It's All Good!

A couple of days ago, I was travelling in a public bus along with a friend, when something unpleasant happened. I won't go into the details of that, but I will share with you the fact that my friend was disapproving with my reactions to the events, which mainly centred around trusting the intentions of a complete stranger. According to him, I was being quite childish because I preferred to believe that an unknown person could be trusted so easily. I respect my friend a lot and I do know that he had my best interests at heart when he candidly expressed his disgruntlement with my belief in the basic goodness of all people. In fact, it was his remark - "there is very little good left in the world" - which got me thinking and started me off on this post!

Call me an optimistic fool if you will, but I believe that Carl Rogers got it right when he spoke about the inherent good that lies in all men and women. I know the world is full of dangers for the unwary and the gullible (and I would like to think that I am neither) but nevertheless, I see too many instances of positivity around me to cast aside my belief completely. Yes, I've been cheated before, even robbed, back-stabbed etc. but I've also found affection in the unlikeliest places, been helped by complete strangers, bonded with people radically unlike myself...I take all that and more as enough evidence to believe that the world isn't as formidable a place as we make it seem.

Today is the first anniversary of "Terrible Tuesday" (26th July 2005). Last year on this very day, the city of Mumbai was hit by the most torrential rains it has ever witnessed. Drains overflowed, roads got flooded, landslides happened, double-decker buses gradually vanished from sight as water inexorably choked the city. Many lives were lost, children were orphaned and entire livelihoods destroyed in the brief span of a day. I was there in the thick of that chaos, stranded in a public bus and watching in utter confusion as the water level crept up into my bus so that I couldn't see my feet anymore. Those who know me well, would probably smile (however briefly) when they read this because they know how much I detest getting my feet dirty; it would be quite easy for them to imagine my profound agitation at getting my feet dirtied by the muckiest water imaginable and that too in a public bus, where that water should never have been able to reach in the first place!

The three and a half hour walk home was a nightmare, to say the least. The rain pelted one in the face incessantly, filthy water swirled about at chest high or knee high levels (dead rats, garbage and goodness knows what else bobbed about in it, so believe me... it was FILTHY!), umbrellas broke and were torn out of their owners' hands by a merciless wind...and that's not even half of the trauma...Women and children were crying and the heftiest man's teeth chattered as he waded through the water...

It was at this time, with dismay and agony screaming madly in my ears, that I witnessed the true power of the human spirit. Yes, there were those that despaired of their condition and all but gave up their efforts to reach safety...but for each one like that, there were two others who rallied around and supported him. The people of the localities through which I passed, were all out on the streets, wading through the water and helping the hapless pedestrians to steer clear of the potholes and manholes. They cordoned off safer paths with rope and guided us into them; owners of small restaurants emptied their stocks of food without a thought, just to feed the miserable folk who stumbled past their establishments; families fortunate enough to have their property spared were out in small rescue teams, dispensing medicines, food etc.

When I think of all this, I simply cannot cast aside my faith in people. Each one of us has a spark of the divine within...it's just there! Sometimes horrible things happen to people (we'll keep that for another discussion!), which can mask the inherent divinity that they have...so much so that they themselves become entirely ignorant of it. However, shutting your eyes doesn't end the sunshine and ignoring your basic goodness doesn't mean it's not there! Sometimes we need to be shaken up a little to realise what we're capable of...at other times just a small nudge is enough. Moreover, the smallest things are always there to remind you of how much goodness there is in the world...take for example my friend, mentioned in the first paragraph; although I was in no mood to contest his stance on the issue, from the corner of my eye I saw him making funny faces at the baby a lady was holding in the seat in front of our own. This apparently gruff fellow was making the baby smile effortlessly, much to the delight of her parents...and it looked wonderful. Which reminds me...have you ever noticed that nobody inspires trust more than a baby? If you ever take an infant into your arms, it places itself in your care so completely, that you just cannot help want to look after it...there is nothing that you wouldn't do in order to maintain the unconditional faith that the precious little being vests in you! :)

The good in man is everywhere, one has just got to be slightly observant. I see it everyday in some form or the other. What about you?