JANUARY 12 — In the ordinariness of our daily lives, without a need for wealth, positions, special education or connections, we can do ordinary things, extraordinarily well or better still, beneficial to others.
We need to dwell on, not what we are, but what we can be.
Salt is the commonest of all preservatives; used to prevent food from going bad. It also enhances the flavour of food.
We, too, by our actions, can bring about change and healing. The way we conduct ourselves and go about dealing with everyday issues, we can restore a conscience into a corrupt and “dead” society. We can choose to be thoughtful, sensitive and kind. We can choose to be honest. We can choose to be “clean”.
In our own little and humble ways, we can bring about social justice, safeguard human rights and work for peace and reconciliation. We can stand up for our neighbour. We mustn’t sit back and allow another to be robbed of his dignity. We must voice our outrage when bigots and racists try to divide us with their atrocious logic.
We must do what’s right without growing weary. We mustn’t settle for what’s convenient or comfortable and lose salt in ourselves.
We must persevere to live our lives with the “tang” of our faith intact. We mustn’t cave in to pressure, to give up our differences and blend in with society. Unity is neither conformity nor uniformity. We do not have to be bland and insipid in the way we live and speak. We weren’t created to be so. If we lose our “tanginess”, we, then, stand for Nothing. We become Nothing.
If France, after such a horrendous week where 17 lives were sacrificed just because some “hoodlums” were offended, can command 3.7 million people including 44 world leaders to throng the streets to march in silence and solidarity against militant attacks, can we, the majority of Malaysians who are peace-loving and respectful of each other, not just stand united but stand up and be counted against those who threaten to tear our country apart? Those persistent attacks that threaten to annihilate the identity we, Malaysians, together with one another, have painstakingly moulded and built on? One that embraces each other’s differences with much respect and understanding?
Can we stand united on the fact that our liberties are guaranteed in our Constitution and that no one, no one, can hijack it to suit his own agenda? That no one should lord over another.
There’s so much we can do to prevent our beloved Malaysia from “going bad”. There’s so much we can do to enhance the Malaysian way of life. There’s so much we can do to influence our fellowmen positively, for good.
In our own little and humble ways, we can actually do so much.
Just care for your neighbour. Do not seek to be justified by your actions in so much as to seek justice for your neighbour.
Where there’s strife, let’s be peacemakers.
Where there’s sorrow, let’s bind up wounds.
Let’s return good for evil.
Let’s be salt of the world.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
