On India's 69th Independence Day - A Vow For Empathy

Independence Day is a day of great pride for all of us. This is because it reminds us of not only the struggle and sacrifice due to which we are able to live this day; but also of the resilience, patience, strength, courage, and patriotic spirit of thousands of great freedom fighters. They lived their life meaningfully and with empathy, so that we can live in peace today.

However, as I turn 24 this Independence Day, I am forced to think as to what meaning and value of 'freedom' I am leaving for the generations to come. Will they value our independence the way I do today? Will they have that adrenaline rush and that feeling of pride and patriotism on seeing the Indian Flag being hoisted at the Red Fort? I am not sure.

All of us are human beings. By nature, we have been gifted with the power to love, have compassion for fellow beings, and to empathise. Now empathy is the most revolutionary emotion. Why? This is because it pushes us TO ACT, to set things right which are wrong, and to make this world a more habitable and peaceful place. 

One fine day, I was traveling in a bus. The bus stopped at the traffic light. Some children were trying to sell books, among many other things. A man sitting besides me remarked sadly, "I feel so sad for these children. They are so poor, they cannot go to school, and they have to sell books at a  traffic light to make a living." Pause.

Another fine day, I was traveling by the same bus and again, there were children selling many things at the traffic light. A woman sitting besides me asked a boy selling novels, "Do you like to read and write?" The young boy smiled and said, "Yes, I do." The woman then took out a pen, a notebook, and some eatables and gave it to that boy. These few things might not change the life of that young boy completely and will also not set him 'free'. But it does contribute towards something bigger; every act of empathetic kindness adds to the bigger pool of freedom in this universe.

The point to note here is that the man in the former incident sympathised and therefore he did not act. In the latter incident, the lady empathised and therefore she did act. When we are able to empathise, we are inclined to act. Bit by bit, through small acts like these, we can make this world a better place, a place where every person can be truly 'free'. Far too ambitious? I don't think so.

How much of an effort and resources will it take on our part? Almost nothing. My sister keeps packets of Parle-G biscuits in her bag always. She gives them to children on the streets while she is traveling to work. This is her way of doing her bit for this world. A friend of mine keeps pencils in his bag and gives them to children in need. This is his way of doing his bit. I keep thank you notes in my wallet and give them to people to express gratitude for their services; rickshaw driver, fruit seller, restaurant waiter etc. (To see the magnanimous effect of these small acts, visit A Thank You Note). All these acts definitely do not make a hole in our pockets. They also do not involve any effort on our part because we can do these little things while we carry on with our lives. 

A thought, an effort, some love, and some bit of kindness, might not mean a lot to us, but they definitely do mean the world to the recipient of these acts. And from personal experience, I can assure you that these acts benefit me more - I receive genuine smiles, blessings, and wishes in return. Now who wouldn't want that?

Can we set an example of the
'power of empathy' for this world? :-)

These are just a few real examples. I am sure there are as many ways to contribute, as there are people on this planet. So can we do this? Can we start to empathise and not sympathise? Can we do our bit for humanity? I am sure, we can. Who knows, one day, India becomes an example of the 'power of empathy' and eventual sustainable freedom for the world! It is our time now to live our lives meaningfully, so that the future generations can feel the same pride and patriotism as we feel today on the 69th Independence Day of our country.

I sincerely express my gratitude and wishes to every bit and every person that makes India. I have always been and continue to be an admirer of this great country. I feel free and blessed.

I just hope that everybody in this country and in the world at large can feel the same one day. I hope that everybody can be truly free - children can be free to live their childhood, and everybody can be free from all kinds of violence. I dream of a sustainable free world for every person. 

However, I cannot do this alone. All of us need to do our bit and we can do that only when we empathise. So, let us take a vow this Independence Day, to take up at least one act of empathetic kindness and try to sustain it for as long as we can. This will ensure 'freedom for all'.

Happy Empathetic Independence Day!

:-)