Do I Have A Spine?

Just before writing this article I came across Shobha De's blog where she mentioned about how this morning she woke up with a terrible backache, that barely allowed her to get up. Her concluding statement said that she was able to locate her spine, and now she asked the readers to also check theirs.

This thought created a gigantic pandemonium in me. Honestly speaking the logical part of me popped up to say that yes I do have a spine. I protest every time my mum doesn't serve me my favourite fruit in the right quantity, or if she takes a serving for herself. I protest every time I spot my neighbour dumping her garbage in front of my flip flops. In fact I also raise my voice if my shirt isn't ironed properly…

So how on earth do I buy the fact I don't have a spine? Doesn't having a spine refer to standing up for yourself, raising your voice against intolerance, and also stating that you've been deceived? 

While I was mulling over these thoughts, deep down a voice seemed to mutter something. It was more of a question. It said that while I was enjoying my afternoon siesta at home, do I realise that there is someone who is fighting against the biting cold, sitting and protesting against the ongoing activities?

There are people whose daughters have been threatened to be raped, there are people that live everyday with the threat of getting killed, and there are people who have been tormenting hard against all odds to fight tooth and nail just to survive.

Do I feel for them? Do I consider their grief to be a minor percentage of mine? Do I feel sorry for them, do I get hurt when they shed their tears? 

Do I realise that people die, children are orphaned, women are widowed? Amid all this there are assurance like 'nothing will happen', but does any of this seem to affect me and my lifestyle in anyway?

It has been an age old habit of mine to start writing by referring to the old essays that I have been reading since my school days

And while writing this, the one that comes to my mind is a George Orwell's 1946 piece that says 'Why I write?'

Orwell had emphasised on how he wrote some lifeless books that had no political connotation. 

But the question here is, am I affected by all or any of these? Do I have a spine?

This continuous uneasiness led me to dial some of my friends, some were empathetic, while others said something like 'Dude! Seriously? On a Sunday, you are giving me Orwell and stuff?'

Quite flabbergasted, I returned to Mr.Spine. He seemed to tell me that he could gauge my burning angst, and showed signs of concern with what has been happening around. Also said that it feels the fire within, and is striving hard not to let it extinguish. 

Lastly, it said that reminiscing about George Orwell on a Sunday, isn't that awful...