as it once was...animals with feelings

One of the best memories for me as a child was to visit or to be visited by my grandma(sweetly nicknamed Amamma by us). Every visit to be full of fun and games, sometimes it included all my whole family- seems like a life time ago now. She gave us(her grandchildren) a hobby- to collect pictures of all the animals and birds from newspapers and magazines and stick them in a book. It was a competition of sorts, one who manages to collect most pictures got a prize. This went on for quite a few years but as always, most of us lost the urge for the prize and moved on. I did too but I had discovered something from this little hobby of mine- I was in love with wildlife. Animals fascinated me, their way of life, behavior pattern, their defense mechanism- everything about them did.

Honestly speaking, I didn't realize that I loved wildlife at that point of time. Oh sure, I used to watch animal planet every living moment, used to admire the photos of animals on newspapers for a long time but I just thought it was natural to be curious about other creatures as any child would probably be. I had a particular liking for snakes. I know it seems creepy to most people but I only see them as the most misunderstood creatures. Snakes have adapted themselves amazingly to all the weather and terrain conditions of earth. As have most of the other animals on earth. I loved visiting zoos, national parks and bird sanctuaries. I had to literally be dragged away from most cages. They were all so fascinating, so beautiful. I could never even imagine anyone wanting to hurt these magnificent creatures but I was obviously in my fantasy world.

It was only a few years later, that I realized how mistaken I was. It was quite a shock. Animals are killed for their hide, claws, teeth, tusk...it's a never ending list. Worse, even if they escape being killed some are abused so badly in the name of human needs- domestic animals like hens and pigs given steroids to make them fatter, beating up of dogs to make them realize humans are masters, using them as testers for most of human cosmetics...How fair can this be?? They might not be the most evolved or most beautiful of creatures but they have every right to live on earth as much as we do. Now, my personal view does not extend to man eating tigers or disease spreading insects but there has to be a balance- that's how mother nature gave it to us.

As an Indian Hindu, we believe most animals are a form of god and worship them. Maybe this protects these animals to an extent here in India but there is news every other day of poaching here also. Why can't we live in peace with fellows creatures? Does it make us look inferior? When we can accept animals with feeling in stories and animated movies why not the real life?Maybe they don't talk any language known to humans as in cartoons but they do talk and feel pain as humans do. Being a vegetarian (by chance not choice), I was pretty happy that I wasn't hurting any creature. Even if I had had a choice I couldn't bear hurting other animals for my selfish needs.

“The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but "Can they suffer?” 

― Jeremy Bentham 

“I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” 

― Leonardo da Vinci 

I try to discourage most of people I know from using leather or ivory products. It just doesn't feel right now, does it? I know evolution says " Survival of the fittest" but that does not mean we are the masters or royalty compared to animals. Look at the facts, we have taken everything from these animals- their home, their food, their freedom, their lives in some cases.

“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.”

 ― Abraham Lincoln

My views on animal rights have always been pretty forceful. Once I had to pick a topic in college to give a speech on anything that moved me and my obvious choice was animal rights and wildlife protection. By the time I finished my speech I was exhilarated to point of bursting. I had pretty good round of applause and my classmates then on sometimes referred to as an "Animal Lover". Animals are so much more easy to comprehend than humans sometimes.

“Crocodiles are easy. They try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.” 

― Steve Irwin

Don't watch the following videos if you have a light heart or stomach, it contains pretty cruel ways of how much we abuse the power of being the most evolved. But do watch them if you have any love for animals at all.
               
                          http://www.peta.org/features/10-shocking-peta-videos.aspx

It took me a while to realize that a lot of global issues we have now- global warming, air pollution, growing number of diseases- are all related to each other and the root cause of it is the human beings unending selfishness. In conclusion I would just like to request everybody to stop buying leather or ivory products for a start. Only if there is demand will the poaching happen and if there isn't, these animals might just have a chance to live. It's a start.

We have not inherited our earth from our forefathers, we have borrowed it from our future generation of children. If not in the same condition, it's our responsibility to give it to them in the same state as it was given to us. 

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” 
― John Lennon

                                                     PEACE ON EARTH

Fantasy Vs. Reality

All of us grew up with some or the other story from our childhood- the fairy tales of prince and princesses or the action filled stories of heroes destroying villains. Even if years have passed by, these stories do exist in our minds- in some dark corner, just waiting to be recollected. Some of us just remember the morals of these stories and some the magic of them being told. Story telling is quite an art that ought to be appreciated; it could be via novels, movies, comics or just plain oration.

No matter how old we grow, there comes a time often in life- everyday to some, where we just want to forget everything that's happening in our real life, all the pressures of daily life. Some might prefer watching TV and relaxing while others might enjoy a good solid nap. As for me, I prefer getting into a whole other world, the one in my mind where I can experience nothing but bliss. This is where our fantasy world comes in- a world where a person can be anyone they want to be, a world of your dreams, a world so created just for you. Am not talking just about a fantasy world here, am talking about the freedom that goes with it.

Now, just to be clear I know where to draw the line between reality and fantasy. I don't live in a fantasy world either but I can't help thinking how imagine-native and free it would be to live in such a world. I feel an attraction (for the lack of a better word) to some of the stories because I know that most stories have a happy ending and that this is only possible in fiction. Many of the concepts that we like about fiction- the drama, suspense, romance are sometimes only possible in the stories we read and see. Most of us do go through these emotions in daily life too but it's only in these fictitious stories that we find fulfillment rather than real life.

I, for one, am a huge, obsessive fan of certain stories which most people consider childish. But no matter how old I get the magic of these stories never fade from my mind. If people think you have childish tastes, well, let them think so. At least you admit that you have an inner child and never allow that child to fade away. We have to be an adult when the times call for it of-course, but our inner child ought to take the reins now and then- it keeps us more alive.

I recently came across a picture on a social website. It had a young boy walking next to a wall in semi-darkness and his shadow on the wall but in the shadow he appeared to be holding a sword and defending himself from a flying dragon. The caption to go with this picture was " My life is so much more interesting in my imagination". This picture is the true depiction of most of us want to see our lives. Living in the fantasy world is not always crazy, it's a kind of freedom which gives us so much happiness and strength.

One of my favorite quotes from the Pirates of Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is,

Jack Sparrow: When I get the Pearl back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time.

Elizabeth: And you'll be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main.

Jack Sparrow: Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean. The entire wo'ld. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom.

To echo Captain Sparrow's words, to live in the world of fantasy, is true freedom. It could be any world  you choose it to be- it could be the magical world of Harry Potter or Narnia, it could be the colorful and capturing world of the various comics of which Sheldon Cooper is a huge fan , it could be the fantasy world full of good pirates as the Pirates of Caribbean, it could be the fun filled world of Friends, it could be the amazing world of Lord of the rings or the mysterious world paranormal. These are some of the worlds I've mentioned but there are thousand's more out there. There has to be some or the other kind of fantasy that captures everybody's attention.

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” 
― Albert Einstein

In conclusion, I would like to say that all of us have an inner child that relates to fantasy and as we grow old most of us forget or ignore this part of us. One should never let go of this feeling of inner child and try to give it a free rein once in a while in daily life, rather than have a rigid control over everything you do. Being an adult tends to take a toll on most of us, it affects everything we think and do. To lose yourself in these fantasy worlds and let go freshens you up and helps to relax you.

Reading about fiction not only helps in making you smarter, but helps you to improve your imagination and creativity as well. Watching fantasy movies or animation makes you want to get into that world but it also takes you back to your childhood memories.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”