Weighing heavy on my heart and mind are a few things for the last few days

A lynching for alleged beef eating in India; another beating up of an 80 yr old man in Pakistan for eating in public during Ramadan;

a brutal rape of a dalit woman in her own bedroom; an absolute mockery of justice when the rapist of an unconscious, intoxicated woman was given 3 months jail time for fear of the ‘impact on his future’; and now, the massacre of 50 of the Gay community in the USA.

It’s too much to take. Especially, when on the side reel, playing on loop, is the everyday violence endured by the people in war torn nations, living under occupation, fleeing death only to meet it in another continent.

It. Is. Too. Much. For. The. Heart. To. Take.

Too much of bloodshed. Too much of hate. Too much of bigotry. Too much of violence playing out in every second of everyday.

And to cope with all of this and function normally what do we end up doing? We limit who we empathise for. We keep quotas on grief and become stingy with our tears. We question those who don’t mourn like us or with us. We stop caring about the obliteration of the ‘other’ and mock those who are shocked by it.

We don’t pause to think ‘Why not mourn together?’. Because mourning for and with another community necessitates building bridges between us first. And to build bridges we need to break the walls separating us, we need to open the windows nailed shut so that understanding breezes in, we need to draw the curtains of prejudice from around our hearts so we can finally see. And that’s painful.

But this is a necessary pain. It’s the pain that precedes healing and growth. It’s the darkness before dawn. And then, once the curtains are drawn, the windows opened, the ceilings shattered, and the bridges built, you are free to love and be loved. You are free to grieve, to cry, to laugh with whoever you will.

I know it’s easy to feel helpless and think that this is the end. That there’s no good in the world anymore. But please, if there’s anything you should kill, it’s that thought.

I strongly believe that the mind-numbing violence we see in the news is the compounded effect of everyday injustice in our societies. The small injustices in our daily lives coalesce to come back and shock us out of our socks.

So listen, be a cliche- be the change you want to see in the world. Be just. Be good and encourage others to join you.

If you talk negatively about a

community/religion/person often. Stop now. Learn about them.

If you teach your kids to be suspicious of people based on their background and beliefs. Stop now. Tell them to befriend and get to know them. If you hit your child to ‘discipline’ them. Stop now.

Apologise and TALK to them instead. If you hear someone spreading hate and misunderstanding. Stop now. Educate them.

If you come across a victim of hate/prejudice/sexual assault and feel the need to question their motives.

Stop now. Listen quietly and be there for them,

If you see your leader/your father/your guru perpetuating hate against a group. Stop now. Call them out and then in, into understanding.

If you see an obstacle in the middle of the road/project/mission. Stop now. Be the person who clears the way for others.

If you see a hurting person/animal. Stop now. Be a relief to them.

Take a vow that from this moment you will add no injustice into this already messy world. Vow that you will stand with the truth even if it is against you; that you will be a vessel of understanding– a means for people to come together; that you will elevate the voices that have been stifled; that the only thing you will not tolerate is hate; that when we leave, our legacy will be of love and compassion.

You who believe, uphold justice and bear witness to God, even if against yourselves, your parents, your relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God can best take care of both. So refrain from following your own desire, so that you can act justly- if you distort or neglect justice, God is fully aware of what you do.”