Wound is the place where light enters you

Essay Writing Challenge - 14 July, 2024 Topic: "Wound is the Place where Light enters You" "Long You must Suffer, not Knowing What, until Suddenly, from a piece of fruit Hatefully Bitten, the taste of suffering Enters You, And then you already almost love what you Savour. No one will take it out of you Again" These lines from poem of idiosyncratic, Austrian poet, 'Ranier Maria Rilke' is ecstatic reminder that suffering and pangs need not, necessarily, have to diminish us. We can choose how we suffer and are adequately empowered to see light through the tunnel. The themes of pain, wound, suffering, grief has been explored by various writers. Helen Luke in her book "Old Age" describes these meanings in term of the word "Undercarriage" - a structure that bears the weight.

In other words, in its fullest sense, she says, To suffer is to carry the weight. She stresses the difference between "depression" and 'suffering', where former denotes 'self pity' while latter connotes the 'weight' we carry in full consciousness The revered Sufi saint Rumi once said "Know that one day, your pain will become your cure". Pain forces us to change. We are being herded like a sheep or whipped as a mule to walk. This pain slowly increases and forces us to move, seek Remedy and in the Remedy, lies our lesson, destiny or goal. And pain becomes the cure. It is because of this pain, light comes to our life and we do, what we are supposed to do. To put this in context, centuries of colonial rule has pushed our people into destitution and misery. The wounds and scars of British exploitation had scorned off, its people, all forms of dignity. Out of this wound of dehumanization, our 'Geist' (spirit) was sparkled to seek light of freedom, which we were destined to have, ultimately culminating in independence from the shackles and yolk of colonialism. Truly, our wounds and pangs, are constant reflection of corrective measures, that are due to be taken. And once those measures are taken, light of hope and freedom scatter, extinguishing all suffering, healing even the most chronic wounds. The prince of Shakya, Siddhartha, wisdomfully said "Life is full of suffering". In Buddhism, suffering is seen as a result of attachment and ignorance, and can be a path to enlightenment through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold path. The ancient Stoic Philosophy, popularized by thinkers such as Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, emphasises the idea that suffering is an opportunity for growth and wisdom. According to Stoicism, individuals can find peace and enlightenment by accepting their suffering and using it as a path to wisdom and inner peace. Our wounds purifies and strengthens us.

After all, diamonds and gods are made beautiful by the intense heat of the earth and hearth. Silver and other metals are purified by fire. Earthen pots are strengthened by burning embers. Thus, there's no other way, for us, to shine but to be under fire. Our wounds are our Teacher teaching us how to appreciate life and attain tranquility. For our pain is the key, that opens our heart and soul to the Miracles of the Universe. "What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well". Harsh times befell many a man. Like desert, it creates a glooming and seemingly unchangeable outlook of the present and by extension, the future. However, it were those who located the well, who survived to tell their tale, that the world celebrates. Adversity is never desired. Adversity is never presaged. However, what makes even an adversity beautiful is that it contains within it, a glimmer of opportunity - An elusive but very genuine ray of light. A little girl was born to single Black mother. Poverty and racial discrimination remained constant best friends as she grows up. Like a wretched, wounded, demolished scenery, her ghetto in Chicago was a picture of unchanging nothingness. But the little girl stroved to find the famed oasis. She learnt that education could be path that can take her out of darkness to light. With the discrimination of a weary traveller, she lingered on that path. And found the light, she was ordained to. She made a career out of sharing stories similar wounded travellers and motivating tens of thousands to find that light. She is Oprah Winfrey. Further, Noah Harari, in his book "Homo-Sapiens" dwell into the question of: What made Homo Sapiens to dominate and become undisputed master, even where more monstrous, powerful creatures got extinct. He states that Homo-Sapiens have an unparalleled capacity to cooperate in face of collective adversity. Whenever, collectivity of HomoSapiens is threatened, it reinvigorates its collective power to defer any potential wounds, by finding source of light. Conrad McCarthy in his Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Road where Civilization has been wiped out by a Disaster", writes that there is the hope that the Human Spirit will triumph in end inspite of loss and griefs, with the faith that it has done its job regardless of the consequences. There are heart-warming stories of those reaching out to the sufferings of strangers, of the resilience of the community, of the medical fraternity, during Covid-19, which has brought Tsunami of socio, cultural, and economic wounds. The wounds leave marks, signs physically or on our mental horizon and consistently reminds of past encounters and experiences, pushing us to empower ourselves for future.

The loss of 1962 war with China, was one wound, which has prompted to strengthen border security architecture through multi-layered efforts - technology integration to physical infra upgradation leading to Comprehensive Integrated Border Management Apparatus. Further, our wounds (whether mental or physical) are created due to the intricate relationship with others, which we share. One such eternal relationship we share, is with this Mother Earth. But, in our constant endeavour to erect the edifice of human luxuries and comforts, we have inflicted irreversible wound, As a consequence, the future of human race is shadowed, due to looming threats of climate change. It is time again, to reinstate our collective spirit to find light of survival through concrete environment conservation & and mitigation efforts. India has always shown the light through its inclusive, all encompassing vision and principle of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam'. Initiatives like International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, under India's leadership strengthens the conviction that the global society should move "India Way" to escape the potential apocalypse. Domestically, India is eyeing light through its vast demographic dividend. However, to attain that, wounds (obstacles) in the education, health and skilling sector should be healed. New Education Policy, Skill India Mission, Ayushman Bharat are welcome initiatives. However, Niti Aayog has predicted the onslaught of disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence, with potential to obfuscate the light, we are eyeing for. It requires clear roadmap and vision to mitigate the dysfunctions and harness their Beneficial aspects. But we need to search for light through other dreaded wounds which are taking shape of 'cancer' and rotting the breath and life of nation. The cancer of corruption can push society into bottomless darkness. As a collectivity, we need to torch the spectre of political and administrative reforms. For wholesome changes, there should be qualitative change at individual level, to come out of clutches of greed, narcissism and reconcile self with collective Being. As said in Isha Upanishad -> He, who sees all beings in his Self and his Self, in all Beings, He never suffers." Albert Camus rightly remarked in his book Stranger -> "Escaping suffering is stupidity and absurdity. The finality of human is pain i.e. death, so as the birth is. Thus we must confront the pain, suffer the pain of wounds, as the path of enlightenment culminates through trials and tribulations. And of course, we need the power of self to strive towards ultimate Bliss -> final salvation, meeting the immortal Supreme.