No more, please!!

” I want no more”, said Revathy, as she spoke to her friend Sudha one fine morning, I’m the privileged one; I have everything at my disposal. Why should I want more?” “Great, I wish I could have a temperament like yours; wow, you are evolved,” replied Sudha in awe. Pleased with her state of mind, Revathy went on with her daily life with warmth in her heart and a hopeful vision to a positive attitude to whatever hurdles came her way. Now it so happened that a few days later, she was on her way to pick up her Ganapathy idol for the celebration of the Ganapathy festival, a customary practice she followed every year. He was visiting her home, bringing peace and prosperity to last for the entire year, and her feelings were full of sanctity and purity as she walked down the street. However, that day, she saw a spine-curdling incident that shook the core of her existence and got her out of her cocoon to shove her out in the open.

Two hooligans brutally assaulted a little girl just in her teens, and everyone around was terrified but could not act for fear of being attacked.

Revathy was not one to lay off but knew she was no match to the cold-blooded duo.

They were two boys in their twenties with sharp razor-edged knives, so even if she braved it up and went ahead to save the girl, did she think she would stand a chance of getting her out of the mess, let alone they survive? Suddenly life didn’t seem as hunky dory as she thought it was, or was she bringing in her thoughts of it not being so? In all honesty, Revathy felt she had no option, for if she didn’t confront them, she would not be able to face herself later. Focussing on the situation, she walked up to the two boys, who were taken aback at seeing a fearless lady walk toward them with no expression. Surprised and curious, they stood still awaiting her next move as she walked past the crowd and stood facing them. Her eyes were filled with sorrow but had a tinge of compassion. What were they trying to convey? Suddenly, the two boys got out of their vicious trance and looked up, wondering what they were up to. The frightened girl reached out to Revathy and held her tight. She shuddered as she suddenly realised she may not have been here at this moment. This seemed nothing short of a miracle, for just then, as Revathy looked at the boys, they broke down weeping incessantly. Wondering what transpired, Revathy looked at them enquiringly, and then the taller of the two spoke, ” We saw this young girl on the streets alone and decided it was time for an attack, for we needed to do so. We were the odd ones in our gang of hooligans who told us we did not have strive or guts. So here was a chance to prove them wrong, for this girl was vulnerable and an easy target. The devil had taken over, and we attacked her, and seeing her shivering and vulnerable, only enticed us further. It suddenly dawned on us that we were vicious and could terrorise. We were in league with our league.” As Revathy looked at them again and questioned why they stopped, they looked at her in amazement,” We don’t know what just happened, but looking at you look at us earnestly, we felt we were at the wrong side of the fence. As we saw you today, we realised that you were in a league of your own; you followed your own heart, and your mind conformed too. We were just conforming to a league we didn’t belong to. You have guts and are full of strive; you knew you had to intervene and were left with no choice. This was when fear let go of you, and you stood so tall in front of us that somewhere we realised we fell short. Apologising to the girl, they walked away, but not before promising that they would be true to themselves. Revathy stood stunned as the girl clung to her, weeping and thanking her simultaneously. What had just happened? Was it a miracle, or was it just a call from within? Was life so hunky-dory that you could wield it around the way you wanted? Revathy looked on, and as she did so, she found the answer. So when Revathy declared loud and clear, I was all ears, ” It’s just as simple, for life only gives you what you want it to; unfortunately, what we genuinely want is hidden beneath layers of conformity, attraction, competition, conditioning, and acceptance by a society whose very base is the foundation of all the above. So right now, isn’t this what we all want? Wasn’t this precisely what the boys wanted? Everyone wants to be accepted in the group or commune they grew up in or were exposed to, but then beneath all that is one’s real self  with feelings and compassion. That real self did not mean to become any of the above, however the self got swayed, for it obsessed with celebrating, rejoicing, and enjoying false glory”. That was when it didn’t hear the trapped voice behind every conditioning and conformity, “Please hear me out, get me out. I’m trapped”. Revathy looked on as the girl hugged her again, thanked her, and then it became more apparent. In all his glory, Lord Ganapathy came up before her and told her to go home, for he was already there within her. I’m with you forever; he smiled and vanished, for you are wise in your want.” Revathy smiled and walked back home, knowing that with Lord Ganesha by her side, life was no more a secret; it was well defined.