Patriotism and Unconditional Love!

Have you ever thought – what kind of strong and unconditional love is called “Patriotism”. What is so different in those special people that we don’t possess, what makes the freedom fighters and soldiers simply lay their lives for their motherland. I wanted to dabble this feeling and get deep into this, so I researched, read, heard speeches of inspiring patriotic people. I will slowly share my beautiful experience with you.

Unconditional love really attracts me. I feel the epitome of unconditional love is our parents, they teach us to walk, talk, eat, educate and nourish us to what and where we are today. Then send us away for higher goals in life. Our parents don’t expect much in return – just want us to be happy with and where we are. We should try our best not to get tears or hurt our parents. I also feel God loves all of us unconditionally. 

Let’s have a look at different stories where different shades of Patriotism and Unconditional love can be seen.

Once upon a time – there were 2 old ladies’, best friends who lived close to each other for years together. They grew old together in other words. One old lady was Hindu another was Jain, different religion – best friends for life through good and bad days. The Hindu old lady was 70 years old and the Jain old lady was 75 years old. One day the Hindu lady decides to go for pilgrimage for 15 days and tells the Jain friend about it and gives her the responsibility to offer prayer every day to her Bal Krishna. She tells her Jain friend the specifications to perform the prayers in the same way she does it daily. One of the points the Hindu old lady tells her Jain friend is – “You need to bathe Shree Bal Krishna/ Lord Krishna every day before you perform the prayers.

The day arrives, and the Hindu old lady sets off for her 15 days pilgrimage. The Jain old lady being older, with weak eyesight, walks to her Hindu friend’s home slowly and opens the door in the morning. She goes into the temple room and performs the prayers for Shree Bal Krishna, in the process she rubs the idol hard to wash it, now being from a different religion and very old she does not realize or notice that the idol of Bal Krishna is always in crawling position or what we call, “baby crawling position”. After bathing she thinks to herself  “Oh my God I have twisted Lord Krishna’s legs” – “what a terrible thing to do, starts to cry – I have made a huge mistake and asks forgiveness to the Lord.” She quietly performs the prayer and goes back to her house very sad.

Everyday she performs the prayers, cries to Lord Krishna for forgiveness, prays to Bal Krishna to – please stand up straight like he was before, thinking to herself on what to explain to her friend once she is back.  Every day for the next 15 days with deep devotion and dedication, the Jain old lady prays to Lord BalKrishna to stand up straight and ask for forgiveness for twisting his legs. Now the day arrives when the Hindu old lady will return.

The Jain old lady decides to tell her friend the truth and confess her doing. The final morning arrives, and the Hindu old lady comes back from the pilgrimage and goes to her Jain friend’s house straight to share all her divine experiences of her pilgrimage trip. As soon as they see each other, they hug, and the Hindu lady starts sharing her experiences as they walk to her house. In her heart the Jain old lady is sad because she knows once her friend sees Bal Krishna in crawling position, she will be disappointed. The Jain friend was about to confess but ignoring her talks the Hindu old lady goes straight into the temple room to see her favourite Lord Bal Krishna and to her surprise she sees the most unbelievable sight and starts weeping profusely, with a heavy heart the Jain old lady goes into the temple room to confess her actions to her friend.

The Hindu old lady falls to her friend’s feet and says “What have you done – this is a miracle – you made Bal Krishna stand up straight with your devotion and dedication. The Jain lady is in shock, and to her amazement she sees Lord Bal Krishna standing straight. The Hindu lady in all humility tells her friend that she devoted her entire life to Lord Krishna’ service, but she could not make him stand up for her. This was a miracle that had happened.

God does not see who you are and what relations you carry, which religion you belong to, he just sees your heart, intentions and your innocent unconditional love, the challenges/struggles you face – if you react gracefully in humbleness/ acceptance, selfless sacrifices – God rewards you. God checks your thoughts, words and unintentional and intentional actions towards everyone. Everybody has a choice to set a good example so that our children, younger generation and society at large learn from the good deeds we do.

And if you smile and help people around you even when you are struggling, have gratitude and humbleness for every little thing in your life, God will stand up for you – keep the faith. Unconditional love is seeing beyond you, the ego or arrogance is missing, there is no give and take, the give is always more in this kind of love. And when you start thinking or caring for any living being without a reason, at times you won’t get anything in return in the end. Let me assure you –God will sing, dance and stand up for you!!

Let’s see another story on Patriotism.

There was a young boy named Chandrasekhar Tiwari. Once he saw Britishers beating up an Indian outside his school. He was still very young at that point in time. He went out picked up a stone and threw it towards the Britishers – the stone hurt the head of the British officer and it started bleeding. The officers got hold of Chandrashekhar and asked his father’s name – to which he answered “Swadhinta” meaning freedom. After this he was arrested and beaten up with belt in jail for hours together, his whole body was bleeding but still the love for his Motherland never faded and finally he gave his life for his Motherland.

Similarly Veer Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh, to name a few are Indian freedom fighters and revolutionaries who selflessly gave up their lives without a second thought for their Motherland, they all sacrificed their lives young to free their Motherland from the clutches of the cruel Britishers.These extraordinary gentlemen were tortured to the extent we can’t even imagine. The excruciating pain they went through and still sang melodious songs in devotion for their Motherland – you just can’t match the passion, drive and intensity they had. These are astonishing people who lived a short life but left their legacy behind and see – we experience them alive in world history. Isn’t this exemplary. I got goose bumps writing this – did you?

What you think these wonderful and brave soldiers of the Motherland had in common. Firstly, these people used their youth more responsibly, they did not let any distraction change their focus. Absolutely disciplined with high morals, values and unshakeable principles. They had the willingness, strong decision making capability and determination towards their one goal, no fickle mindedness. Abundance of courage, conviction and commitment towards serving their Motherland, big hearted people who can sacrifice their family, every bond for the well being of the country. And this I speak not only for India but for all – sons of the soil. The parents of such soldiers are blessed – where do you find a lad not even 20 years and wants to give his life for the Motherland. I salute all the soldiers that protect each country, so that the civilians are safe.These young kids’ boys and girls are transformed in their youth from kids to responsible adults in the army training years.

They have nothing to give except their love, conviction, youth and their commitment for their Motherland. They never feel pain even when they face death, so fearless, so pure, so nude in devotion and dedication, selfless. Stay away from families in all good occasions in challenging conditions and out of choice, this point is very important “out of personal choice” to choose all the hardships that a human can bear, and then smile and give your life!! We make such a hue and cry when we make sacrifices during bad days, in good times no one thinks of the other or makes sacrifices. We are so consumed in our self-centred approach towards life and give so much importance to ourselves as if eating, sleeping,doing our daily routine and having kids is the sole purpose of our existence. Honestly, animals, insects, reptiles, fishes, mammal’s all of them do each activity in the same way for survival just like us– feed and create that’s natures law.  Even the guppy fishes reproduce in my fish tank monthly, at times my pride of being a mother is questioned – I feel I have done nothing great. You get what I mean?

The ants in the kitchen work hard carrying food into the gaps where they lay their eggs, store food, at times if the grain is too big for the gap, they don’t crib but go get a smaller grain to store. Birds fly away for days at times to search for food for their children who are alone in the nest, none of these living creatures make a big deal of either staying away from their babies or how hard the situation is, they stick together, struggle and get over the obstacle.

My sole intention of sharing all my observations is – we as humans should complain less and do more – this life is given to us for a higher purpose. To prove this point – let me share another story.

There was a boy named Akash. He was intelligent in academics from the beginning, so his parents saved money for his further studies from the start. As he grew up to be a young lad, Akash topped in all exams and extracurricular activities. and went ahead to become a Doctor – degree from the best college in abroad. But instead of staying abroad like all his friends, Akash came back to his village to his old parents. Akash started his own clinic there in the village and served the poor communities around. Several years passed by with bare minimum earnings Akash kept serving the poor people and saved so many lives, he gave a complete turnaround to several villagers and changed the face of the village/ community/ society. His parents however longed that their son should go settle in the US and earn a lot of money like his other friends. Akash’s thought process was different from everyone and his family. His thoughts were more divine and led by service to others. He kept serving the needy people around him and always dreamt to start a big hospital for the underprivileged, however as his service to people were not based on monetary gain, he didn’t have enough capital to start a hospital. One day the unthinkable thing happened, and Akash fell ill severely, and could not recover soon. On his death bed his parents shed tears of sorrow and asked him – “Akash your full life you devoted to serving people, in the end you did not achieve anything” you could have gone abroad and led a decent life. To that Akash answered – Mom Dad you are wrong I achieved immense peace inside me, no regrets and, abundance of love and respect from everyone around me that no money can buy”. I am so happy to go with a smile – “Mom, Dad I cannot see the suffering of people, their sorrows, my heart cries – if my education helps even a little bit and makes someone smile. I think I have fulfilled my life purpose”. Akash breathed his last on his mother’s lap. His parents were totally devastated. After a few months, the parents were surprised, the entire community and the people whom Akash had helped to lead a good life, got approvals from the local land authorities and MLA – and finally built a hospital in Akash’s name “Akash General Hospital”. Akash’s dream came true and his parents were so proud of their son. Akash left his legacy behind.

As humans I think we are sent to do much better than just survive. The above story is an example of unconditional love and Patriotism. We are here to serve every living being selflessly and through this serve God. By this I don’t mean serving the tantrums of crazy people at home and your pet dog!! It will takeyou nowhere in life. Keeping home happy is good but that should not be the sole purpose of your existence. We all need to become beautiful butterflies and come out of our cocoon’s. The future generations will follow all the good deeds you set as examples. It’s like the brick in the wall, the quality of brick is very important, if the brick is of good quality strong, then the wall of the house can face any storm. And if you choose low quality brick then the foundation is weak in the first place, therefore one bad storm or bad situation in life can break the house. Bad times teach you the best lessons and it’s an eye opener on the quality of your choices – time explains the best, you can’t defend in front of the universe. Life gets you sooner or later. So, to have a more fulfilled life we all should incorporate the 4 D’s (Discipline, Dedication, Devotion and Determination towards the right cause), 1 T (Transform your lives from ordinary to extraordinary for a good cause)and 3 C’s (Courage, Conviction and Commitment again towards correct intentions and actions) as soon as possible, it’s not difficult. Always remember when you work hard, give lot of tests to achieve a goal, you value and respect the reward hundred times more than any reward that comes easy. The proverb – “What comes easy goes easy” is very true.

I feel Patriotism/ unconditional love are the strong bricks that we all need to cement into our lives. We are not so fortunate to lay our lives for our Motherland– but we can help each other to become better human beings, be interested in the growth of people around you and not pull anyone down, try your best to change the texture of the society by writing inspirational articles, doing charity, helping plant trees and help innocent animals, put yourself forward to do good for the underprivileged kids and poor people. Wipe the tears of old and elderly people. This is being Patriotic trust me. Nothing is impossible – its I am Possible!! It all begins with you. Heaven and hell are here – it’s your choice what you want to give…all the goodness bounces back!! Leave your legacy!!

I will leave you with these intense thoughts in the new year. Enjoy the festivities and spread love and joy.

Beautiful poem by Rabindranath Tagore –

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,

Where knowledge is free, where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls,

Where words come out from the depth of truth, where tirelessly striving stretches its arms towards perfection,

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit,

Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever widening thought and action –

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.!