I’m going fishing
I got me a line
Nothin’ I do’s gonna’ make the difference
So I’m taking the time
And you ain’t never gonna’ be happy
Anyhow, anyway
So I’m going fishing
And I’m going today
I’m going fishing
Sounds crazy I know
I know nothing about fishing
But just watch me go
And when my time has come
I will look back and see
Peace on the shoreline
That could have been me
You can waste whole lifetime
Trying to be
What you think is expected of you
But you’ll never be free
May as well go fishing
This post is inspired by the topic suggested by Anu. At her age, wanting freedom and independence is very understandable. I used to be like that at that age. I then discovered that these two words are big myths. There is nothing called absolute freedom or absolute independence. I discovered much later that gaining freedom and independence from the protection of the parents/family situation simply meant taking responsibility for one’s own very existence. The price one pays for this is quite high in the Indian context, particularly so, for Indian women.
We can never be free from many things irrespective of how wealthy we become. The taxmen, relatives, spouse, offspring, in-laws, friends, well wishers, hangers on, nosy neighbours, jealousy, envy and so on so forth. And the older you get, other things are added to the list like, illnesses, medicines, restrictions on diet and habits etc. So, Anu dear, just get used to the idea of never really having total freedom.
Independence again, is impossible. From the morning cup of tea till you go to bed, you are dependent on a million people and things to enable you to be alive and practical. You need farms, farmers, rain, irrigation, middle men, transporters, shop keepers, clothiers, bankers, employers, the government and many many others and at the end, undertakers to live and die in dignity. So, Anu, my advise to you is go fishing.
“IF YOU WISH FOR A PEARL
YOU MUST LEAVE THE DESERT
AND WANDER BY THE SEA.
AND EVEN IF YOU NEVER FIND
THE GLEAMING PEARL, AT LEAST
YOU WOULDN’T HAVE FAILED TO REACH THE WATER.”
-Hakim Sanai in Haqiqat al-Haqiqa. (The walled garden of Truth)
Before I forget, I hope that you enjoyed reading another post of the Friday Loose Bloggers’ Consortium when eleven of us post on the same topic chosen by one of us. Today’s topic has been chosen by Anu, and we all know why she chose the topic don’t we?
Please do visit Ashok, Conrad, Grannymar, Magpie11, Maria, Gaelikaa, Helen, Judy, Anu and Ginger to see ten other views on the same topic. Some of these bloggers may be preoccupied with vacations, examinations, family problems and/or romance, so be a little indulgent in case they do not post or post late.
