Its time to wake up…

For the past few days, I have been numb. I have gone through much grief. I woke up that morning and heard about the terror attacks in the city- my city, and the first thing that came to my mind was a question- ‘Again?’

I just lay there unable to cry. Images of everyone I care about flashed in front of my eyes and somehow in my heart I knew that everyone was safe. Somehow, that understanding was not enough to calm me. I do not know if it was fear, but it was definitely hopelessness, helplessness, lots, and lots of anger.

I constantly thought of how I am so helpless. I am 25 years old, am I not big enough to do something. For how long am I going to look at other people to get moving? For how long am I going to be ‘not responsible’?

Not for long.

These are a few ideas I have collated, which we all can do. It does not require much of efforts, energy or anything. So here they go.

1. Vote: It is true power. It is how we ‘talk’ to our politicians. Threaten them; blackmail them, with your vote. That is what they want; make them deserve your vote. Get registered. Do what it takes- it is not much. Log onto to www.jaagore.com. I do not know how it goes, I am not advertising it, but it is youth centric. Do it whichever way you want, but do it. Now.

2. Do not tolerate incompetence: If they cannot, they should not. When they have decided to take care of a billion people, they had better be serious about it.

3. Express yourself: Write to newspapers, send SMSes to news channels, write to magazines, start a blog, comment on blogs, send emails (not spam), sign online petitions, send mails to your friends, generate discussion, but make yourself heard. Even if your SMS is full of anger, hit the send button, it will be carried, the anchors will say, “we are getting a lot of angry messages from our viewers” You will be counted. Question divisive politics. If a political party uses such situations to advertise themselves, write to the newspapers ask them why they carried the ad.

4. Encourage: We all think we know what is best. Some of our authorities are doing their best. Encourage them. The last few days, our commandoes, the army, navy, the firefighters, our officers and hundreds of others have done an excellent job, and I mean it. Thank them. (Thank you!)

5. Have an opinion: Ignorance is bliss. In some cases. Not here. Form an opinion. Listen to people. Attend public lectures (they are free), read the newspapers. Some people speak sense- listen to them. I would listen to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Narayana Murthy, Teesta Setalvad, Soli Sorabjee, Farah Baria, Shailaja Bajpai, Adi Pocha and some others. Choose who you want to listen to. Evaluate, analyze, and then accept their views.

6. Execute: You have ideas? That is great. I have a few too. There is no dearth of ideas, but there is nobody to implement them. So how do we do that? Join an NGO. Find a credible NGO who has the same value system as yours. This could be related to anything. Find a cause, support it- it could be child welfare, education, empowerment, poverty, good governance, but do something about your beliefs. You have a job, a family and no time. Ask yourself is that really it?

7. Heal yourself: Yes, you are grieving. You are waiting for it all to end. Heal yourself. Meet friends, talk to them, go out, have coffee, listen to music, write, jog, read, run, walk, switch off the TV- take a break from the news, switch it on watch something fun. Smile, pray, meditate. Again, heal yourself.

8. Do not be callous: You do not travel by train? You do not dine at five star hotels? You do not live in the suburbs or you do not live downtown? It does not matter to you? Thank God, you escaped this time. No. Cause somebody else did not. Fight for them. On 26 November 2008, they changed everything. They just made us realize that we are all at risk. We are all equal. 

9. Do not be immune:  Bombay unbreakable? Say no. If you cried, if you went numb, if you were scared, if you were affected, you were not unbreakable. You broke- Bombay broke. You are Bombay. Cry, weep, shout, flinch, and cringe every time it happens. We are not zombies. We feel.

10. Watch Movies: Go to the theatres get the cash registers ringing. Watch movies with a message. Do not download it and watch it free. Make the movies with a cause successful. Let the makers know that you will reward them every time they have respected your intelligence.

11. Do not forget: That is what everybody is waiting for, for you to forget. Public memory is too short, that is what they bank on. Demand answers, ask for stricter laws, and ask for equality before law. Overcome the grief, but do not forget it.

12. Read the Constitution: It is the longest and most detailed constitution in the world, so what? At least know what your preamble states, what your fundamental rights and duties are. Follow them. No I will not paste them here, do not wait to be spoon-fed; it is high time you take initiative, do it yourself.

13. Do not get swayed by emotions: Calm down and then act.

14. Do not crack jokes: on terrorism. If somebody else does, politely refuse to laugh. Be sensitive.

15. Do not; I repeat, DO NOT forget point 11. This emphasis is not for amusement, it is what it is. An emphasis.

16. Donate Blood: For those who can, please go donate blood. There are over 350 people in the city who need your blood. It is safe.. Go donate blood.

Add a few points out here of your own; get thinking and get your act together. Let us make a difference, I mean, really…make a difference…

Love, hope and prayers,

 
Vi