Cry aloud... my beloved country

Why don't some people take a breather from violence? The sentiment seems to overwhelm them   LAST HOPE: Children speak a different language. It is more vibrant, less vicious. Hopefully the innocence will   One should find a cause to dream and a destiny to accomplish. The poet's words keep ringing in our ears: "Miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep..." As the sun sinks into the ocean, we feel a greater realization of the call of duty. The dawn is welcomed into our world amidst cries for peace, the slogans of communal violence, fanaticism and atrocities against the weaker sections.  One cannot but help think about the days of the yore, when it was all peace and tranquillity. The divine chants and the mantras of sages filled the air with a rare power and peace. The land in which the Buddha, Vivekananda and, in the recent past, Gandhi and many other great sons of Bharat preached and practiced harmony and patriotism seemed to move a little bit away from that glory.  None to pay heed  We required a new commitment and a rededication to values. In the presence and even in the silence of the nature, I hear the sobbing of a mother- a mother, who is sad over her children facing a variety of problems. Mindless exploitation of nature and environmental degradation were the only gifts from her children. The children, whom she brought up in her lap, now began to use nuclear weapons.  These actions pierced her soul and raised a new threat to the notion of peace. In their childhood she whispered into them, "There is only one God, only one religion, whatever may be the profession of faith, humanity is one". Now she is helpless, when they run around with swords to capture lands. All kinds of maladies plague the modern generations. Infanticide was another problem that disturbed the common psyche. Gender discrimination and social pressures posed a threat to gender equality. The sight of impoverished children shocked all of us. She gave even herself to her children to nourish themselves. There was a special relationship between God and each human being. I remember a poet who sang about the sanctity of Indian women. Somebody bent upon exploiting the relationships spoilt the atmosphere. We had an immediate duty to restore that pristine glory of innocence and fellow feeling in our country. Our country is torn apart by communal violence. They carry out these activities in the garb of religion, caste, political and geographical differences. Yet there is a ray of hope. Indians, regardless of their caste and creed, displayed a rare unity and a common liking for peace.  Duty of the youth  Does the cry for peace touch the walls of my heart? Am I ready to rise above my own personal interest and respond to the common need? Can I wipe the tears off from my mother's cheeks? It is our mission. Let us strive hard for a new world. Let us walk all the miles before we sleep.   by, L. E. MATHEW