Waiting for God and Waiting for Godot, a comparison

Introduction

“What’s in a name?”

If I reflect on why I compared the two works—Waiting for God by Simone Weil and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett—it could be due to their shared exploration of the futility of war or their markedly different approaches to coping with the human condition. However, it is certainly not because of the similarity of their names, Simone and Samuel, nor due to the resemblance in the titles of their works, nor even because they were contemporaries or for their French connection.

Simone Weil (1909–1943) was a French philosopher, activist, and mystic known for her radical commitment to justice and compassion. A brilliant student, she taught philosophy while actively engaging in political causes, including labour rights and anti-fascism. She briefly fought in the Spanish Civil War but had to withdraw due to health issues. During World War II, she fled France for London, working for the Free French movement. Weil practiced extreme self-denial, refusing to eat more than those suffering under Nazi occupation, which led to her early death from malnutrition and tuberculosis at age 34. Her writings on suffering, spirituality, and ethics remain influential. Her extreme asceticism reflected her deep ethical and spiritual convictions.

Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) was an Irish writer, playwright, and poet, best known for Waiting for Godot. Born in Dublin, he studied at Trinity College before moving to Paris, where he became close to James Joyce. During World War II, he joined the French Resistance, narrowly escaping Nazi capture. After the war, he wrote in French, embracing minimalism and existential themes. His works, including Endgame and Krapp’s Last Tape, explored absurdity, suffering, and the human condition. In 1969, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Beckett spent his later years in Paris, where he died in 1989.

Waiting for God by Simone Weil and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett are two significant works that explore themes of waiting, existence, and the human condition, but they approach these topics in markedly different ways.

There’s a lot to unpack. Let’s plunge.

 

Here’s a comparative analysis of the two:

Waiting for God: Written by Simone Weil, this philosophical essay reflects her spiritual beliefs and contemplations on the nature of God and human existence. Weil, a French philosopher and mystic, delves into the concept of waiting as an essential element of spiritual life, emphasizing the necessity of attention and the relationship between human suffering and divine presence.

Waiting for Godot: This famous play by Samuel Beckett, written in the late 1940s and first performed in 1953, is a hallmark of absurdist theatre. It centres on two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who wait for someone named Godot, who never arrives. The play is rich in existential themes, exploring the absurdity of life, the passage of time, and the futility of human endeavours.

Themes

1. The Nature of Waiting

For Weil, the act of waiting is almost religious. It represents spiritual yearning and the hope for divine grace. Waiting is a preparation of the soul, an anticipation of engagement with the divine. Weil posits that true waiting involves suffering and humility.

In contrast, Beckett’s characters embody a more disillusioned form of waiting. Their hope is almost absurd, manifesting the human condition as one of perpetual uncertainty and anxiety. The act of waiting becomes a commentary on the absurdity of existence rather than a prelude to something divine.

2. Existential Reflections

   Simon’s focus is on the moral and ethical implications of waiting, interwoven with her Christian beliefs, suggesting that human suffering can lead to a deeper understanding of God and oneself.

Samuel’s existential reflections in "Waiting for Godot" highlight the randomness and chaos of life. The characters’ conversations and actions often escalate to comical yet poignant realizations about the lack of inherent meaning in existence.

 

3. Human Suffering

Weil’s suffering is central to her philosophy; it is both a reality of life and a pathway to understanding the divine. She encourages readers to embrace suffering as a vital aspect of the human experience that can lead to spiritual growth.

Beckett views suffering primarily through a lens of absurdity. The characters experience physical discomfort, emotional pain, and existential dread, yet they engage in trivial banter, illustrating the absurdity of trying to find meaning in such suffering.

4. Characters

Waiting for God is not character-driven in a traditional sense; rather, it is a philosophical discourse, inviting readers to engage with abstract ideas about humanity and divinity.

The principal characters for Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon, are richly drawn and interact with each other in a manner that reflects their desperation, humour, and philosophical musings. They embody various aspects of humanity, from hope to despair, and serve as vessels for Beckett’s exploration of existential themes.

5. Style and Structure

The writing in "Waiting for God" is contemplative and philosophical. Weil uses a more abstract style, filled with rich metaphors and spiritual insights, encouraging deep reflection.

Beckett’s Waiting for Godot employs a minimalist style, with sparse dialogue and a repetitive structure. The absurdist elements create a disjointed yet compelling rhythm, reflecting the characters' struggles and the overarching themes of circularity and stagnation.

Conclusion

War had a profound influence on both Simone Weil and Samuel Beckett, but it seems there is a mix-up between "Waiting for God" and "Waiting for Godot." Waiting for God is not a work by Simone Weil in the same way that Waiting for Godot is by Beckett. However, Weil did write Waiting for God (1951), a collection of letters and essays on spirituality and religious commitment.

 

If you are referring to how war influenced Beckett and Weil in their respective works, here are some key points:

Samuel Beckett and War in Waiting for Godot

Beckett was deeply affected by World War II, particularly his experience in the French Resistance. During the Nazi occupation, he assisted underground networks and had to flee Paris when his group was infiltrated. He lived in hiding under harsh conditions.

These experiences shaped Waiting for Godot (1953), in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly for someone named Godot in a desolate, absurd world. The war’s impact is visible in:

The endless waiting: It mirrors the anxiety of prisoners, resistance fighters, or refugees waiting for news, help, or an end to suffering.

The barren landscape: The minimalist setting evokes the destruction of Europe during and after the war.

The absurdity and suffering: After witnessing the horrors of war, language and logic seem inadequate to explain human existence.

Simone Weil and War in Waiting for God

While Waiting for God is not a play like Beckett’s, it expresses another form of waiting—one that is spiritual and existential. Weil, a mystical and socially engaged philosopher, experienced war firsthand:

She volunteered in the Republican brigades during the Spanish Civil War.

During World War II, though exiled in London, she was eager to contribute actively to the Resistance.

Her reflections on suffering, waiting, and divine grace in Waiting for God are deeply shaped by war and destruction.

In short, war influenced both authors’ concept of waiting: for Beckett, it is absurd and meaningless; for Weil, it is spiritual and transcendent.

“That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

While both "Waiting for God" and Waiting for Godot explore the concept of waiting, they do so from vastly different perspectives. Weil presents waiting as a form of spiritual preparation, imbued with hope and meaning, while Beckett depicts it as a profound reflection of the absurdity of life, characterized by futility and existential dread and of course with less or loss of hope. Both works invite readers to reflect on the nature of existence, yet they do so through contrasting lenses that speak to the complexities of the human condition.

Both Waiting for God by Simone Weil and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, despite their differences, carry the same essence—like a rose emitting the same fragrance from different petals. They both grapple with the human condition, suffering, and the longing for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world. Weil’s work breathes a spiritual yearning, where waiting is an act of faith and self-sacrifice, while Beckett’s portrays waiting as an absurd, endless cycle devoid of resolution. Yet, in both, there is an unshaken endurance—an acceptance of waiting itself as a defining human experience, making them resonate with the same existential scent.

Amaravati Poetic Prism 2017

Amaravati Poetic Prism 2017

With their characteristic enthusiasm, passion, indefatigable efforts, the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA), under the priceless leadership of Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh and his teeming members Mandali Buddha Prasad, Deputy Speaker, Bhuma Akhila Priya, Minister for Tourism, Mukesh Kumar Meena I.A.S Secretary to Government (Tourism and Culture), Dr D. Vizai Bhaskar, CEO, AP State Creativity and Culture Commission, Y. Harish Chandra Prasad, Founder and Chief Mentor, Chairman, Malaxmi Group, his amicable life partner Dr Y. Tejaswini, Founder CCVA, Dr E. Sivanagi Reddy, CEO, CCVA, and Padmaja Iyengar, Curator and Honorary Literary Advisor, CCVA has successfully organized its third International Multilingual Poets’ meet on 11^th and 12^th November 2017 hosting International poet delegates from 14 countries and from nearly all the states of India.

Numbers speak a thousand words



The APP (Amaravati Poetic Prism) 2017 anthology comprises 987 poems in 85 languages coming from 67 countries, an unimaginable feat bringing in almost one third of the world under the same book; it is a victory for Literature, a festival for poetry, writing and above all a collective effort reinforcing the importance of team work. It is little wonder that this phenomenal growth of CCVA’s brainchild APP 2017 is recognized by the India Book of Records as a Unique Record of Excellence. The two day enthralling reading of poems of all languages, from Estonian to Mandarin, from Maithili, Urdu, French, Danish, Hindi, English to rare languages like Kaithi, Esperanto had also seen spectacular performance by Anjali Patil and her troupe who came all the way from Canada to coalesce with the CCVA’s message of love and peace as they were dancing on themes of Sufi and Shiva; they literally transported us into another world and naturally had a standing ovation from the mesmerized audience; a beautiful Mohiniyattam, the unique form of dance from Kerala by Seema S. also had the audience, national and international, in awe and wonder.

International presence

This year's Poetic Prism meet witnessed the presence of fourteen countries making the event truly international. The countries were Sri Lanka, Austria, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Albania, Estonia, Israel, China, Iran, Jordon, Saudi Arabia and the USA.

A memorable boat-ride

At the end of the session, poet delegates were taken for a long boat ride in the Krishna river and was shown the confluence of two rivers, Krishna and Godavari, a yet another humongous initiative by the Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu to make the lives of  people of Andhra Pradesh happier and more prosperous. Some were also taken to Amaravati. It was heartening to see Y. Harish Chandra Prasad, Chairman Malaxmi Group personally accompanying us and explaining the mythological background of the importance of Krishna river and the adjacent Durga temple. His humorous and effective communication makes him clearly a fantastic orator.

Raison d’être of CCVA

The message of love and peace, of brotherhood and acceptance of diversity reinforced through reading and listening of various languages has made the two-day fulfilling for all who were a part of the programme. It ended with a touching message from the leaders, including the discourse of the Krishna ZJilla Parishad Chairperson Ms Gadde Anuradha who upheld so beautifully our traditional and age-old camaraderie of looking at guests as Gods (Atithi Devo Bhava) and on the same breath urged us to look at Vijayawada as ‘our’ Vijayawada in the same way we look at the world as our own – this was the underlying intent of the poetic programme held at the A Plus convention centre that made Vijayawada truly victorious thus justifying its very name, its raison d’être.

The relentless team of volunteers from FORBES giving a selfless round-the-clock service
It was heartening to see the volunteers from FORBES college, a fresh willing-to-work-round-the-clock team of youngsters who were literally on their toes, and without whose effort the event wouldn't have been as successful as it was. Their willingness to work and serve for this great cause was instantaneously felt by all the delegates who took part in the memorable event. Hats off to the team. Love you all.

The message

All the visionary leaders behind this great effort envisioned even more support from the Government to take this event forward, reaching out to the entire world in the days to come, with the sole purpose of making Literature and Poetry as the forerunner of thoughts to rebuild the mindset in order to foster peace and prosperity not for the region alone, but for the world at large.

The Anthology
The Amaravati Poetic Prism anthology stands as a witness of a sincere effort that speaks volumes, in terms of effort put up by all the stakeholders; by the poets around the world, by those who worked day and night in the background correcting the form and the content, by the leaders who made this impossible task possible taking care of the intricate logistics and other aspects of the project. While the anthology goes down into history, it will carry with it an incomparable and the most magnanimous gesture of sensitizing the world that despite diverse cultures, languages, castes, creed, beliefs and faiths, we are all united when it comes to poetry. It stands as a proof that we can win, as one.

What is (not) in a name?

O my name!

What is it? Shoe what? Could you please come again Mr Shoe…

No problem sir, you can call me Super Tech

Hey …that sounds so cool…So you are Super Tech for us here in XYZ.

In the professional world, that was my first attempt in twisting my name for the benefit of my clients. I became Super Tech for my American and English speaking European clients; much later, when I came back from France and was given charge for France and Francophone countries, I became Sous Pratique for them. Never mind that it meant someone who was kind of deranged? Jesus do I even disagree; the other day I saw myself kissing my plate because I could have my meal on it! Even now, I sometimes kiss my pair of sneakers after coming from long walks! But that's how I am!

And those childhood scribbles on the walls? Did they ever show any sign of being ‘normal’; my mom, while cleaning the walls had just one word as a refrain, obnoxious! And she was creative enough to stress her syllables that could mean as someone who is perpetually or incorrigibly obnoxious! These premonitions were stark and vivid in me since childhood, and I am quite composed with my state of insanity; so coming back to the main stroy of Super Tech or Sous Pratique now - that was how I was known to ‘them’; the names became so popular that I even heard discussions on whether the two were one and the same; I was flattered, but deep inside, somewhere I was also reminded of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde too. But in my case it would be Dr Jekyll and Dr Jekyll, wouldn’t it? Enough! Enough of basking in self glory!

Worst moments

Let me now bring out one of the most embarrassing moments concerning my name; I went to Delhi to deliver a training on 'cultural sensitisation', and had two juniors with me. As was the norm, one was not supposed to talk too much with the juniors, maintain a distance, have different rooms; I never gave a damn to all these, never, ever, and I had one room booked for three, with one extra bed. One of the juniors brought me the first bill from the reception and was laughing his lungs out. Now laughing being infectious, we two also started laughing without knowing what the reason was; sometimes it does happen, doesn’t it? But when he pointed out the typo in my name I was shocked; instead of a ‘t’, it became a ‘d’; and because those juniors were so close to me, they were asking me, is it?

I was furious, and thought, for the first time, of my mistake; maybe I should have booked a different room, and maybe what they say about maintaining hierarchical difference was true; I hated them at the moment. I took the bill and went straight to the reception, was about to storm at the receptionist but couldn’t say a word because there was a lady sitting there. When I went back into the room, I saw the disobedient grins on their faces. How irreverent I thought, they never call me sir, they hug me instead of showing respect. Wait I will see them at their next appraisal I thought! Next morning, when I saw a different receptionist; I explained, and we three left for our first day. The second day’s bill was even more shocking; supra became super; luckily the bill was with me this time; I sat with a different receptionist and saw to it that my name was correctly spelt once and for all, but will I ever forget this worst moment ever in my life I wonder! Never mind, I became my ordinary self with my juniors again, as it were.

Names at different places

In Hyderabad, I was referred to as Supratika; however much I tried to make them stop at the /k/ sound, it became /ka/ changing my gender; later on I thought of it as a compliment; didn’t resist anymore because it was pointless. In Kerala, I was called Suprakrishna, I still fail to understand the logic, but when someone called me as Muthukrishna there, I thought I have to accept anything that came with my name, it’s good as long as they are calling me something.

The origin of the sin

My mom first named me as Pratik, then she added the ‘Su’ to mean a good symbol; later she was happy to discover that Supratik is also one of the elephants of Indra, the God of rain; she always wanted me to be fat, don’t know why; much later, when I shared with her different versions of my name, she thought she could have called me Pratik, or Gaurav (that was the first option, to rhyme with my elder bother’s name, Sourav). But what is done cannot be undone, besides, having your name changed is quite an ordeal and could land you up in even more trouble. I have grown up being in soup with my name; literally, because for most of my friends, I was soup; I was also called tick by many of my colleagues; one of my bosses would call me tic tic tic thrice. My non-bong friends would make fun of me by making the ‘su’ sound like a ‘shoe’ and pronounce it as ‘shoeproteeek’! They knew very well that for Bongs, it is pedestrian to pronounce /s/, so for all /s/, it is cultured to say /sh/!

Pet name

When I hug my friends now, I distinctly remember how I hated them during our cricket-football days. Most of our friends remember those frustrating days of hatred and animosity, which mostly centered around distorting names, with love and affection. Those who still do not know, Bongs have two names, one exclusively for the families and relatives and the other for the outside or for the professional world. And in Bengali, it is called ‘daaknaam’ which loosely translates into pet name, pet meaning ‘daak’ or ‘posha’, hence pet. I was named as Anto, as a short form of Antony; again it was my mom’s imaginative mind that tried to trap the glory of a film, a super hit one called Antony Firangi where our all time favourite Uttam Kumar played the role of Antony. Just as my bhalonaam (or good name, you get to hear this literally translated into English quite often, like what is your good name sir?!), my daaknaam (pet name) too went through many versions, of agony and discomposure; Tanto, Santo, Langto (in Bengali it means naked), Sando banyan, Aunty (this seemed like Supratika or Supreeti, much to my chagrin as a child) and a whole range of them; until much later I decided to give a meaning to it; I changed the spelling of my name as Unto, which means a preposition ‘next to’ or ‘toward’; I like the way it is enunciated in English by also maintaining the same momentum in Bengali too! I perhaps meant I could be next to or toward most anything? Nah!! But chalo thik hai.

What is (not) in a name

With time, with all the versions of my name I have come to realize the flexibility my name has; therefore, despite the vexations and mild irritations at times, I have come to terms with it; I have started loving it since a long time; from food to mood, my name, what does it not have in it I wonder! But I am what I am.

Shubho Bijoya

Sweetest part of India

If West Bengal is busy publicizing itself to the World and its cousin as the ‘Sweetest part of India’, it is quite literally for the variety of sweets, ranging from misti doi to more than 500 types of sandesh and rosogolla with all its different mouth-watering shapes, sizes and hues. And it is during this time of Dussehra that we get to see a parade of sweets hopping in from the plates to the mouths of people in and around the pandals as also in every begali household.

About Vijayadashami

In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, remembering goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to help restore Dharma (Virtue). Vijayadashami, also known as Dasara, Dusshera or dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day (hence called Dasami which in Bengali means tenth) in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin. Vijayadasami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the northern, southern and western states, the festival is synonymously called Dussehra (also spelled Dasara, Dashahara). In these regions, it marks the end of "Ramlila" and remembers God Rama's victory over the demon Ravana, or alternatively it marks a reverence for one of the aspects of goddess Devi such as Durga or Saraswati.

Mysterious Mythology

Mythology is full of mysteries and one of them is that the goddess Durga is also known as Rama (pronounced as Roma in Bengali); so Durga and Rama are also namesakes doing the same work to help conquer virtue over vice. Vijayadasami celebrations include processions to a river or ocean front that carry clay statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, accompanied by music and chants, after which the images are immersed into the water for dissolution and a goodbye. Elsewhere, on Dasara, the towering effigies of Ravana symbolizing the evil is burnt with fireworks marking evil's destruction. The festival also starts the preparation for one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals called Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami.

The celebration goes abroad

Owing to its popularity in England and the US of A, Durga and her family have been seen many times being immersed in the waters of Thames and Hudson.

Sindoor khela (game of vermillion)

Sindoor Khela is a tradition which is followed every year on the day of Vijayadashami. For all the Bengali women, this is the final ritual which holds a great significance. On Vijayadashami, or the last day of Durga Puja, married women put on sindoor or vermilion on Maa Durga's forehead and feet and thereafter they apply it on the other married women present around them. This ritual is enjoyed just like a game and thus it is called "Sindoor Khela". Women enjoy smearing sindoor on each other. Since sindoor is a sign of a married woman, this ritual means to wish each and everyone a good fortune and a happy married life.

A reason to celebrate life

While it is true that human beings need an occasion to celebrate, these celebrations also have a purpose behind them; mostly they would also be celebrations for the victory of good over evil, knowledge and wisdom over ignorance, light over darkness, kindness over cruelty, and finally sweetness over bitterness.

So here’s wishing a very happy dussehra to all our friends at Your Space. But going with the title, it is Shubho Bijoya in Bengal, the sweetest part of India!

Disclaimer:

Source for some information, viz. about vijayadashami, is Wikipedia.

Images a collage from pictures available in Google images

Let's walk

Let us walk

The moon is the sun’s mind

in perpetual separation

causing death, destruction

is one interpretation;

the moon is the sun’s presence

in inseparable union of light

breeding life is another;

In this world, there’d be

rambling of words, thoughts,

the sun and the moon

have merged as one,

the mind of the players

here with me

readers who’d pass by the text

also audience separate as parts

but in unison

like companion stars.

A recount of an ordinary walk

on a Sunday afternoon

of a mother and a child;

where I am also a reader;

in a while

float around

in the mind of the text

my role everywhere

talking, thinking with words

about words

all over the place

with numbers

shaking the on-going slumber

we'd walk around
in unions, in separations

of thoughts and minds

nestling, nursing the Thought

since a long time.

An extra-ordinary state

has suddenly become real;

it has come out of the words

and minds of countless souls,

walking into the meadows, wandering in the oceans

meandering in every blade of grass;

playing their roles
this state as become trivial

our coveted ordinary lives

peaceful, above everything else;

with my mind, your mind, our mind

let’s walk...

Scene: The capital of a country in Africa

Mom: Taxi!

Driver: Good afternoon Madam. (Looking at the child)... good afternoon sweetheart... (Ushers them in)

Mom and Child: Good afternoon Sir!

Driver: Where to Madam

Mom: The Museum

Driver: Very well... here we go.

The taxi sails through the road. On one side is the vast orchard of fruits hanging on the nourished trees and on the other an endless paddy field with long, golden, dancing grasses; the sky on top is blue, relaxed.

Child: (smiling)... Thank you Mom...it’s going to help me for my project work. I am really looking forward to it. (Mom smiles)

Driver: Here we are Madam. Here sweetheart...a mango for you.

Mom: Thank you Sir. (pays and alights. The child smiles.). (to the child) Come... (takes the child and goes to the counter. Two options: Hunter and War. Mom takes both)

The place is not so crowded...it’s just an ordinary museum.

Mom: Do you know we have this kind of museum in the capital city of every country?

Child: Yes, teacher told us.

Mom: Come let’s go to the Hunter section first.

The section hosts animals that were hunted the most, viz. tigers, lions, leopards, wild boars, snakes, and so on. It also has names of hunters.

After spending two hours at the hunter section.

Child: Mom, I think people were sick in those days. Imagine killing animals for a living! And to think that hunting was a profession back in those days! I think the world should name this a hunter zoo or a war zoo or something?

Mom: Yes hunting was a profession once upon a time. But don’t say people were sick in those days, no unkind words please... judging is back-dated and primitive, don’t you know? It is best to be known as a museum, the concept of zoo is unkind too, don’t you think? They were also good people, very well-meaning people, but their mind was elsewhere and they were insecure. That’s all. Besides, it is the same Intelligence, the same Leaders, and the same Peoples that have made this world also possible.

Child: I am sorry mom. I think I am done here.

Mom: Never mind my child. Let’s go to the War section now.

The child walks through the rooms and sees weapons, weapons, and more of weapons all over the place. He was reading from the friendly fonts in red that in those days humans would kill humans with weapons; displayed with a ‘do not touch’ tag. They were invented by very intelligent and well-meaning people, when countries would flaunt weapons to belittle or scare other countries... he was reading... about the waste of money, wealth... these weapons were invented, created and marketed, weapons for mass destruction, but they were not used... his mind did not understand the purpose behind inventing something, investing time, space and money on something that couldn’t be used! But the intention was noble... these weapons were invented for self-defense. When he shared his thoughts with his Mom, she said it was easy for him to think this way, but there was a time when children would shoot children too. That now, it’s become so easy and mundane and ordinary not to use weapons, to function without the use of a single weapon now. Even earlier, when people would hunt animals, hunters were really sought after... no one could even think of doing without them, but it happened. In the War section, there’s an Army section too.

He goes and learns that there were people who were trained only to kill other human beings. They were dedicated people, but their sole purpose was to kill, the objective was very noble...they would kill to protect. The child asked his mom, why was it noble to protect human beings from other human beings, self-defense by human beings from human beings why, mom replied in the same way, humans needed to protect from humans because the mind wasn't there, not to say they were mindless, but mind was absent. So is this magic, a miracle now, no it is not, replied the Mom, now the mind is there. I don't understand a word of what you say, to this response of the child, the mom replied, you will with experience, like me and your Pa. But these Army guys are now called Nature guys...equally trained and built to fight calamities and force majeure... he knows it because that’s his dream to be a Nature guy. There was also another section called account section... the whole room was full of figures from 0 to 9... the child got lost in the losses the world went through. Immeasurable amount of wealth.

Child: Mom, it doesn’t make sense. I have two questions.

Mom: Shoot. (Both look at each other and smile, then mom and child say). Na na na na…say say

Child: I have a question. May I?

Mom: First let us see.

It’s almost evening. The sun is becoming milder. Sky is sleepy. He’s out of the section now. Disturbed; like those children who visited the concentration camp in Germany, who were trained for years not to repeat. The child thinks... human beings would kill animals, and human beings... enemies...and what is that...and why...how...it’s good that he’s out of the section, but Mom told that people were good and very well-meaning in those days too, it’s just that their mind was not with them. Good that my mind is with me. But I have a question. Wait I am going to ask this to Mom, who is looking tense now. First let’s have something to eat, he thought.

They are out in the cafeteria. Mom bites a sandwich and asks the child.

Mom: So...how was it?

Child: Good, but I have a question.

Mom:  Only one?

Child: Yes (smiles).

Mom: Tell me

Child: How did it stop?

Mom: What? Hunting?

Child: All... hunting, war, weapons, army...how did this stop Mom

Mom: Nobody knows how...some say it’s because of the leaders who were tired of their respective insecurities; some say it’s because of the people who were tired of looking at each other’s reflections as enemies, some say the world had suddenly become so poor that it couldn’t afford weapons any more. There's also this story which says that Nature stopped co-operating with people, and they were kind of forced into stopping wars. By nature I also mean you know Gods and Goddesses... (they both laugh, because in this age humans do not worship gods and goddesses, we have become them, so there's no need, they laugh again. Then Mom continues). But the one that makes sense to me is the story that talks about a group of people who took it on them to collect data, facts and figures on the amount of fiscal losses the world has incurred, it seems the number they derived ran into pages, adamantly trying to touch infinity (the child is nodding rapidly, approvingly). The group showed it to everyone and it was from then that the shift had begun. You know infinity?

Child: Yes, I do, teacher taught us! What if the reason of them becoming poor to afford wars were true?

Mom: What?

Child: The world is not poor anymore Mom.

Mom: Would that mean we’d have war again? I don’t think so, we have become rich since ages now; wealth, prosperity, peace and security are not just words, we are not threatened by people any more. People aren’t essentially bad my child, they have never ever been bad, only their minds were not with them. That’s all.

Child: But whatever it is...good riddance...but I have another question, if you please

Mom: Tell me...

Child: Why was it proud to die for our country? Why would it be proud to die Mom?

Mom: Same reason, my child. But now you know it is proud..

Mom and Child: ...to live for our country, (they both hug each other, give a fiver)

Child: But Mom, I have another question. Will this project of mine be better than the last one. I will not get better grades then. Like Pa doesn't get better increment if he's unable to be beat his own last performance. I am worried Mom.

Mom: Follow the guidelines. Give more examples, get out of words, ride more on feelings and give your non-judgemental views. That's all. Teacher will be proud enough to say that this project is better than your last. Don't you know how offices work now? Your Pa didn't do better than his last performance this year. But the management found out many ways to give him better salary once they were convinced on his sincere effort. It happens the same way in my office too. We have enough for everyone everywhere now. So don't worry, but hey focus on how you can do your best. I am sure you will do better.

Child: Mom please please tell me what are the ages, old stone age, new stone age…

Mom: Ah no! We have two ages, the war age and the peace age or the modern age, the one that is now for good. The war age is sub-divided into three, viz. old stone age, new stone age and pseudo-modern age; in the first two ages survival was the main focus, in the pseudo-modern age, destruction became the focus, like I told you countries would flaunt weapons, one would say look I have this, the other would say, I also have this plus this. (Both of them started laughing, helplessly…suddenly) Shh… o peace…stop stop (the child stops abruptly). I am sorry honey, it’s my fault, but we shouldn’t laugh at these historical ages, for if we do, they will come back. (They both say) O peace, let this laughing at the ages go away from us. You will understand when you become a little experienced. (The child looks weirdly at her, smiles)

Child: This, I have this plus this, I have this plus this plus this!!! Oh so that's why pseudo-modern is it? I will remember this this-this. But Mom, I have another question. Can you tell me something more about the pseudo-modern age please? I would like to know why wars stayed with us for such a long time.

Mom: Sure. It stayed with us for so long because we thought it was a good thing. We applied war in everything we did. We were enslaved. From science and technology to art and literature, there was this war going on in the name of competition, outwitting people, putting them behind and so on. It was considered as entertaining so it got its place in all forms of entertainment too. You know there was a time, maybe in the beginning of that age, there’d be people watching a man fight with an animal, say, a lion. In the end, either the lion would get killed or the man. (The child is listening attentively). Later animals got replaced with two men or two women in various sports called boxing, wrestling and so on.

Child: No…and what would happen there?

Mom: They would fight, hit each other in every possible places, would bleed in the middle of a vast audience clapping, and cheering to hit more and more. Even in football matches, there would always be two teams on war footing, breaking the bones of opponents (enemies), there would be stretcher ready to escort them out, they would have terms like ‘retired hurt’. So everywhere you saw wars, competitions, enemies, and this win-lose virus. It was there in religion as well, like whose religion was best and whose was not. They brought this mindset from the jungles where they had to kill each other to survive.

Child: (in a low and soft, almost wet voice) Mom. It’s okay. I know why it stayed for so long. But now we have said so long to so long, isn't it mom? (Mom hugged the child and nodded.) I know what you are going to say if I said any unkind word. They were all very good people, but their mind was not with them. But I have one last question.
Mom: Tell me.

Child: What's for supper?

Mom: Let’s get home first... we have to ask the grand kid too...

Child: You bet! Or he could also be making us a grand supper!

Mom: Sure. Taxi!

The taxi walks through the streets, taking the two passengers, who are now pensive and looking out the window, what is the mother thinking... that mothers of the world would never have to give birth to a child who’d cause terror or be terrorized... she did not reveal one vital discovery that the whole world has made while doing away with weapons...that toy-weapons far outnumbered real guns... she would bring her child again to reveal the secret because she knows secrets create insecurities...what is the child thinking... of the weapons...of the army... or like his mom he is also thinking that no child would ever have to learn how to kill people, or wait, he could also be thinking of how to be a nature guy... they’re perhaps throwing many questions at the sky, still golden, to be silver in a while.

Child: Mom! Look at the Moon...it's rising!

Mom: It is sun's presence so..

Mom and Child: we are never kept in the dark.

Dedicated to the mothers of all the 233 beautiful countries of the world.

Note: When I look back and try to understand why I chose Africa, ‘The danger of a single story’ comes across as a strong reason. Please listen when you have the time by clicking Here 

Rendezvous with the trespasser II

Dead

I wish I were dead.

So I didn’t have to drink

My blubbering tea

Watch the wailing TV

Witness, observe and see

And count the enchanting life, dead.

It’s not about values

Not about ethics

It’s not about winning, losing

Not about polemic

It’s about people living a while ago, lying dead

In my darling paris my bubbling siblings, silenced.

Anger will rise, revenge will cry

Through the years sporadic tears will dry

With candles of condolence

And move on again and again

To this animosity it seems there’s no end

I wish I were dead instead.

What kind of a poem was that? Dead? You wrote it, didn’t you?

Yes I did.

You!

Yes I wrote it...who do you think I am huh? I am telling you again and again that I am a common human being...an ordinary human being. It’s only when you come, I feel different..that’s all. I have the right to be angry, to grieve, to weep, to cry.

But this is not going to help. You need to overcome this. These emotions will energise the school you want leaders to demolish as a service to the world, which does not exclude the students of the school in question.

Yes I know. But now I am not in the right frame of mind.

So shall I leave?

Yes. Leave.

But Obama and Putin are meeting!

So? So what? Okay don’t leave... tell me. But please don’t tickle me and say all those hoosh hoosh thing...and don’t make me laugh, ok?

Okay.

Wait...what are you doing... you have totally taken grip over me...you are squeezing me and taking all my pain away... ok I just listen....

Between Wednesday 7 January 2015 and Friday 13 November 2015, you have two attacks in Paris. This time, the attack happened in six different places in Paris. Well, nothing stopped in between. Everything moved on with the exception of some lives dead on the streets, perhaps drowned-forgotten with tears of condolences or washed away in the fire of anger. Businesses continued, share prices panicked, solaced shareholders, and TV channels continued to entertain with eyeballs pouring in as footfalls. And life continued.

During this time, the school of terrorism was doing their homework. Homework that was insane with single-minded dedication, something that you lack, frankly speaking. Attacking six different places in Paris is no mean task, it needs coordination, talking to people, convincing people to open fire, arranging for guns, weapons, chalking out a foolproof plan; and remember all of this right in the middle of a country whose intelligence has a proven track record. Well this needed effort that had to factor physical and other dependencies. This incident has also created a major confusion in the minds of people that perhaps the third world war has begun, and that this time it is West versus East. What were you doing during this time? I will tell you what you did. You let the persons be terrorists. Otherwise how would you let a person with multiple criminal records be on the loose...why didn’t you let the person be with the Brahmakumaris or with Osho? You could have just watched the person/s closely too. Remember you had the support which the school did not have. They carried guns which could have been neutralised through remote sensing, but this needs deployment of intelligence which is unfortunately busy elsewhere.

You are busy with Mars and other planets, but you don’t seem to be as busy with the earth. For other planets you have tons of money and brilliant minds to waste, but for the earth, where you live, you have nuclear weapons, don’t you? What have you done? What are you still doing? Will you not ever come to your senses? You are so helplessly faithful and dependent on weapons and wars that you’d never ever consider the possibility of walking over them?

You have been focusing on strengthening your security, which is a good thing. However your securities are failing over and over again...why? It’s because you are not focusing hard enough on your insecurities. If you did that your insecurities would perish and your securities will automatically strengthen.

It is a joyous moment for the earth that Putin and Obama are meeting. Friends who were lost in the wilderness of misunderstandings are now meeting. This friendship between two countries will not cause any more insecurity to any other countries. They will look at each other, shake hands, and finally hug. A new beginning...they will talk openly about what they did to each other in the past...something that they will not repeat...they’d work on their respective insecurities. Imagine the liberty this meeting will give to several Russians and Americans, and this energy will be spread out in your world...then entire world will benefit out of this.

I would urge you to enable people to look at the world as a whole. Internationality is the key. The English are proud of England, Americans proud of the Americas, Japanese proud of Japan, Afghans proud of Afghanistan... in this respect, you haven’t changed at all... and you talk of change? When will Indians be proud of China, and Chinese proud of Kiwis, Pakistan proud of Australians, when will Greek be proud of Egyptians, when will English be proud of Algerians, French proud of Mexicans, when will Germans be proud of Nigerians, Americans proud of Malays and Russians proud of Pakistanis? I am telling you repeatedly that with your intelligence, emotional and otherwise, it is possible. In this light of internationality you will lose yourself in the sheer joy, and yet can find your respective lands better. Just as now you are losing yourself...can you find yourself now.... come on....dance with me...I am holding you from all over... merry-go-round... I I I... can you find your I...yes? no? what? .... I know you are losing it...and yet you are getting it back.  In the same way, all you insecurities will hoosh away... you can make it possible to eradicate the object ‘enemy’ from your earth...and this will be your greatest victory. Rely on intelligence that is based on the simple principle of ‘live and let live’...this is the key. I want you to experience this pleasure in your earth.  Have you ever thought of this... how is it that everyone is proud of their own country, but not so proud of the world...how is that possible to even process and nurse this painful thought for years and years? This is where a shift needs to come when everyone will really feel proud of their respective countries and also of the world. This can come through leaders of all countries, by applying intelligence. It involves engagement and occupation.

Instead of inventing weapons of mass destruction to declare power, how about inventing a machine that can purify the air...that can add freshness into the polluted rivers, can make acres of inhabitable lands habitable? Don’t tell me it is impossible... before inventing Brail who would have ever thought of including blind readers... parachutes and submarines have been invented by you, sign language for the hearing impaired, wheel chairs for the physically challenged and lots of other meaningful inventions to make the world more liveable, more enjoyable. Beautiful people that you are you need to invent things to demolish the object ‘enemy’ from your innovative minds. In reality that you are going through right now with me in this dance, there is no conflict, no enemy...there is peace, nothing but peace...with intelligence you can see it in your world.

In this world, word doesn’t exist, I have nothing to do with words, I never had....but in your world, you have invented word. It’s a good thing because it is your strength; you can reach a higher level of consciousness through words. However, your over dependence on this strength has created weapons and the concept of enemies...you are fighting merely for words...come back...return to wordlessness...return to feelings...and then go back and see the world...the same words would appear different...like magic even the word enemy, weapon can also sound sweet...like human, heaven...repeat...human, heaven... human, heaven...again... human, heaven...I am just kidding, as I always do...but I said whatever I had to say on words...ah one more thing...I was talking about the word non-violence... you’d asked me to explain. Replace the word with peace. I know you have been using this word because it has been endorsed by many able leaders, even by many spiritual leaders. I am not saying it is wrong, but after discussion, you might consider because words mean everything in your world. I think the word need not be used because it is leaning on the word violence. The word ‘non’ is short and weak, therefore, it loses its impact. Say non-violence...say it again... you are prolonging the word violence. There is another reason too... listen carefully.... in the word ‘non-violence’, there are three /n/ sounds, the first two from the word non, and the last one from the word violence...what you are left with is one /n/ sound...so every time you utter the sound non-violence...you seem to physically imprint the opposite in your brain thus creating noise or confusion. Therefore, the word, however noble it might be, needs to be replaced. Invent a word where there is complete annihilation of violence. Strange thing is that although you are talking about internationalisation, there is no word as internationality, as mentioned earlier... you will see a red underline! But then, as I said already, if you practise wordlessness (even this word doesn't exist in your vocabulary, but this I understand why!), all words would sound sweet.

Invent words, not weapons

Juicy, fleshy, rich, worthy words

Frenmy, Enemend, leapons

jeshnalla, shivlink, worldan,

If words have formed, deformed

They will also reform, transform

If through the years you fought for words

It is through words you'd rebuild your world

An engaging game

That knows no end

Now I am releasing you...I am letting you go...I am letting you be.

Thank you! But tell me..do you want me to delete ‘Dead’?

No..why... let it be..without any pain... enjoy!

But you didn’t tell me how to convert sea-water into drinking water and that teaching happens in words, but learning doesn’t happen through words. Are you busy now?

No I am seldom busy. Turning sea-water into drinking water is not quite difficult. Nature does it every day. The clouds come from the waters of seas, oceans, rivers, lakes...but in various layers the conversion or standardisation happens and when you get them back as rains, you don’t find any salty water. Follow the same process and you will also be able to do it. Invent a machine which can do that. If you can invent machines to go to Mars, nuclear weapons, you will be able to do this in time.

Do you think our scientists haven’t thought of that?

Yes they have... but somehow they have given up...as I said, they are now focussing on something else.

Why did you tell me this? I won’t be able to explain this to such intelligent people... they’ll make fun of me.

You will do nothing. But do that nothing with all your heart. Things will be done.

I also told you that in your world, teaching happens through verbal communication, but learning happens through non-verbal communication...this creates a huge gap and misunderstandings.

Can you give some examples?

Yes...let me first give you examples which people living in your part of the world would understand more quickly, and then I will give one example which everyone would understand quickly and easily. Do you see people riding bikes without helmets?

Ha ha ha!!! You notice these things as well...ha ha ha!!! It’s not you...it’s me who’s talking. (Suddenly there’s silence.) Oh...I am sorry...please carry on.

Or people driving without wearing seat-belts?

Yes, I do.

And there are also these youngsters who ride bikes and talk on the cell phones by slightly tilting their heads...have you noticed that? Who has taught them this posture, this body language? Who? Are these things taught? Anywhere? But they are learnt...like this, there are many examples across the world which can help you identify this as a phenomenon and then work on it. While scientists would have an engaging work ahead, so would linguists, poets, artists and industrialists.

Okay I get it, but what about the other example?

I don’t have to spend much time here. Example is in scriptures. I will just take one very common example. What is taught through words is ‘hate the sin, not the sinner’.