War: Good or Bad?

War: Good or Bad?
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"You know who's going to inherit the earth? Arms dealers. Because everyone else is too busy killing each other. That's the secret to survival. Never go to war, especially with yourself."

The final dialogue of movie "Lord of war" starring Nicolas Cage and Ethan Hawke was absolutely stunning. This dialogue tells us the ugly truth and gives a piece of advice. I hear this dialogue every day since then and whenever I watch war movies. I watched a couple of war movies after "Lord of war" named "Saving Private Ryan" and "Pearl Harbor". Both were awesome. I liked the way soldiers’ fought. I like such movies. But after looking at all that destruction, I felt bad.

I was thinking lately, why do these wars take place? What is the reason behind it? What do they achieve after fighting with each other? Do they want to prove their superiority? Do they think of their loosing? Do they even care about it?

Damn. So many questions and answers are hard to guess. But as my thinking process went on slowly, answers started getting unfolds. The basic answer which is got is Ego. I heard a dialogue in Hindi movie, "Anything can be hurt, but never hurt someone's ego." Hurting ego causes only destruction. Very less chances are of hurting ego causing construction without destruction. If we will take a look at wars taken place from ancient ages till date, they all took because of hurting someone's ego. Country A makes some statements against country B to prove their superiority and hurts its ego. With hurt ego, country B makes statements against country A. It continues till the actual war gets started.

Wars are fought with weapons. Weapons can be physical or logical. Physical weapons cause physical destruction such as human bodies, buildings, roads etc. Logical weapons cause mental destruction. Logical weapons are nothing but the words we speak. Is it hard to understand other and adjust yourself if needed? I don't think so. Then why do not we give a try?

Another reason is greed. When man becomes greedy, he never thinks of anything. Whether it is good way or bad, it doesn't matter. What matters is the ultimate goal. It also causes war.

When war is about to begin, no one thinks of loosing. Everyone thinks of winning. Even though you win, you lose something to win it. Because, to get something you have something is to be given away. And after losing anything, we start blaming others or even sometimes the destiny because loosing is painful. If loosing is so much painful then why don't we think of avoiding the basic thing which causes it, war?

Superiority is fond of all of us. But we need to understand that, a construction should not be made based on destruction 'coz such construction is less appreciable!

Till this thing is understood, I think arms dealers will surely inherit the earth and everything will go beyond control!

Sunit S. Pendse
27th August 2014
sunitpendse.blogspot.com

A Journey To Heaven

A Journey To Heaven
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One day, I received an email from our HR Department mentioning an Invitation to a Trek. In the beginning of month of May'14, I had decided to attend at least one adventure organized by our company. Hence, as I received this email of trek, I jumped in, immediately started the process. On the very 15th minute of receiving trek invitation, I had booked my seat for this adventure. Trek day was 2nd of August, there were 12 days to go still. I was pretty excited about it.

Two days before the trek, we received trek schedule from HR along with do's and dont's during trek. On 2nd of August'14, early Saturday morning, we all gathered at meeting point. Our journey started after receiving instructions from the organizer. Some of us started getting introduced with others; rest of us started playing Antakshari. The journey by Bus ended near village named Ambivali. The organizer introduced us with the trek instructors who are going to be with us whole day, assisting us, guiding us, taking care of us during the second phase of journey.

From Ambivali village we started walking towards village named Peth which was at the feet of the Peth fort. We reached photo point where we clicked some photos of awesome greenery and ourselves. We managed to reach Peth village. We rested for some time. And then next journey to the Fort began.

It was raining and climate was awesome. The road towards the top of the fort was going through rocks and tiny waterfalls. We were traveling through the jungle. We were climbing slowly and helping each other to climb. All of us were going on path showed by our mentor. Due to non-stop rock climbing, I started panting. We reached at a point from where we could see cave and top closely. I managed to find a dry rock and sat over there. I started feeling like I won't make it 'coz suddenly I started feeling unwell, unconscious. I drank some water and closed my eyes. I wasn't the warrior who could lose. I just wanted to reach at the top even though no one will be able to make it. That was my aim. When my eyes were closed, I was telling myself, not to worry, just try hard, don't lose yourself, you can do it, you can reach the top.

I opened my eyes and looked at my left. My friends, colleagues were coming and looking at me. They smiled at me and said, "Let’s go. There is a much to see." These words gave me strength to continue the journey. I started walking again. I started finding again the best route through those rocks and steps to reach the top. I started following our mentors. We reached cave and took some rest there. As next group reached the cave, we started next journey to the top of the mountain. The steps were hard. We had to take support of rocks on one side to climb up. Our mentors were also helping us for going up. They were showing us right spots where we can put our foot and go ahead.

And finally, we reached at the top. When I reached there, clouds gathered us all over the place. Top floor of that fort was surrounded by white fog. Suddenly started raining. My heart stopped for a moment. "This is good man. This is heaven!" I murmured. I was looking at those clouds and I don't know why but felt like crying. I just didn't want to leave the place, didn't want to go anywhere. In our life, we come across many moments where we are at peace. Those moments are precious where you don't need anything. You just want to stop the time and live the moment for some more time. I was feeling same at that very moment. I could spend my whole life just being there; even I have nothing to do, even when I am alone.

Life is a strange journey where there are ups and downs indeed. But it gives us such precious moments for short time. And may be since they last for very short period, their value is more or even invaluable. I got my moment just now, and I want to live it again by visiting same place or the other one. How about you? Did you have such moments in your life?

Sunit S. Pendse
6th August 2014
sunitpendse.blogspot.com