I had a long, long conversation a couple of days back. It seemed to go on – oh, forever, and before you knew it, the same friends had passed by us about six times, probably wondering why the heck I was taking so long to make a point. My knees were just about ready to buckle under the pressure for standing as long as we did, and alhamdulillah, when we decided to sit down for a finish, my thoughts came to me in a clearer, more logical manner.
Surprisingly enough, that long conversation that centred on politics, activism and basically, principles, was scattered with few personal details which helped explain ourselves to each other. Still, it was surprising how just talking – with raised voice, at certain points – helped me better understand the person I am. To the person I talked to: I am sorry, but it seems I do most of my thinking after I say the first thing that comes to mind. Thus revision is rather important in regards to me.
I have learnt that:
I do not believe in passing cool judgement (for the matters that truly count) without considering all sides at once. Life is never monochromatic, but the greys are the hardest to swim through. And in matters other than the obvious, I do not favour a particular solution being better than all others, but instead that we can all hold to what we believe is the best way. We were made different, and absolute insistence that one particular path is wrong is, well, wrong.
I do not believe in passivity or ignorance. I do believe that the greater danger lies in ignorance, for the person who acts and yet does not understand is harmful to all those around him, but to resign oneself to passivity while knowledge and conscience resides within seems mere stupidity, to me. I believe in actions, though they may not always speak more loudly than words. Because when things are being done, change is being made.
I believe that the here and now holds the future for me. True, extrapolation of the self does not guarantee anything, but I believe in working towards the future with set principles in heart and sheer will in hand. What I work for now will set my pace for the years to come. And if doing so means retaining ideals, I do not see the harm in them. For nothing was ever achieved that did not require dreams and ideals.
I believe that reality is what you make of it. I do not condone shutting one eye to the world around you, but merely to understand that reality is a flexible creation – what is now may not be tomorrow. I believe that everyone plays a hand at shaping reality, and that not realizing that role is a great loss to humankind.
I believe that what I believe may be different from what you believe (‘you’ not meaning a particular person, of course). I believe that the road may even take us to divergent paths. But I do sincerely hope that wherever we tread, we may come across each other, for in the end, the Destination is but One.
*Note: Sorry if it seems a little self-absorbed. I just feel like some things have to be clarified.
Labels: self-reflections