As always, I was looking for different media in search of a topic to talk about in today's ASKSiddhi article. When I opened Al-Jazeera English, I found the following heart-warming story.
Kashmir's religious harmony a lesson in troubled times - Al-Jazeera English
The story starts with this sentence: "In violence-prone Kashmir, groups band together regardless of religion, despite tensions in India." The community people, the majority are Muslim, are helping young Hindu siblings who lost both of their parents untimely who live in their neighbor. "Muslim neighbors gathered at the home to offer emotional support to the Hindu children."
According to the article, private research conducted in April 2017 revealed India as ranked the fourth-worst country for religious intolerance out of 198 nations. Living in India for about 15 years, I agree with it somehow as I see some local people never want to change themselves for a better life whatever happens to them as if changing loses their benefit.
Despite this, the article mentioned that villagers had helped the family and naturally, they consider those orphans as their children. Children are even reluctant to go with their relatives because they get more love from the neighbors.
The article also focuses on Amarnath Yatra, where Muslims help their Hindu community members to undertake the annual pilgrimage in southern Kashmir. Likewise, it gives a handful of examples of cross-religion harmonious living together seen among the residents in different parts of Kashmir.
When I read it, I feel heartwarming but at the same time, full respect to the selfless support and joining hands demonstrated by Kashmiri people. It's not easy for everyone to continue supporting others continually and for a long time. At a particular time, we have to forget about our ego to do this.
The reason why I am struck by the article more than ever is that of my thought and struggle going in my mind recently. I had some breaking life-changing events in the past, and every time I went through it, I felt like I'd taken an extra responsibility that I never thought of before. The thought would burden me naturally.
I am a hard worker. At the same time, I am a person who is very particular about and have a strong determination in designing my way of living life.
Till today, I didn't know I was such an impatient person. I am annoyed by the way the other person, particularly to whom I am expected to play like a role model, behaves the way that falls below my expectation. Sometimes, I feel like unless I go and fetch something and bring in the face, some people won't act by themselves. Some people react to everything as if they naturally exist and do not show a sign of proactively learning things by themselves. They look like they do not seem to be in a mood of working hard to get what they want. Still, such people tend to behave like they are the best and almighty, lacking an attitude of self-criticism. I feel irritated and frustrated many times.
It's not very easy for acting than saying about living a harmonious life with others. I understand this very well by observing people and myself among them in India. I cannot help but keep focusing on "difference" than "similarity." Sometimes, I am fed up and want to run away from everything and everyone.
However, I know we must keep putting effort, and that is how we all humans are meant to be. So, in addition to being "selfless," we should also learn to be "selfish" to a certain extent. That is, we can extend our genuine support to the point we can but must understand that the consequences resulting from it are not in our hand.
Living together in harmony is to respect every person, and we cannot control the other person's success and failure unless s/he acts by itself.
