Rain has a lot to do with my memories. My pleasant memories.
I promised to my family, friends and well-wishers that I’d be writing about some of my most wonderful memories — to pull myself out of this depressing time with the global war, economic tyranny, worker deaths and all. We need to talk about the good times God has blessed us with, and not just the horrid times Satan has thrown at us.
Karl Marx, Engels and Hegel and such philosophers would perhaps call this continuous conflict between the good and the bad as proof of dialectical materialism, but even without being a Marxist, I can definitely vouch that they are right: this lifelong conflict between God’s paintbrush and Satan’s smudge is that dialectics — of materialism or not. It could well be a fierce fight between spirituality of the soul and dark devilish doom.
Robert Louis Stevenson many years ago showed us how in the human mind, such a major fight goes on between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He made the hideous Hyde the ultimate victor. I’m not so sure I want to look at life that way, even though we have an ever-increasing, zillion reasons to want to believe that is the case, especially with the rise of a new, tyrannical Roman Empire.
Even though I express pessimism from time to time, I simply do not want to leave this world with the hideous Hyde having that horrendous howl.
So, when it rains, I especially reminisce my pleasant memories. It works as therapy no clinical psychologist can buy.
Having come from Bengal, where monsoon has always mushroomed our famed poetry, rain automatically turns on my memory switch. I read poetry. Think poetry. Translate poetry. Sing my favorite monsoon songs of Tagore and Nazrul Islam.
And then, more pleasant memories well up. Memories rush in like a pleasant, soul-soothing, mind-drenching rain shower.
Memories spring up like monsoon mushrooms sprouting randomly, in all unpredictable corners. From all unpredictable facets of life.
Pleasant memories bring back life. Wonderful memories kill off death, destruction and doom.
My Dr. Jekyll emerges as the ultimate victor.
Let’s share our beautiful memories.
Sincerely Writing,
Partha
(Writing from Chicago today. It’s raining here.)
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Humanity College 