim ownership of supernatural powers. Randi pointed out that the gullible were ruined financially and emotionally because they submit their money and their faith to such frauds.  

Randi passed away on 20 October, leaving behind a legacy of scientific scepticism. We must heed his analysis that assumptions lead to thoughtlessness and eventually being deceived. We must put every claim to the test. To assume without evidence is to stray from reasoning and our inherent cognitive capacities.  

We must not jump blindly onto assumptions as they take us to possible deceit. They stop us from taking responsibility of our life. They allow you to hide behind a single version of the story told by someone else. This means we give up rights of our part in the true story and surrender to the sufferance that comes from the assumptions.

Randi said assumptions lead you astray

to the arms of frauds, all set to betray!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Tradition?

In 2003, Maharashtra Times (MT) was trailing behind the successful Marathi daily Loksatta. The new editor, Bharatkumar Raut made major changes to boost readership. To woo women readers, he introduced a marketing gimmick: Women were asked to wear dresses of nine different colours on the nine days of Navratri.

To make it look religious, each colour was linked to a Goddess. A picture of a celebrity was put up prominently on the front page with a bold headline – TODAY’S COLOUR. The women readers were encouraged to click and send pictures wearing that colour. MT devoted pages to accommodate the pictures received.

The strategy had such an amazing impact that other papers and even temples began to follow the colour code. Men joined women in wearing the announced colour, even if it was white. The trend became a part of HR activities of several corporates. A new tradition was born which many believe to be an ancient one!

Surely, there is nothing wrong in following a harmless fad. But it is a concern, when followers of the colour code start swearing by associated untruths. Most adherents actually believe it to be part of ancient religious tradition. Though details of the recent marketing gimmick are in public domain, yet most believe it without questioning.

Buddha said, ‘Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it; Do not believe in traditions, because they been handed down for many generations; Do not believe in anything, because it is spoken and rumoured by many; Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books; But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.’

It is okay to enjoy but don’t give up thinking…

In name of tradition, don’t sacrifice reasoning!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Emergency

It is an Emergency! Cast the snare
sky high and wide, raise the scare
Don’t go by their humane look
Bring the bloody rebel to book!

So what if some are old and feeble
If unfettered, they will have us tumble!
They ask to restrain and not transgress
these are obstacles to our progress!

It is an Emergency! Gather excuses lame
it’s time again for our devious, deadly game
Look them move to disrupt our peace
act quick now, do not suffer the siege!

They have lost all sense of shame
look them give our nation a bad name
Disseminating confirmation of our disgrace
Let’s eliminate them without leaving a trace!

It is an Emergency! Notice the stink
from the ones who tell others to think
They who reason are most dangerous
notice their queries are the most furious!

But questions are not the only artillery
evidence of our deeds is also weaponry
They write and paint, sing and dance
All indicators of freedom fighter stance!

It is an Emergency… time to act with speed
their growing solidarity is precarious indeed
Round up rebels and charge them treason
those against us are enemies of the nation!

Throw behind bars and black them out
eventually erase every rebellious shout
The gullible will swallow our nationalist con
with urgency crush challengers to move on!
in emergency crush challengers to move on!!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Note: In India, for 21-months from 1975 to 1977, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country because of the prevailing "internal disturbance". The order bestowed upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, suspend elections and curb civil liberties. Political opponents were imprisoned, press was censored and several other human rights violations were unleashed on the citizens. Many later Governments at various levels, have used an undeclared emergency by resorting to draconian laws (many from British times) to suppress democratic struggles

Onus on us!

They fell her down

Crack her crown

Crush her neck

Break her back…

 

Invade her flesh

Treat her like trash

Flaunting bigoted pride

… with us on their side!

 

Yes! The onus is on us!

Who treat it just as fuss   

They do the dark deed

But on our logic they feed!

 

We insist she is safe in the cage

Where too lurks the rapist rage

We ask her to restrain and hide

And we stand on the silent side!

 

Yes! The onus is on us!

Who don’t want to discuss

If things are getting worse

It is due to the way we nurse!

 

We don’t identify the real source

No attempts to change the course

We all need to unlearn and reform

For the situation to truly transform!

 

Yes! The onus is on us!

To stop being superfluous

By accepting our culpability

We will get closer to sanity!

 

Why should the victim feel the shame?

While the assaulters escape the blame?

When we ask the right questions in time

Answers will reveal our collective crime!

 

Yes! The onus is truly on us!

Get off the whataboutery bus

Humanity has to have a single side

Where justice and dignity can reside

 

Do not defend the indefensible

Be responsive and responsible

Stand with victim not with brutes

Or admit onus of being in cahoots!

Or admit onus of being in cahoots!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Alive

Bhagat Singh who was born on this day in 1907 was hanged on 23 March 1930 by the British Government. Just before the hanging, his last moments were reported by his close associate Manmathnath Gupta, who wrote:

When called to come along, Bhagat Singh was reading a book on Lenin. He kept reading, ‘Wait a while. A revolutionary is talking to another revolutionary’. After he finished, he flung the book towards the ceiling and said, ‘Let’s go’.

Imagine the fearless personality. But it is pertinent to note that the fearlessness was not out of recklessness. There was a deep understanding born out of a thinking mind. He had an appetite for reading and writing. Remember also that Bhagat Singh’s life was curtailed before reaching 24 years of age.

 His life has been an inspiration for many, more so for those who read his writings. He wrote for and edited Urdu and Punjabi newspapers. He wrote pamphlets, essays and in jail, he wrote a dairy. His thoughts reveal his clarity towards taking responsibility for changing the negative situation.

 We must learn from Bhagat Singh’s resolve to finish an unfinished task - the reading of the book - before happily marching to the gallows. Even when jailed and certain to be executed, he read as much as he could. He left behind a corpus of written legacy as his choice of reading material was diverse.

 Bhagat Singh showed the way to stay alive, even when facing death. When walking to their death, Bhagat, Rajguru and Sukhdev went singing and smiling. They embodied Bhagat Singh’s quote, ‘They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas!’ And they remain alive in their ideas as written by Bhagat Singh!

Beyond raising empty slogans by dull rote

Be alive to ideas that Bhagat Singh wrote!

 ~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Likes

LIKES

While visiting social media platforms, so often, so many of us tend to first check the ‘score’ in the ‘notification’ tab. ‘Has anyone liked something of mine’? ‘Has anyone tagged me’? ‘Has someone commented?’ We get obsessed with ‘Likes’.

We crave for approval. We request others to endorse our posts. We go around clicking on ‘Like’ for posts of others in the hope of a quid pro quo. We vent our anger and unhappiness at being ignored. We raise the issue of ‘dirty politics’ and ‘group-ism’. We withdraw into a shell and some of us give up.

The rush you feel when your post gets more ‘Likes’ than normal, has a reason: Dopamine. For every thumbs up or heart, we get a little psychological high through a shot of dopamine. The more ‘Likes’ the more shots. The more shots we have, the more shots we want. It’s a habit we quickly get pulled into. It’s addictive.

Now we find ourselves in a loop. It was believed that dopamine was responsible for pleasure in the brain, but we now know that rather than create pleasure it makes us seek it. While it is natural to seek recognition, approval and endorsements; over obsession for desirable response can lead to distress.

We must learn for performers from various fields. While they crave for the applause and the approval of their audience, their primary focus is on the joy that comes from giving the best efforts. There are cooks, farmers, artists, writers, workers who choose to find happiness beyond the ‘Likes’ by their own estimation of success.

So while we seek ‘Likes’ we must first focus on ‘liking’ what we do and doing it well. Since we understand that ‘Likes’ give the recipient a ‘high’ of happiness, we must express appreciation where it is due… not just in the virtual world but also in the real world. There are so many around, giving their best efforts. They deserve our ‘Likes’!

It is okay to seeks ‘Likes’ without over obsession

It is good to give others… the same satisfaction!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Not Clay

In the 1930s, parents of an eight-year-old girl received a note from school, ‘We think she has a learning disorder. She can't concentrate, she is always fidgeting.’ So they took her to a specialist. After listening to the mother, he asked her to step out so that he could speak privately with the restless girl.

 He turned on the radio and stepped out too. The girl was on her feet, moving to the music. The doctor told her mother, ‘she isn't sick, she's a dancer. Take her to a dance school.’ The girl walked into a dance class and found it full of people like her. People who couldn't sit still. People who had to move to think.

 She auditioned for the Royal Ballet School and had a wonderful career there. She eventually founded her own ‘the Gillian Lynne Dance Company’. She has been responsible for some of the most successful musical theatre productions.

 Gillian’s story was shared by Ken Robinson at the 2006 Ted conference. Speaking on the topic ‘do schools kill creativity’, Robinson pondered of how somebody else might have put her on medication and told her to calm down. He insisted that we should see our children for the hope that they are.

 The potential of the child is stifled by educational systems that see limited avenues. There is undue pressure to conform to set paths. They are asked to calm down and stay still. Elders may play the role of a potter who moulds the clay to his desired shape and form. But the child is not clay. It must be allowed and encouraged to find its way and discover the inherent creative capacities.

 Heed… the child is not clay

Help it find its distinct way!

 ~ Pravin K. Sabnis

 MONDAY MUSE is now into the 17^th year (since the first Monday of 2004) written by Goa based Experiential Life Coach, Pravin K. Sabnis. Send your feedback to 91-8698672080 or unlearning.unlimited@gmail.com

Rise

 

rise

if we do not

trapped will be thought

battle lost before it is fought

 

rise

if we do not

time is a diminishing dot

ones who don’t move will rot

 

rise

if we do not

worse will be wrought

wounds festering under the clot

 

rise

if we do not

one by one will be caught

to be tried for an imagined blot

 

rise

if we do not

humanity will go to nought

as humans burn in the hate-pot

 

so rise

do what we did not

break the chains & step out

opening up every closed spout

 

so rise

do what we did not

pursue the positive thought

together to sing, dance and shout

 

so rise

do what we did not

stand up, march or squat

synergise the simmering lot

 

so rise

do what we did not

seek what we always sought

peace that only justice brings about

 

-  Pravin Sabnis 

Active

Pedro was at home as the factory where he worked had shut down. His life had lost its steam as he awaited the restarting of the factory. He would literally drag himself even for simple chores. His hair was unkempt… clothes were crumpled… garden was full of weeds… his house and life were a mess.

One day, Pedro had new neighbours… the elderly couple had retired from their respective professions. Yet they seemed full of life. They were up and about early in the morning… always well groomed… growing vegetables in the garden… repairing, cleaning and doing something or the other!

Pedro was surprised at their zeal and zest. He asked them the secret of their joy. He was surprised with the answer. The couple had lost their only daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in a road accident. To escape the pain, they chose to keep themselves active and busy. Since they had retired, they found out new things to do.

The lady said, ‘we have retired from our work but we chose to not retire from life! We lost our family but we still have each other. Instead of looking at what is gone, we looked at what we have and what we can create’. The man hummed a Hindi film song, ‘Jeevan chalne ka naam’ (Life is about moving on)…

Pedro learnt the value of being active. The word suggests activity, applying it to anything implies some sort of motion or action. A person might be physically active, not sitting around and doing nothing, or mentally active, working the mind. But the main thing is to be active. And doing different things makes it even more fun!

It is not good to stay static especially when you are feeling helpless and hopeless. We must find things to do… some activity… maybe a hobby…some work, any work! The purpose is to be active. The activity could be personal, social, recreational or even another career… something to be active!

Forlorn are those who resign to their fate

Be active and watch joy enter life’s gate!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Integrity

 INTEGRITY

 My friend was animatedly expressing his anger at the irresponsible behaviour of people flouting basic safety norms during the pandemic. ‘They must be named and shamed’, he insisted. When asked ‘How’ he replied, ‘expose them at the same place where they flaunt proof of how they flouted the guidelines… on social media!’

 I started to move away. My friend asked, ‘Where are you going?’ I replied, ‘I am off to put together photos and posts of a friend who went for parties, wore the mask on his chin, went for group picnics, posed in large intimate groups on the beach… I have over a dozen evidences of his mischief.’

 My friend was ecstatic, ‘Great! Such rogues must be taught a lesson… Who is it? Anyone I know?’ I quietly replied, ‘YOU!’

 It is rightly said that the true test of character is what you do when no one is watching. Most people who purposefully do wrong things, do so stealthily when no one is watching. However later, they have a story they want to tell. And many end up telling it or showing it on social media.

 This flaunting, of what you flouted, is a clear sign of a lack of remorse. Instead they ‘show off’ their ‘privilege’ to break the law and ‘get away’. It is indicative of being above and beyond restrictions and implications. And it is the same tribe that will claim the high moral ground when someone else is caught.

 We must ask ourselves whether we do what we expect others to do. Integrity is about aligning our actions to what we know is the right thing to do. The best way to avoid getting caught doing a wrong… is to not commit the wrong! Forget about who else may be watching… we must watch our acts!

 The dark will not let you get away

Light up your integrity every day!

 ~ Pravin K. Sabnis

 

Mahi Way

 India’s Independence Day became occasion for its adored son to liberate himself from international cricket. Mahendra Singh Dhoni walks away with an outstanding performance as a leader who won hearts due to his inspirational leadership.

 Mahi (as he is lovingly called) is considered an ‘effective’ finisher in crunch conditions. This quality made him a highly effective leader. In pressure cooker situations, Mahi would remain as calm as light air and show the way to his team.

 This is perhaps the greatest leadership lesson to learn from Mahi… to hold head… to be in control of emotions… to soothe nerves of colleagues by displaying a calm demeanour… to have an uncluttered mind that is focussed on the finish line…

 Mahi has many admirable attributes as a leader and as a player. But his ability to seem and stay calm was truly outstanding. He would not be overtly distressed in defeat nor did he go over the top after victory. He never lost focus of the larger picture. MSD was Captain Cool!

 This attitude helps take rational decisions. It aids the control of emotions and helps cope with challenges in a better manner. It is about choosing to respond calmly instead of rushing to react. Surely the Mahi way is the best practice to embrace!

 Hold your cool, every tough day

It is great to walk the Mahi way!

 ~ Pravin K. Sabnis

 

Compassion

Many years ago, I met a visitor from Japan, constantly wearing a mask on his nose and mouth. I presumed he wanted to escape the pollution. Maybe he was prone to allergies. However, he told me that he did not want to infect others with the mild common cold that he had.    

What a noble sentiment! He was thinking of others. He did not want to be the reason of hurt or pain to others. He was showing compassionate empathy towards the possibility of infecting others. He cared for even the ones he did not know.  

Compassion is derived from Latin ‘compassio’ and ‘compati’ that means ‘to suffer with’. It is to recognize the suffering of others and then take action to help. What was even more commendable was that the person was taking precautionary measures to avoid the suffering of others.

Compassion like sympathy is about feeling concern for someone, but with an additional move towards action to mitigate the problem. It is not just a sentiment but it results in responsible actions. When we hold compassion for others, we hold on to our humanity!

Let compassion be the guiding reason

So that humane values have cohesion!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Slowdown

 In 1992, my friend Rodney Pereira stayed on a mountain during the summer vacation. I would join him on some days. I had done solitary trips before into the wild but they were only during the day or in large trekking groups. Now it was overnight and with few for company.

 Life seemed to have no urgent purpose... water to drink and wash was from a stream, twigs for fire were strewn all over, tea was sans milk and sugar, meals were pez (rice gruel) and pickle. Time would drag by and life was on a slowdown. 

 But in this slowdown, we discovered 'time to stand and stare'. We learnt to not hoard and live frugally. We found time to talk and we found time to stay silent. In the silence we heard sounds of Nature and we heard our inner thoughts.

 The pandemic has brought our world to a slowdown. And just as well! We were running around at crazy speeds, hoarding and acquiring needless assets, creating a strain on natural resources and losing focus of our collective responsibilities to our world and our people.

 These days will pass. But slowdown must remain the new normal. We must not let go of the new positive habits acquired during these trying times. We must choose to be responsible and responsive in every action. We must slow down!

 With the rush, rises the frown

We all need a real slowdown!

 

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Trim

‘It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away’ - Antoine de Saint Exupery

The French aviator-author, Saint-Exupéry was a literary perfectionist. His draft pages had most of his lines painstakingly crossed out, with one word left standing where there were a hundred words, one sentence substituting for a page. His quest for perfection was a laborious process of editing which reduced original drafts by as much as two-thirds.

So much thoughtful effort and design goes into refining things so they are as simple as possible. Effective transformations happen when inefficiencies are ironed out and the needless is trimmed. Mobile phones had an extending antenna, then a little nub, and now no visible antenna at all.

The lesson is to avoid worrying about making it better by adding more. Enhancement happens best by trimming away the unnecessary. Whether it is our regular communication, design plans or creative efforts, we must focus on trimming away the unnecessary inclusions.

Trim away what is excessive

Brevity makes it impressive!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Rhetoric

Rhetoric is valued technique in oratory. The word comes from the Greek term for orator and is used for the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. The three branches of rhetoric - deliberative, judicial, and epideictic – cover the most common ways we communicate.

Deliberative rhetoric seeks to persuade or dissuade a person to think or act in a certain way. It is about the future. We hear it in political speeches, in formal presentations or even in advertising where you persuade someone to buy or do something or dissuade them from other products or brands.

Judicial rhetoric seeks to accuse or defend someone. It is about the past. It is the kind of discourse that happens in a courtroom, in law making – where parties deliberate over whether actions were legal or ethical. It is really about justifying actions and can include personal justifications as well.

Epideictic rhetoric is used to praise (or blame) a person for their actions. It is about the present. It seeks to highlight and identify the qualities and characteristics of a person that make them great (or not great). We see it in obituaries, eulogies, testimonials and nomination speeches.

The purpose of rhetoric is a persuasive effect. However, it is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content. This is because in the bid to be impressive, we tend to go overboard. So while we may stand our ground, it may be shaky ground. We must escape the trap of going off course.

Past, present or future… whatever be the way…

Rhetoric should persuade without going astray!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

shift focus

We notice a valuable quality in infants. A crying child can easily start smiling when their attention is distracted. They are able to shift focus from the negative to the positive. But adults cling to their positions of discomfort and tend to stay there for longer than required.

This shifting of focus is often a refreshing change. Cricket players are known to play football or swimming pool games or sing and dance or listen to music to relax the pressure of the upcoming game. Here the intent is to take the burden off by shifting focus.

However, it is pertinent to remember that it is about shifting focus not running away or ignoring it. The distraction is meant to drag you away from any negative emotions or worries or undue pressure build-up.

Shifting of focus to other activities or playfulness helps divert you from negativity and helps you emerge refreshed to take on new priorities or approach the old ones in a newer way.

But we can shift focus only if we have other things to focus on. We should inculcate the practice of involving in various activities and interests. Try out newer doings or learn to watch and enjoy others doing it. That is what infants do and hence they can shift focus easily.

Be player, audience or referee of diverse games

Shift focus to escape the load of the same game!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Doing what you love

“What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” ― Bob Dylan

Indeed this is a quote that everyone seems to agree with. But opinions differ on what construes ‘wants’. They could be a sentiment of acquiring external possessions or they could be an internal passion to do specific things.

It is pertinent to note that our life is multi-dimensional. There are factors of self, family, society and work. But, passion is a personal thing. Happiness is in doing what you love and do be able to be in love with what you do.

Our career is a large part in our life that we commit to. If I am not happy with my career, that unhappiness seeps into other facets of my life. This goes for non-work life, too. Success is never a single triumphant occurrence. It is a journey of a series of moments (and choices) leading up to bigger moments.

We must reclaim relationships and activities that gave us joy but fell by the wayside as life moved on. We must be conscious of what we feed on… the type of people and activities we interact or involve with. But eventually it is we who choose to do what we love or be the person preventing it.

Don’t be the person who gets in the way

Of doing what you love to do every day!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

Dignity

Recently in Goa, two bodies were sent back from cremation grounds as they were Covid deaths. Eventually, the cremation was performed at a third place. Some citizens of that town voiced their protest. But Ponda Municipal Council showed better sense in inviting an expert to understand the facts.

Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, from the forensic department, explained that the last rites done by following settled protocol, carry no risk of contagion. For the next death, there was no opposition. Lawmaker Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco attended the burial to send a strong message to accord dignity to the dead.  

Sadly, it is not a situation peculiar to the present pandemic. There are many who had denied dignity in life as well as death!

Ironically, death does not kill the processes of prejudice. We have no respect for the living. We have no compassion for the dead. The mockery of human rights continues. We attack their dignity with all the weapons at our command. Our weapons are religion, caste and (presently) misinformation.

The ‘right to die with dignity’ is compromised by our bigotry and intolerance. Rightful demand for non-discriminatory cemeteries and burial grounds are ignored. It is based on the division between us and them. But pandemics are great levellers. We cannot ignore that it could be us next!

We must realise that the battle is not between human beings or even between us and the pandemic. The conflict is between humanity and inhumanity… the tussle is between compassion and insensitivity… We must choose the honourable side of dignity for all human beings.

Don’t distance yourself from humanity

Give everyone their deserved dignity!

~ Pravin K Sabnis