Daring to be Different

I remember watching the hilarious 'My Fair Lady' for the first time; I was no better than Eliza, whom Mr Higgins turns into a well-groomed English lady! Eliza was expected to act and behave like all educated, genteel English, and not exhibit her raw intonations and pronounciations! Higgins in today's idiom would have expected Eliza to fall in line, or to get lost! His was a laborious task of bringing Eliza in perfect alignment with the rest of the crowd, whom he considered enjoying a social standing and appreciation, which was worth all the trouble! Today we would question the noble intentions of Higgins, and ask him, Why can't Eliza be as she is?

If there is one dinstinctive feature of God's creation, it is the variety. Is it not wonderful to realize that there are no two plants the same; no grasses are identical; no two human persons are ditto! Not even the so-called identical twins are not the same; they have their own distinctive features; not even the Siamese twins! This is what makes the universe so very wonderful. Remove the variety, then the world will soon lose its color and vitality! I would love to look at a flower garden, decked with dozens of varieties of flowers. It is a feast to the eyes and the senses. You also look at a garden with just one variety of flowers, however enchanting it may be; it may not be as captivating as the former!

Unfortunately the society recommends uniformity, because that is how it is easy to bring an order and discipline. Variety and differences bring a seeming confusion and chaos. Let me illustrate it with an example. In a family, if all the children eat chicken, it is easy for the mother to cook one dish; but if there are three children, one fond of chicken, one pork, and another mutton, what would be the plight of the poor mother; she cannot be cooking three dishes each day to satisfy the three children! That is why uniformity is considered a great virtue to impose discipline. But where there is uniformity, you cannot expect variety, color and a flowing dynamism.

It is so very easy to flow with the currents; to be like the rest is no big challenge. In a democratic society, most people do not raise their voice against injustice and corruption, and it is safe to be so. But if one dares to raise one's voice against the injustice, one is asking for trouble; it would not take much time for him/her to realize that his/her last hour has come. So, is it proper that we try to align ourselves in line with the rest of humanity? True happiness is not in this kind of passive alignment, but in active dynamism, which propels me to contribute my distinctive feature for the betterment of society. If I can add just one different color to the existing rainbow, the beauty of this array of colors is only enhanced.

But daring to be different has its own share of troubles and challenges. A fish which tries to swim against the current has to fight against the forceful current which keeps pushing her towards the sea. Moral determination and personal commitment are the pre-requisites for any venture that involves this daring. Criticism and branding are the usual consequences of daring to be different, criticism which can at times try to smother the fire that burns deep within, but if one is determined, no criticism can really put off the fire. The world today beckons humanity to open up her heart, to let the million hues and shades criss-cross the skies, and celebrate the wonderful array of colors, of being unique and different!

The Weather-beaten

There was once a lovely little flower plant. It was protected from all rain and shine, thunder and lightning and it enjoyed the cozy life indoors. Everyday in the morning, the master of the house would carry her tenderly and leave her to swim in the tender rays of the sun, and as soon as the sun began to scorch, the master would carry her back to the little niche he had made for her, and keep her for the day. Again when it is evening, he would leave her to savor the gentle breeze gliding over her, and take her back to her niche before he retired for the day. This had been the life for the flower plant, until when the master decided to take her to the garden, and transplant her there.

The little plant was still tender, but wanted to show to her master that she had the enough strength and stamina to fight against any oddity that may militate against her. The day she was planted in the garden, all the other plants looked at her appreciatively, and admired her youthful vigor, and the beauty that she brought to the garden. But when the sun began to scorch, there was none to protect her, and when a gust of wind chiddingly hit her hard, there were no protective hands of the master. She stood alone, waiting for someone to protect her from these aliens!

There were other plants, who whispered into her ears, worry not dear, you will soon get used to all rain and shine, thunder and lightning. Your tender body will become strong enough to resist all alien attacks. Your delicate body will become supple to dance with the wind, and take part in the cosmic dance of all plants and animals. She looked at the plants all around her, weather-beaten, shaggy and shabby! When the cosmic dance began, the lovely little plant would hop around, swaying her slender body, enchanting even the gods. But the old plants stood still, unable to contribute anything for the show of strength.

The little flower plant began to tell herself: why can't these old plants just give themselves to make this dance a collective effort. We only the young ladies do our best, why are the old ones not interested in this wonderful event. She began to grumble against every senior citizens of the garden, and at times in her anger would knock the old plants around her. She was the angry little plant, who others thought was too proud of her status and had begun to look down upon the seniors, who had their day, and were counting their days to receive farewell from their master.

One day one of the senior plants invited the lovely little plant close by, and after appreciating her for the new life she had brought into the garden, put forth a few questions to the little plant: have you ever seen a storm? have you ever been subjected to submergence in the flood waters, and could not find the land for weeks and months? Do you know what it is to be knocked down by a lightning? Have you ever seen the summer noon day Sun, roasted by the scorching heat? You are still too young dear, and you have still miles to go before you can tell the world that you have something to offer to them.

The lovely little plant was speechless for a while; she then realized that her journey into the world has just begun, and she should not have the audacity to sit in the seat of judgement to judge the world around. The following days were formative, and she began to feel the heat and cold, and her tender body began to swell and shrink; there were flakes coming out of her delicate body, and a thick skin formed over her, and she began to lose the childhood charm and the youthful magic; but she knew she was being toughened by nature to face the future ahead. She continued to dance, but the beauty now was not in her body, but in her dance, which flowed from her inner self!