Defeating Differences

First time in years I witnessed an auditorium overflowing with people; there were more people in the hall than it could accomodate. When all seats were full, more chairs were brought in from all possible places, and still there were more than fifty people standing and watching the song and dance performance by two of my companions. One a folk singer and another a classical dancer, and what may look strange, both of them are staying under one roof, in one Jesuit community. One may wonder, but how can that be possible? Folk and classical in common parlance, cannot co-exist; there is an in-born rivalry between the two, and in that case how is it that a folk singer and a classical dancer live peacefully in one house!

Over 25 years of training (or you may call it brain-washing), has made the two friends to go beyond their area of specializations and think in terms of looking at the common meeting points. We live in a world where differences are greatly highlighted, and similarities are often submerged by the overpowering differences. Some call them asserting of one's uniqueness, which makes one what s/he is. But then how do we account for the similarities, sometimes so very striking that we cannot help but vibe with one another?

The world would be a very different place if only people begin to look seriously at the similarities and leave the differences out of the matters of comparison. If there are so much of religious hatred and vengence, and brutal killing of one another in the name of religion, it is all because we had failed to look at the similarities we share, but only look at the differences. If we can only look even superficially the similarities we share in all spheres of life, then we would be foreced to acknowledge that we are all brothers and sisters, children of one mother!

But unfortunately there are people in the world around us who would not like us to acknowledge the similarities we enjoy, but only would project the differences, because that is how their hidden political agenda would be fulfilled. There are people who would not hesitate to make use of people in order to fulfil their ego. But anyone who is endowed with conscience and balanced consciousness would be propelled from deep within to shun any attempt to look at the differences with a magnifying glass, and look for similarities at all walks of life.

Can the folk be opposed to the classical? Where do they differ? These two are just two labels, and the difference is made by the people who wish to keep the differences in order to keep their status and privileged position. Some times down the century, the folk traditions were attributed to the people from the lower strata of society, while the classical traditions were attributed to the educated, high caste/class people. But times have changed, and it is time that we change our mentality too. The next time when I meet a stranger, and begin sharing with that person the similarities we share, I am sure to make him/her a friend in no time. For, who does not like a common ground where I feel the security of having people who are very much like me! That is the beginning of true human community!