Learning to Change

"Factually speaking, people are naturally drawn towards the belief that they have been taught to believe, mostly we cannot form our own opinions about what is right and what is wrong."

"It is true but how can we, the normal, powerless people be able to make ourselves be heard? Who would listen to our opinions?" asked Robert, curiously, trying to sip in every bit of the knowledge the Sage of the Town had in store.

"It is important to first form an opinion, Child, before thinking of preaching it. If you don't believe in what to think, what would you preach?" Rev. James Arthur looked towards the horizon where the sun was slowly going to rest.

"When everyone has been able to form their own opinions then expressing it in the public makes sense otherwise the words public opinion is merely a ruse since at the end of the day people are stating what they have heard or they have read, not what they truly believe to be true." Robert stopped and intently gazed at the wise old man with awe. 

They were walking in Rev. Arthur's garden as it was Monday and on that day he cared for his "little children" as he loved to call his grove that he sowed with his bare hands. He had a strange love for nature and loved to live close to it. A small stream flowed beside his garden and the whole place resembled Eden with its serene calmness.

If no-one listens, what is the point of having the opinion? thought Robert, but merely said, "What if I believe in my opinions and no one listens?"

"If we have faith in our thoughts, believe them to be just, then someone surely would be there listening."

"But over the years I have tried to place my opinions before the people and have been misunderstood or misinterpreted. Even at times I have been thwarted for making bold statements and even…" and Robert paused there, strongly clenching his hand, his head drooped as the thought of that past was unforgettable. It scarred him for life.

"They can judge but cannot opine, which is rather the hardest task for most of us."

Robert meekly nodded, his hands still tightly balled. He always wanted to make a change, make that dent in the World but had been always stopped, not only by the Society but sometimes by his own family for making bold statements meant threat to life and fear of our life is what makes us weak, and he was weak but not for his own sake but for the sake of his loved ones.

"Anywhere and everywhere you step towards you can see how crippled some of the systems are and not just in one portion of the World but it has its wings throughout," Rev. Arthur continued. They came near the grapevines, the purple fruits hanging everywhere beautifully contrasted the pale hue of the sky and the cool breezy atmosphere contrasted the heated discussions of the town.

Rev. James Arthur has always guided any lost soul in their town and even on demands have gone to the nearby cities to preach. Robert being a neighbour had always found a true friend in Rev. Arthur and throughout his thirty years of life, Robert have been able to get his questions answered without any hesitation.

"What is it, my child? You look worried." Rev. Arthur kept his hand upon Robert's shoulder and glanced at him with his sober eyes.

"Father, I have done everything in my power to make myself be heard. But sometimes I feel as if the darkness has engulfed the good ones as well for no one stands by me, rather leaves me to shout alone; considers me to be a fool and laughs at my opinions." Something inside of him was burning the passion up, now the only option that he was excited for was to use violence to make himself be heard.

"Darkness spreads faster than plague." The timing of his words were at point as the sun was now completely set and the darkness was quickly falling. The garden did not have any lights and the path from which they came would be difficult to walk as fear of insects and reptiles at the moonless nights is always high in such places. 

He beckoned Robert to follow him to his house. As they walked among the shadowy vines, he continued, "instead of rotting our physical existence, it decays our minds." 

"But can there be no change to their beliefs and practices, their violence and atrocities that they perform on poor, weak and minorities?" Robert felt absolutely despondent. Rev. Arthur with his sharp eyes had noticed the freshly wounded forehead of the young man, and knew how he got it.

The protest was not held a week ago and most people in and around their little town were still boiling with the violent approach. They fought violence with violence. Rev. Arthur also gave bold speeches at the town square and was also taken into custody in spite of his old age, but what others did with violence was not what he expected of the protestors.

"If we wish to see the change, we need to change ourselves first; our beliefs, personality, attitude, existence altogether must be altered to bring a positive change in the Society."

"Is there a peaceful way to make us be heard in the World?" asked Robert, in his mind he knew it would not be a possibility but his heart still wondered. Everyone was fighting for the right cause, and with violence the words were actually being finally heard.

"The answer is as simple as the fact that we need to raise our voice not our hands in protest, as our voice matters, our opinions matter," emphasising on his last words, Rev. Arthur stopped for a while. The house was not far from where they stood and the lights of the porch lit the young face showing his newly agitated expression. 

"How may we raise our voice in this chaotic situation?" asked Robert softly.

"Educate about the necessities of change, about the past and spread the message among friends and family first before stepping ahead. Make them understand where we have been wrong and how this may be changed. Or perhaps do as they did back in the olden times, use that mighty pen of yours to some good extent and let those words craftily spread the message not through violence but through peace: the only medicine to the formidable oppressive regime that we all have to fight against; be it a minority or a majority, we all have been under oppression in some way or the other. But time has come for us to actually make that dent in the World by the act of spreading Love, everywhere and anywhere we may step towards," and with a smile he added, "As they say: where there is Hatred let me bring you Love."