Last Edited - 15.28
So one of my really close friends asked me to write this up,
I've always had a diverse group of friends because I've been schooled at an International school, I was taught to respect and think about everyone's believes and values and not to take religion as a weapon to down-size others. In fact some of us loved hearing different opinions, learning something new and unique, sometimes, we'd even find how difficult their lives are, and we'd tell our dark times and know everyone has their own issues to address, despite religion, culture, gender or race.
I think the ones residing in Sri Lanka has a lot to say, we've been through a lot, we've survived through nearly 30 year-wars, we've survived through Easter attacks, we've been through marches and protests, but tell me this;
We've longed for that Christmas cake that our christian friend owes us every December. We bully all our Tamil friends to bring whatever the food their mother makes for Thai Pongal. When Avurudu comes around we wear the attires and celebrate it despite what culture you're from, I have been singing carols my entire school life despite me being a Buddhist. I had my friends singing along-side with me for Bhakthi-Gee and mind you some didn't even know the words - it's the participation that mattered.
But times have changed and we act like lives, feelings and believes don't matter. We treat and fear each other as if they worship cults and adore Satan. We have all been fooled by the political circus and managed to plant seeds of hatred that has now grown/growing and is taking the best of us. Sometimes I wonder where did everything go wrong, are we the same children that played alongside with our Muslim sisters and Tamil brothers, ate off the same plate and admired their way of dressing and how all it all came to a cul-de-sac where we blame for covering up, we blame for being too westernized and we blame for what we have chosen to believe. Now we judge every time somebody speaks to one another in a language we fail to comprehend, we think they are speaking ill of us - we feel intrigued , triggered , almost anguished when we are treated unfairly because I know you don't deserve any of it. We embrace culture and religion just for show and enjoy the festivals. Not the purpose behind it - which is to unite, and I've no idea why we are doing the exact opposite.
For my Tamil friend who shows me the best wade to eat from wallawatte, to my Muslim friend who almost forgot it's Friday and that he has to to go to mosque, for all my Buddhist friends who long to hang lanterns this Vesak with the rest of the clan, To my christian friend who is counting days for Christmas so you can start collecting ingredients to make the necessary, to all the atheists who love and respect everyone despite all the judgmental looks everyone has been giving - thank you for making things easier to understand, and to cherish every day life.
"Every river, lake, stream, pond, ocean have different names, but they all contain water, just like religions, they all contain truths"
Comments
Post a Comment