Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

25 March  2020

Value of Pain Sharing

Last evening I rang my granddaughters to find out how they faced the challenge of online learning. Kali said that it was difficult because they could not ‘talk to their friends’. I asked about their dinner and Kali said that mum was not home yet from work. The mother in me awakened and I said I would bring over cooked food that they could freeze and use on days like this. But later after registering again, the difficulties of those who lost their jobs, I felt I needed to stay at home and mentally share in the pain of those who lost their jobs. I needed to also not ‘cushion’ the pain for the young ones. I did not with my children and they are stronger minded for that sharing. Hence I decided not to go ahead with that ‘desire’.

This morning, I learnt about further restrictions by our PM - which meant no parties even in  in the family home. I then appreciated that  I was connected to the government’s mind. Like in many religions and one god – our interpretations would be different but the pain is One. It is the pain of Common Australian. My belief in Democracy and in Australia, connected my mind to that of fellow Australians who are led by Democracy. Mr Scott Morrison is one of them. Our partying was limited largely to family gatherings on special occasions and of late even our birthdays were celebrated ‘online’ – on the phone. My work in war torn Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka was a big reason for this restructuring. Hence I identify with most of the measures by the Australian government to be appropriate as it feels that my reality has become the law. That to me was confirmation of true self-governance through which we become the citizen or the government – whoever has the deeper need at that moment.

I felt better after deciding not to leave home to take good to my grandchildren.  The discomfort was good for me as well them. There were others with much deeper pain. Through mentally including them as part of me – I share my spirit of resilience with them. Then they will learnt to live with lesser income but higher status from victims whom they lead.

Sydney Morning Herald reports as follows:

[Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed a scaled-down House of Representatives on Monday, invoking the spirit of the Diggers. "So we summon the spirit of the Anzacs, of our Great Depression generation, of those who built the Snowy, of those who won the great peace of World War II and defended Australia," Mr Morrison said.

"For many, young and old, 2020 will be the toughest year of our lives."

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said most Australians only knew stories of war, hunger and financial strife from their grandparents.

"This is a time for national leadership, consistent messages, clear directions," he said.]

The Sri Lankan government on the other hand is not able to get the support of even its Parliamentary Opposition, leave alone that of majority People – despite the recent war experiences of the People – especially the pain of civilian victims as if it were that of the government. This is because it became the enemy instead of the senior disciplining the junior and experiencing the junior’s pain as its pain.

The deeper our pain the deeper our insight. The deeper our insight the stronger our Oneness.

I am confident that we Australians would be more cohesive after the Corona enemy attacked us indiscriminately.

Pain-sharing is the express pathway to ownership.