Light of love and compassion

Two things are coming to my mind as I prepare for Diwali pujan. First is the reaction by an old friend of mine to my yesterday Diwali blog, where she has beautifully expressed transition from cleaning house and bursting crackers to realising the real significance of Diwali, which is to clear the internal clutter by reducing negativity within ourselves that will lead to – less anger, less jealousy, less inequality, less division! In times, when we all run for more – wealth, happiness, luxuries, respect, status, the connotation of “ the less is not always bad”, has left me thinking. In this short journey of blog writing, what I have got from my friends and readers outweighs what I might have given, by several hundred times!

Second is the last part of the book that I just finished, where the protagonist exhorts people to adopt a different attitude that’s based on love, compassion and piety. As he says, “ why you always hear – fight a bad habit, fight a vice, fight an enemy, fight your weakness ? Why can’t all these be overcome by pure love?” Actually, the book is about Sufism and Dervishes and their philosophy of pure love and guidance by the heart rather than by mind.

I have been fighting this Covid menace through what I know the best – In my own humble way through my writings and communications. Now that on this Diwali day, I have been tested Covid positive, should I interpret having lost the fight to Covid? (Thought 2) Or should I lament about not having maintained sufficient cleanliness ? ( thought 1). I am thankful to god for letting me celebrate this Diwali with pure love and by taking another step towards decluttering my internal self! I am confident that Corona is now breathing it’s last and with mutual love, understanding, harmony and oneness, we shall make it happen!