I took a break last week as water flowed under the bridge into Bangladesh, a lot of water, washing away the sins of old, and creating a fertile ground for new. Democracy showed its fangs – if we can call it that – as the demos went crazy… and then asserted their supremacy over demons gone crazy! Some called dem crazy, others called it Democracy. Either way, it was celebrated.
In the course of the celebrations, some said, “It’s a triumph of democracy,” some said, “It’s a bad precedent,” some said, “It’s an accident,” and some said, “It will cause accidents,” some said, “it will mar relationships,” some said, “it will strengthen them.” There seems no dispute, however, that democracy asserted itself – what the majority feel, the minority must also. One nation one e-motion! This predates e-commerce by the way.
That’s the principle on which this school operates, and the school’s principal makes the rules that follow until a new principal is found! It’s one of the best schools – it’s a bit old school at times, but like a snake’s skin it goes through a renewal process repeatedly. It’s unique in that it is also hydra-headed!
Indeed, a snake sheds its skin multiple times throughout its life. The frequency of shedding depends on factors such as the snake’s species, age, and growth rate. Generally, younger snakes shed more frequently, often every few weeks to months, while adult snakes may shed a few times a year. The shedding process allows the snake to grow and remove old, worn-out skin.
There is no fixed number of times a snake sheds its skin in its lifetime, as it will continue to shed as long as it grows and remains healthy.
It happened in France and in Great Britain, which can no longer truly be called “great.” The Britons blame immigrants, while others point to Brexit. What they may not realize is that because Britain was great—a message they spread throughout their colonies (a term itself ironic and below the belt)—the inward flow of people began and hasn’t stopped. Everyone loves a good life, but eventually, they realize that too many loving Goodlife can curdle it!
Meanwhile in the USA too, democracy is alive and healthy. That is perhaps because those who are unhealthy, have stepped away from the demos before being called completely crazy! People in the USA have begun to love nature, especially flowers. They love to tango too, but I think after repeated plays of Frank Sinatra’s, “I’ll do it my way,” they have learnt to Walz too! In the end, in any democracy, people are the Trump, even if the leaders don’t think so!
India (not the allied forces) demonstrated strong commitment to a peaceful democratic world order, when a train that was not cancelled because of weather, nor derailed because of unaligned tracks, not on a collision course because it had safety equipment in place, and not overcrowded because there were no passengers barring a few, made its way from Warsaw to Kyiv.
India was on that train, aiming to shift peace into first gear and use the reverse for the war – Its effort is to transform invasions into excursions, into incursions, into intrusions, with the ultimate goal being, neither leaving an impression on the other, besides history!
India is convinced that dialogue is the only path to ending or preventing war. With extensive experience in this area within SAARC, we remain hopeful for a successful outcome.
At the end of this lesson in democracy, it becomes clear that nothing and no one is permanent, and we should savour life as it is while it lasts. It also reminds us to adjust our expectations for the future, to adapt, and to grow with the times. The challenge, however, is that not everyone learns this lesson – we still hark back to memories of our glory days to guide our future!