By Chinku
A few days ago, a friend asked me what I thought was my calling in life. That was a very interesting question. It led me to really reflect deeply.
As a child, school was something that I was not at all keen about, especially because of Mathematics. So, then, what was I keen about? I was keen about animals!
At our home, we had a fat and fluffy tom cat, who was adored by everyone. He was pampered to the core. After snacking on fresh cream and things like that, he could curl up and sleep anywhere in the house. Looking at him, I would wish I had been a cat, so then I would not have to go to school. At times, I would get relief from school when my father fell ill, with fever or something. My mother would ask me to stay home and be with him. I would be very happy as I would then be allowed to skip school. I would hang out with my father, generally having a good time pretending to be a nurse. I would make small tubes out of plastic bags and fill them with water and stick a needle to them–they became an ‘injection’ for my father, much to his fright! I had seen the nurses in the hospital doing the injection stuff, so I thought that I would one day become a nurse! That was my short-lived childhood calling!
I had pestered my mother to fetch a baby chick to play with, and when I got it, I held it in my hand just looking at it—for I don’t know now for how long! I was so, so happy! Being with that child gave me such joy!
I finished school and got into college to do a BA. At that time, I became hooked to Sherlock Holmes detective stories on television. I fantasized about becoming a detective and solving mysteries. But that didn’t happen. My father decided I should do journalism after my BA and become a journalist. He thought that one day, I could become a newsreader on television or an air hostess. He wanted me to be famous, I don’t know why! For my part, I wanted to become an ‘investigative journalist’—one of our teachers would often mention about one such journalist and would say that he should be our role model.
But my mother did not want me to roam around ‘investigating’ other people’s lives. To cut a long story short, I landed working in various advertising agencies, spending a period of almost a decade doing that. In the course of this work, I met ‘famous’ people and worked on campaigns to entice people to buy shampoos, watches, televisions, radios and what not! Money, money, money—that was what I thought life was basically about and for. I lived in this illusion till I fell so sick that I had no more energy to handle the job, which involved working late nights to meet deadlines and having burgers and coke for dinner. The concept of God, the purpose of life, and the reality of the Hereafter had no place in my busy life.
At this time, I was blessed by God to set off on a pilgrimage. It was a journey of a lifetime for me that changed my outlook on life completely. After my return, I decided not to get back to the rat race of chasing money and fame. I sat at home for a few months. I spent time with the ‘stray’ cats that wandered in and out of the house. Maybe that was the first time I really observed animals peacefully.
I needed to work in order to be economically independent. I was looking for a safe, quiet job. I scouted job columns for work in wildlife- or forest-related organizations, because I felt my heart lay in being in and with Nature. But, the vacant posts I came across required someone with Science as a subject background, which automatically ruled me out. Giving up that dream, I began work as a writer in small magazines, where I got a few opportunities to do stories about people who had done great service for animals and birds. I really felt very happy doing this sort of thing.
It was at this time that once, when I was on the office terrace, a beautiful bird just fell down from the sky, right beside me! I was really taken aback! I picked up the bird. I found it was gasping for breath. I put it in a box and took it to the centre of a wildlife organisation. There, I was told that it was a migratory bird and was tired and needed attention. I left it in their care. Even many days after this, I kept thinking about the bird but was too afraid to ask the organization if it had survived. But that incident of rescuing the bird brought much peace in my heart, despite the fact that when I was in the process of making arrangements to take the bird to the wildlife office, I received no help from any of my seniors in workplace, who did not take the plight of the bird seriously. Still, I did not want to give up. I felt then I was a lone crusader for the hapless creature.
Later, I got the opportunity to do things like helping a cat in distress and even arranging for a decent burial of kittens who had passed away. I remember once, when I had a deadline to finish at work, I spotted a kite that was entangled in a wire near my house. I called an organization that rescues animals, and they, in turn, got a big van to come over. The rescue person climbed high up—a real feat!—and brought the kite down to safety. I had spent hours in coordination for all this, but did not feel tired or fatigued. I thanked God for helping me and the rescue team manage this!
I found that my love for animals and birds emerged from the realization that they are pure souls, with no greed, jealousy, envy, hatred and other such vices that humans nurture. My heart has a special place for animals and birds. I recognize them as also fellow creatures of God. Because God has made them, I must love them. Maybe I could say that serving them in any way I can is a major calling in my life. I feel more connected with people who love animals and birds, including pet-lovers who do all they can to make their pets happy and people who work for the welfare of animals and birds. With every cat and squirrel that I spot, my heart goes into a joyful flutter! Because they are so innocent and pure, often I feel closer to animals and birds than to human beings!
I am not doing fulltime service of animals, but I try to serve animals in need whenever the situation arises and I can do something about it. While I may not be doing anything great for the welfare of animals and birds, my spirits are high anytime to help them in whatever way I am capable of. If I cannot help them in any other way, I can pray for them, which is also a form of help!
I once asked a self-appointed ‘spiritual’ person, where animals go after they die. He said “Nowhere!” I was angry with this silly remark, as according to my understanding, birds and animals are pure souls, and so, God, Who is infinitely kind and dearly loves all His creatures (who include animals and birds), will take them into Heaven!
I believe that Heaven will never be Paradise unless all the cats, squirrels, and other animals and birds that I have met in my life go there too!
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