Divinity Margins.



The most pandemic release towards perpetual happiness in vogue is spirituality. What is spirituality? Wikipedia says, “Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality;[1] an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.”

The above exegesis is very precise.There are a genre whose lives get sanctified by spirituality. Spirituality nets out the  quintessence, transcends their morale, charisma and mettle. The happiness of their souls bedazzle others. Their altruism leaves one rooted to spot. Such folks do not necessarily practice any mizvah or abstinence. Yet, this ilk would certainly be moving towards immortality and a genuine cleansing of the soul. They are the genus of the popular quote, “The kindred soul is more of a giver and less of a preacher”.

There are two particular episodes that have helped me understand the two sects of spirituality.

One has been a successful software professional driven to sadness over the fact that she could not conceive. She resented adoption as an insult, when the suggestion was put forward by friends and family. In her heart she was battling a silent frustration. Her family had started getting worried that she was killing herself deliberately.  Her personal life and her career both appeared to be wrecking. Suddenly one day I found she had sought spirituality to help her in her anguish. This lady genuinely impressed by the principles, then gave up her job and joined a Non Profit Organisation(NPO),  to help orphans on the street and one fine day adopted a poor orphan as her own. I marveled at her attitude. Few are those who would proceed with such lack of ego or chutzpah.  Blessed is the child to have found such an awesome mother. To this day, she works for the NPO.

Another incident is of a very dear friend, who had just immigrated to US and also had just given birth. Far from family and friends she had the company of only her mother-in-law and her husband. Emotionally and physically weak from the raw days just after childbirth, this waif needed comfort, warmth, a nest of love and reassurance. What she was being given instead were hours of lecture on spirituality, of how she should abstain all hopes of happiness in marriage, of what her duties were, and how she was falling short on these duties, all exercised by the mother- in-law from whom she was hoping for some affection.  Sad and confused, she did try to follow spirituality a bit, but then she found she was being watched by a hawk reprimanding her often on not staying committed. If she listened to her favorite band of music she was admonished strictly on not listening to the spiritualist talks. At a time when she was incapable of it, she was being asked to give up her beliefs and interests.  For an outsider she appeared confused, nervous, and unhappy by her differing moods of agitation and grief. Her mortified husband tried to distance himself from the obviously challenging times. Her inner turmoil had been deadly. [Continued on next page!]