Identity

Derek met me.

After a long time, my uncle was joyful to see me. His eyes were twinkling, and he had a radiant smile on his face. Anyone who saw that smile could not remain sad for long. It had the purity of love. It was the love of a father. I asked him about his daughter who was in Indiana. She had gone for further studies. He did not reply with a twinkle in his eyes. He said with the usual smile that she was happy. She was more independent and she was enjoying university life. She had a life without boundaries or restrictions. Where her life was only her own. But at that moment, I saw a grieved parent. A parent who loved his daughter so much that he would not let any levy criticism upon her. But now, she wanted to be free of him. How sad.

* * * * * * *

Rihanna was the sole apple of her parent’s life. They loved her more than her elder siblings who they felt did not love them as much as they did. They wanted to go enjoy with friends and attend parties. Thus Rihanna’s parents loved her more than anything. They were protective of her. They taught her of religion, of good, and of life. She grew more mature as they spent more time with her. She loved her parents and her sisters too. She like the way they dressed up and looked like models with all the make-up. And they all loved her too. But her parents loved her the most. They would get the smallest gifts that she desired. They comforted her when she was afraid of the dark. They gave her guidance and love. They helped her through her teens, and helped her to remain true and good. And when she finished schooling she went to university. Then everything changed. She loved the freedom to do what she wanted. She was finally feeling more confident. But now she realized what she had missed. Her parents were too over-protective. They would restrict her if she tried to go to the movies, or go out of university grounds. She could not even speak to anyone else apart from her known friends. They said that experience had taught them certain values, which they were now teaching to her. She should believe in them. That she could until now. Now she had to know. So she told her parents that she wanted to be free. And told them how much she appreciated their love, but she now needed her independence.

* * * * * * *

This is but a part of the daily stories we see and experience. So many roles here, for Derek- a father, a teacher, a mentor, an oppressor, a man who did not let his daughter think for herself because she was inexperienced. The same applies for Rihanna – a precious daughter, a loved one, the hope for her parents, and the traitor.

Who is to blame? Derek? Just because he wanted to save his daughter from the evils of this world? Or Rihanna? Just because she wanted to learn about life on her own and do what she believed in.

There is so much more to this. This life is not composed of simple battles between right and wrong, good and evil. It is a life beyond all of it. What we need to realize is that there should be no dimensions that separate us from assuming our quintessential self. This self is beyond all good and evil. It just is. It cannot be explained. Only understood. Because in it there is an end of the lie. It is God, in the sense that it teaches us what is right, and the reasons behind it. It is the voice of all good.