Heart to Heart
By Ethel Da Costa
God is Courage and Creativity
"Who Is God - Who Does He/She Claim to Be? He's been described as everything
from an impersonal life-force to a benevolent, personal, almighty Creator.
He has been called by many names, including: "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma,"
"Allah," "Ra," "Odin," "Ashur," "Izanagi," "Viracocha," "Ahura Mazda," and
"the Great Spirit" to name just a few. He's seen by some as "Mother Nature"
and by others as "Father God." But who is He really? Who does He claim to
be?"
I wrote these notes to myself one early morning as I sat meditating over a
cup of green orange tea, the noise of the city still drowned in the
stillness of the dawn. The hot brew soothed my senses, the pictures of
people dear filling up my mind as I visualized their smiling faces, their
wellbeing covering my skin like a warm blanket. A sparrow flew and sat on
the wind chimes hanging in my balcony, silently swaying in the flutter of
its own wings. My eyes welled with tears as lines automatically began to
write in my head, like a typewriter on automaton, inspiration surging
through my veins..`Is this how the Universe talks to me?' I wondered. `Is
this God awakening to his early morning cuppa tea?' `Is this how my
umbilical cord is connected to the Universe of creativity?'..We create our
own Universe..how absolutely true.
`You learn courage by couraging,' says writer Douglas Eby. In a review of
the book `The Courage to Create' by Rollo May, psychologist Stephen Diamond
comments, "Creativity always requires taking a chance on one's self... and
moving ahead despite self-doubts, discouragement and anxiety." "Courage," as
May makes clear, "is not the absence of insecurity, fear, anxiety or
despair, but resides in the decision to move through these feelings as
constructively or creatively as possible." Writer Anais Nin declares, "It
takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before, to
test your limits, to break through barriers." Part of the reason it may be
difficult for some women to acknowledge or make use of their courage is that
patriarchal societies associate strength and courage with physical power,
and with men, but not women. Another article says, "But in earlier times,
courage meant mental or moral strength to venture, to persevere, and to
withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." "If this broader definition of
courage prevailed, women would be viewed much differently today... If every
woman identified the acts she performs every day as courageous, she would be
able to use that same courage to transform her life and accomplish her
heart's desire."
Courage is a strength that can be developed, says philosopher Mary Daly, "I
think you guard against decay, in general, and stagnation, by moving, by
continuing to move. And with courage. Courage is like -- it's a habitus, a
habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It's like you learn to swim
by swimming. You learn courage by couraging. It is not a matter of being
fearless. The fear is sometimes constant, but it's about moving forward
regardless of the fear. Courage means feeling the fear and doing it anyway."
As I got ready to step out of the door to work, I heard my neighbours
violently quarreling in a language not of my mother tongue. Two women, two
generations, two difference of opinions fighting words of hurt and pain.so
much negativity. I paused in my step.almost stepping forward to knock on the
door and ask them to calm down..my hand hesitated.would I be stepping into
their privacy? I know how guarded I am about mine. My youngest called just
at the moment to ask me if I had eaten my breakfast..I said my silent
`Thank-You' as love washed over my aura.
Courage is to face the turbulent times of our society and community with as
much calm of the spirit and mind, as it is to forge ahead without fear.
Courage is standing up in the face of fear, injustice, violence and communal
hatred, even crashing markets, to keep yourself together and forge ahead
with as much freshness of breath as of the spirit. Courage is standing up
for your friends, and opening up the eyes of those who run you down behind
your back. Courage is not succumbing to the devils of fear who roam the
streets violating your right to be, to live, to speak, to write, to voice
your mind, even if you speak against corruption, injustice, political greed
and communal division. Courage is to stand up for Goa, in these times of
disparity. Stand up for Goans who have contributed to their own wellbeing,
and in turn made this State proud with their achievements.
Courage is to speak your mind against those who run the sons and daughters
of this State down with their money, thinking Goans are walkovers!? I have
been witness to a recent episode like this.
Courage is asking each self respecting Goan to stand up for her mother, with
as much pride in oneself as you have for the land that breathes peace, but
now threatened with goons sitting at the seat of power. Courage is standing
up for our sons and daughters and teaching them that peace begins first at
home, between mother and father, generation and generation, brother and
sister, husband and wife settling their petty differences and coming
together peacefully. Courage is the ability to say NO to division, YES to
communal harmony. This is the act of courage I appeal to every Goan to
exercise. Do it because we are proud Goans, we are not pushovers, we are not
walkovers. Let the country and money totting neighbour who thinks he can buy
your land, your soul, you mother and rubbish you in your own home, know it.
This festival of lights, I pray that we cleanse the devils inside our souls,
more than the devils we burn on our village crossroads. It is only when we
practise what we preach, do our lives reflect the examples of our existence.
(ENDS)
The Ethel Da Costa weekly column at:
http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=492
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The above article appeared in the October 26, 2008 edition of the Herald,
Goa
