Benito Z. Swu
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]ndus Creed, the erstwhile ‘Rock Machine’, the first original rock band of India crooned the ballad “Polyvinyl Lady” where a line of the lyric goes “living in a plastic world.” Yes, we are but living in a plastic world, so multipurposed, but yet brittle and fragile as well. But our faith is not plastic. Our faith is that faith which was sowed back then in the Old Testament times, which ultimately germinated and was watered, nurtured, bloomed, flowered and fructified in its ultimate purpose and glory with the coming of Christ, His death and His resurrection.
Man proposes, but God disposes. Who can deny that it was but the Lord who willed the victory of the NPF party, inspite of all the odds, for three consecutive terms, and each time, believe it or not, with a greater mandate? Who can deny that mistakes were made by the NPF and its constituents that made the people angry? But then again, human being make mistakes and we all know mistakes are the best teachers. But then again, who can deny that, against all the odds, it was the NPF party led by the pragmatic and time tested leadership of Party President Dr. Surhozelie along with the visionary and/but taking all aboard approach of then CM Neiphu Rio, brought Nagaland to the National conscience of mainland India and the world? Who can deny that it was the steadfast and the inclusive authoritative policy of Rio which enabled Nagaland to also possess world class infrastructure for her various departments? Who can deny the fact that it was in fact the unrelenting effort of Neiphu Rio, who catapulted Nagaland to the direct glare of the world as a hot spot tourist destination? Who can deny that it was the policy of Neiphu Rio who inspired, encouraged and helped firsthand, the spirit of entrepreneurship in among the younger generation of today, who I am sure are all gratified and thankful to his this policy? Who can deny that it was just a small simple five word sentence of Rio, “Do not eat the seed”, that acted as a catalyst in embedding in the minds of the young, the seed of responsibility and the desire to stand on one’s own two feet, outdating the policy or habit of the older generation of living one day at a time without shedding a tear of a sweat? Who can also deny the very fact that Rio was not given the space and time to work upon the agendas for the greater good because of the contradictions of the leaders of our so many NGOs and their pre-conceived inbox and perceived mentality of what is thought wrong can only be wrong? Seriously, who can deny………… . It goes on.How can we question what God has willed in the first place? How can we give birth to an illegitimate child, when the Father has given us His only begotten legitimate child for the greater good of humanity? Jesus came, Jesus worked, Jesus died, Jesus was resurrected. Then Jesus went to Heaven right before the eyes of both the believing and the thomases. Till that point of time, as willed by the Father, the mandated Jesus was with the earthlings, leading, preaching, rebuking, healing, reprimanding and assuring the limitlessness of both Heaven and hell. Jesus was hated as much as he was loved if not more.
After all was said and done, the good Lord left behind in his stead the Spirit, and thereby the freedom of choice to all the multitudes to exercise their individual trust, faith, and belief. Just because there is no fast rule against it, Christian leaders too can very much in their individual capacity overlook and knowingly let unknowingly fail to respect the Spirit or look into the Book before taking the plunge. Risk it and become a living or dead example for the ages. Nothing more, nothing less.
Public opinion is God and God is public opinion. Just because everybody cannot voice out does not mean that the average public are dumb headed fools. We too hear, we too see, we too analyze, we too can differentiate, we too have the right to have an opinion. We too also know that giving credit where it is due is in itself a ‘right of the individual’ in a democracy. Since the DAN government came to power, we have seen Rio exercise his prerogative as the Chief in the distribution of portfolios. Allow me to air out what we the public never understands. Why is it always those personalities who have indeed handled the major if not the so called lucrative portfolios, always the first to be hip-hopping and voicing dissent at the first opportunity. Looks and sounds more like a basket case of “baking the cake and eating it too.” Yes! Amazing. Is it because old habits die hard? I do not know. Maybe it is also an addiction. To his credit, Rio, during his CMship has been a good, if not excellent, tight rope walker as far as allocation of work was concerned. No contest there Mr. Rio. You win, hands down.
So much has been said and done against corruption in public life while discharging responsibilities, both by the elected representatives and the bureaucracy. But yet, the only reason for so much head & heartaches, misunderstandings and mind torturing of self with all the negativity of outlook in the framework of thinking is to succeed in that ultimate picture of greed and power, the two fountain heads of corruption. For how long and for how many times will we go kangaroo hopping? Why do we always have to go colorblind when it concerns the self? Why do we fail to see the depth of the depravity of our heart and justify to that gullible helpless public that it is a selfless sacrifice just for “you” the voter, who voted “me” to be your “voice.” Why cannot we let an individual sin remain singular instead of initiating a feast of it, much, much, many of whom unknowingly falls into that cesspool of garbage, filth and waste? Even the partaking of the Holy communion, the symbolic flesh and blood of the Lord is a very individualized affair of the soul – a taboo for those not baptized. How then can one take care of one’s faith, conscience and soul when one knowingly buries the spiritual health, conscience and soul of many by splurging and encouraging individuals to feast in this three way marriage of convenience, corruption and sin? I live and die, you live and die, everybody lives and dies. Why don’t we do that something, that something good, that something which has no form or shape, in between living and dying
Sometimes it isn’t until we lose something that we then later realize how grateful we should have been to have what it is we had in the first place.
A wise man long, long, time ago once said ; “It is always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of the one you don’t.” The same wise man again added. “And realize that patience is not about waiting, but the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard for what you believe in.”
