ABCDs
I want you to try this exercise. Ask a friend to read this out so you can follow the instructions.
Close your eyes and imagine. Imagine your little sister or niece whom you adore. For some reason, she cannot be with you. She is instead in a far-off land which you cannot reach. She is surrounded by a community that looks quite different and does not understand her. When she tries to make friends, she is not let into other children's groups. People sometimes walk up to her and say mean things and break her confidence. They may even abuse her racial identity which she hasn't even begun to understand. You are seeing all this and you want to stand up for her. You want to teach her to be confident. And if you can't do that, you at least want to hug her and tell her you're there for her. But you are not. And so she suffers this alone. She comes crying to her parents and they comfort her by telling her about her Indian brothers and sisters, those that she has not seen but can only imagine. They are known to accept one and all, regardless of race or religion. They will know to look beyond her accent and knowledge, they will know to love and respect her and be there for her. Her parents tell her that the day will come when she can interact with these brothers and sisters from India.
Then the day arrives. She has been admitted to our university and she is excited that she will meet this community that is supposed to be her own - this community of Indians from India. She sees you and walks up, with all of that pain and expectation that has defined her experience. She looks for the compassion and understanding in your eyes.
Now open your eyes. Open your eyes to the fact that this story is not over for you. It is not over because you are writing the ending.
Close your eyes and imagine. Imagine your little sister or niece whom you adore. For some reason, she cannot be with you. She is instead in a far-off land which you cannot reach. She is surrounded by a community that looks quite different and does not understand her. When she tries to make friends, she is not let into other children's groups. People sometimes walk up to her and say mean things and break her confidence. They may even abuse her racial identity which she hasn't even begun to understand. You are seeing all this and you want to stand up for her. You want to teach her to be confident. And if you can't do that, you at least want to hug her and tell her you're there for her. But you are not. And so she suffers this alone. She comes crying to her parents and they comfort her by telling her about her Indian brothers and sisters, those that she has not seen but can only imagine. They are known to accept one and all, regardless of race or religion. They will know to look beyond her accent and knowledge, they will know to love and respect her and be there for her. Her parents tell her that the day will come when she can interact with these brothers and sisters from India.
Then the day arrives. She has been admitted to our university and she is excited that she will meet this community that is supposed to be her own - this community of Indians from India. She sees you and walks up, with all of that pain and expectation that has defined her experience. She looks for the compassion and understanding in your eyes.
Now open your eyes. Open your eyes to the fact that this story is not over for you. It is not over because you are writing the ending.
# posted by somik @ 9:03 PM 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home