Life, misfortunes, isolation, abandonment, poverty, are battlefields which have their heroes; obscure heroes, sometimes, greater than the illustrious heroes.--Victor Hugo (Les Miserables)
I may come across as a totally insensitive, selfish, attention-hungry, blood-sucking vampire to many or all of you. It is only because I am one.
When I was young boy, my mama used to tell me, “Always remember this, son, it is the crying baby that gets the milk!” I have remembered that well. And milk is something I cannot do without. So I cry. As much and as loudly as I can. Which brings us to the point of this little post of mine.
I was not like this before.
I was like you. Dignified, quiet, and hardworking. Committed to myself and my brethren's welfare. I believed 'to earn one's daily bread by the sweat on one's brow' was the right thing to do. I toiled without complaints, believed in the kindness of my brothers and sisters, and waited for the good to come knocking on my door.
Day after day, night after night, I waited. Just like you do. But nothing happened. The world moved on. Without as much as a 'thank you.' If it was a good night's sleep that was to be my only blessing, that didn't come through either. The tin roofs over my head leaked in the rains, and in the summers, were too hot to sleep under. If my body was betrayed, my soul didn't feel too blessed either.
I was invisible to the world then. As you are today. To be silent was to be ignored, sidelined, walked-over, mistreated, and forgotten. To be silent was to cease existing. To be silent was to accept the ignominy of being considered being dead while still living.
That is when I realised my mama was right. And I decided never to be silent again. Now I cry. And I get fed. More than my fair share. Everything is wonderful in my world now. But then I see you. I see you do exactly what I used to do once upon a time. Believe in the kindness of your brothers and sisters. Toil till the sun goes down and wonder why nobody invites you home when you have to sleep under your leaking tin roof. Maybe your mama didn't tell you the secret that mine did. You got to cry if you need milk.
So cry.
This world is as much your's as it is mine. Do not let any one tell you otherwise. You have toiled for the whole year here and what have you got to show for it? Nothing? The hours at the keyboard, pouring out your heart and mind... the hours spent on other bloggers space trying to understand, the commitment, the sincerity, the earnest comments you left behind, and at the end of it all...
Inhale deeply, fill your lungs with as much ammunition as you can, and cry. Let the world see what you have got. Don't wait for other's kindness or pity. Pry it out of the miserly-fists that deny you your rights.
What is your's by right is not to be accepted as alms. It is not for someone to hand it over. It is your's to take. There's pride in that conquest. Do not hesitate. Do not wait. Come forward and say, “This is me. And this is mine.”
Even if it is a mention as a 'Blogging Individual' in the year that is about to pass us by. Forever.
I salute you, my invisible friends. Let's not remain invisible anymore. For history is not made of silence.
Close
datspreets, you know what you have to do, my friend. Do it with passion. :-))
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Big Mojo, I've to tell you that everytime I log in which is ever so often, I find a note from you inspiring me to be more active. Even though I may not be seen or heard on sulekha, I'm just glad there are people like you who'd want us to come out of our hibernation and bring on our colours! I don't promise I'll be active as there are too many things going on in my life, but all I can say is I'll try!
Loved this article! Rock on!!
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seeingeye, since I couldn't find the reply button, I had sent you my response to your comment by a note. hope you got it. :-))
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soumya, i am waiting for the third category where you can fit me in. when is it coming? LOL
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Some write great blogs and attract attention
Some cry for attention and manage to get it
Some combine both and manage to gain more attention than others!
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seeingeye, glad to have you back. :-)) hope you are having a gala time as the year end celebrations are ready to reach their crescendo. :-))
This is post was not specific to the blogger of the year contest... more to do with the year ending and taking stock movement, you know.. in an abstract sense it is a call to wake up and speak up.. not to be silent when one has to raise one's voice..:-))
Good to see you here. :-))
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Hi BigMojo, Im glad to be here, have been out of towning for a while.
This is my first comment on the last day of the year.
I agree that you have to oft-times blow your own trumpet, otherwise you tend to get ignored, shelved, trampled....
But I have to agree with Verbose too, the reason Im not taking part in the blogger of the year, I love you all, you are all bloggers of the year, I hate having to choose one or the other, just cant! so im invisible and want to stay that way just for this one thing!
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Viju,
"....I write when I have something to say...to share ... to express... That is all..."
Precisely. You used your 'voice' when you had to or want to. That is all I was saying. To what purpose one wants to use it is one's own prerogative. You use it to share, some use to sing, others to complain, some just to kiss ass.... you know what I mean.. to 'cry' is a symbolic gesture... it does not literally mean to wail for attention..:-))
by the way, good to see you here. A very happy and peaceful new year to you too. :-))
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Hi Big Mojo,
So, finally, you have made me break my silence... For crying out loud, leave the invisible people be... Who knows, may be they do enjoy their invisibility... or even prefer it...
If my blogs attract attention of the readers, is it because I am crying out loud for attention? I hardly feel so. I don't write to get featured, ( if it happens....fine) I don't write for ranking... ( Thanks to Sulekha's new look, my ranking hardly stares at my face from my dashboard)...I write when I have something to say...to share ... to express... That is all...
That is why I did not participate in the rigmarole called Best Blogger Award Nomination Programme. I enjoy reading many many bloggers... It is impossible for me to pick one... As for multi nominations... the whole purpose of the award is lost by it!
So... for those who are ambitious, "Good Luck!'... For the new vitriol spewing avtaars, " Pity, you can't utilise your creativity in a better manner!" TO EACH, HIS OWN! PEACE BE ON EARTH!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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abhatv, I'm glad to hear you one of those who know how to use their voice!!
Thanks for coming over. A very happy and peaceful new year to you..:-))
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