CONVERSATIONS IN MY HEAD - DIARY FOUR
"I saw you leaking from the eyes back in church", Ara said in a rather serious tone.
"So it was me you were watching."
"Well, I couldn't miss it. What happened to you?"
"The song hit me at a vulnerable point."
"You? Vulnerable point? I thought you were ice queen."
"Oh please! I have a heart and music touches it."
"That's so nice to know."
"Now you're taking me back to something I would rather not remember."
"C'mon. Talking is therapy. Especially for you. I wouldn't be here if it weren't your go-to steam letting avenue. Well, apart from music. So, let's talk."
"Would you ever let off?"
"Don't bet on it."
"Alright. There's too much pain and sadness around. Yes, I've had my fair share, but that's a burden I can carry."
"You think?"
"I know. I know you best of all, remember?"
"Whatever! What gets overwhelming for me is the pain and tears and lack and those things not working that I see around. I wish I could right all the wrong in the world."
"Easy girl. The world can't right its own wrongs. Don't put yourself under such humongous pressure. Take it a step at a time and you'll be able to make your own difference that way."
"I close my eyes, yet I can't sleep. Strength is drained from me. Can I ask you something?"
"You need permission to do that? SInce when?"
"Can't you be supportive for once?"
"Alright ma'am, you're permitted to ask me a question."
"Like I didn't notice the sarcasm. Anyway, do you think the president is a superman? Does he possess extra terrestrial powers? Can he wave a wand and make it all okay? Does he emit fire from his nostrils that can burn off the stronghold of corruption? Is he the King Kong we've been waiting for to stomp out all that isn't working well?"
"Wow! Stop. Take a deep breathe. That's too much to ask of one man. Remember he's flesh and blood just like you and the next man. He could possess incorruptible qualities but expecting him to right all the wrongs in a heartbeat is a tall order for anyone."
"So, we will continue this way? So education will not get better? So our children will continue to substitute 'their' for 'there' and 'ax for ask'? So people will continue to pass away from the rot in the health system? So the maternal mortality rate won't drop instantly? So our roads will remain death traps? So our planes will still drop like tired birds from the air? So our currency will continue to fall at the knees?" I sighed deeply. "I'm tired!"
"Calm down. There will be a difference. Things will surely get better. It just won't happen overnight. You people seem to have forgotten that you didn't get here in one day. Undoing the wrongs of decades ago cannot happen in the blink of an eye."
"But, why did we put so much trust in this man?"
"I think you all got tired of the state of things and then you dumped all your expectations on him. Don't kill the man before his time!"
"That's not the intention. We just want to go to bed, wake up and find that our world is standing right side up again."
"Now, that's a mistake. Your 'superman' cannot do it alone. He needs every single one of you to join hands with him. You can't go to bed and expect to see a difference. You must be actively involved. Each one of you must play his part. That's when you will achieve the greatness you all yearn for. That's when the efforts of your chief commander will yield fruits. That's when you all will breathe fresh air. That's when you will have peace and joy."
"Your words soothe me. They're almost having the effect that song had. I await. I anticipate. I look forward to fellow compatriots doing their part. I look forward to that day when this burden will fade into oblivion and we would have talks of inventions and ground breaking innovations replacing our present cry and laments. Yes, that song brought the first succour, but now, your words really do soothe."
"So it was me you were watching."
"Well, I couldn't miss it. What happened to you?"
"The song hit me at a vulnerable point."
"You? Vulnerable point? I thought you were ice queen."
"Oh please! I have a heart and music touches it."
"That's so nice to know."
"C'mon. Talking is therapy. Especially for you. I wouldn't be here if it weren't your go-to steam letting avenue. Well, apart from music. So, let's talk."
"Would you ever let off?"
"Don't bet on it."
"Alright. There's too much pain and sadness around. Yes, I've had my fair share, but that's a burden I can carry."
"You think?"
"I know. I know you best of all, remember?"
"Whatever! What gets overwhelming for me is the pain and tears and lack and those things not working that I see around. I wish I could right all the wrong in the world."
"Easy girl. The world can't right its own wrongs. Don't put yourself under such humongous pressure. Take it a step at a time and you'll be able to make your own difference that way."
"I close my eyes, yet I can't sleep. Strength is drained from me. Can I ask you something?"
"You need permission to do that? SInce when?"
"Can't you be supportive for once?"
"Alright ma'am, you're permitted to ask me a question."
"Like I didn't notice the sarcasm. Anyway, do you think the president is a superman? Does he possess extra terrestrial powers? Can he wave a wand and make it all okay? Does he emit fire from his nostrils that can burn off the stronghold of corruption? Is he the King Kong we've been waiting for to stomp out all that isn't working well?"
"Wow! Stop. Take a deep breathe. That's too much to ask of one man. Remember he's flesh and blood just like you and the next man. He could possess incorruptible qualities but expecting him to right all the wrongs in a heartbeat is a tall order for anyone."
"So, we will continue this way? So education will not get better? So our children will continue to substitute 'their' for 'there' and 'ax for ask'? So people will continue to pass away from the rot in the health system? So the maternal mortality rate won't drop instantly? So our roads will remain death traps? So our planes will still drop like tired birds from the air? So our currency will continue to fall at the knees?" I sighed deeply. "I'm tired!"
"Calm down. There will be a difference. Things will surely get better. It just won't happen overnight. You people seem to have forgotten that you didn't get here in one day. Undoing the wrongs of decades ago cannot happen in the blink of an eye."
"But, why did we put so much trust in this man?"
"I think you all got tired of the state of things and then you dumped all your expectations on him. Don't kill the man before his time!"
"That's not the intention. We just want to go to bed, wake up and find that our world is standing right side up again."
"Now, that's a mistake. Your 'superman' cannot do it alone. He needs every single one of you to join hands with him. You can't go to bed and expect to see a difference. You must be actively involved. Each one of you must play his part. That's when you will achieve the greatness you all yearn for. That's when the efforts of your chief commander will yield fruits. That's when you all will breathe fresh air. That's when you will have peace and joy."
"Your words soothe me. They're almost having the effect that song had. I await. I anticipate. I look forward to fellow compatriots doing their part. I look forward to that day when this burden will fade into oblivion and we would have talks of inventions and ground breaking innovations replacing our present cry and laments. Yes, that song brought the first succour, but now, your words really do soothe."
Comments
Post a Comment