My hat’s off to the writer of this song. I’m sure we all have songs stuck in our minds; they just keep repeating. You can’t shake them off, and I only remember the verse of this song, so I don’t know the author. Quoting it as it is in Punjabi, and I would write it as author unknown. I’ll quote in the original words and then try to translate it into English. I hope the author can find satisfaction in knowing that someone is talking about their work.
“Panwain khey thay Anmole panwain kodian ch tole, Nanon hunjoo bun waggay tarri ishk kahani jay toun samjain taan moti jay na samjain taan pani.”
According to my understanding, which may differ from the author’s, the translation would be: “You can say it’s priceless, or you can compare it to dirt cheap. The story of your love flows out of the eyes like tears. If you understand it, it’s a Pearl; if you don’t, it’s just water.”
I believe we are all cells in the body of God, each worth five bucks, one person at a time. The physical expression of God is mankind, and God is our spiritual expression. That means God lives through us. My way of proving this is that if mankind disappears, no one can understand God, let alone believe in God.
My logical reality says if you ask an Alzheimer’s patient about God, you may not get anywhere fast because the installed knowledge is wiped out by the disease. But the way I see it in this situation, God is there in the people who are taking care of the patients. God is our understanding, which is usually installed in us as we grow up. Thus, this knowledge is highly tainted and influenced by the politics of the sense of belonging.
When you are born into humanity as a human being, you are, by nature, a human being first. The labels you acquire afterward, such as boy or girl, black, white, brown, yellow, or red, Muslim, Christian, Pakistani, Canadian, or any other nationality, belong to secondary categories. But first and foremost, you are a HUMAN BEING.
Let’s start from the beginning: a baby is born into a Muslim household but adopted by a Christian family, or a black baby is raised by a white family. What is that child’s identity? Would we change the status of being a human being? I don’t think so. But when it comes to the sense of belonging, it’s not an easy question.
When someone loves a child, the whole community should respect it because in advanced or educated human societies, love should outweigh our differences.
The reality is, even today, there is still prejudice because of the powerful politics of belonging. The truth is that if you are born as a human being, you are a human being regardless of your color, gender, nation, or religion.
All the knowledge about the differences is installed by the sense of belonging after you are born. Another example, if you are asked to make a fist, you would have no problem unless you are a victim of a stroke, Alzheimer’s, or any disorder that robs you of your mental capabilities. But you would still be a living human being. No one should tell you that just because you are sick, you are no longer a human being. Anyway, you can make a fist with no problem, but that is a learned action. You had a heck of a time learning to walk or speak as you grew up, but after practice, everything becomes second nature. My point is that you have learned all the skills, behaviors, and belief systems from your belonging groups. With practice, they have become second nature to you, but they have the potential to make you something you are not.
A baby is like a brand new computer; the data is added after birth, but the baby comes with all systems running before learning the installed knowledge. What makes the whole package with the potential? What makes an individual pick and choose, mix and match the information, and respond to the actions of others?
Have you ever wondered beyond your installed knowledge? When you look through your eyes in the mirror, who are you looking at? Are you just the computer with the data, or are you looking at the person who lives in your body, who has a name and actually runs the computer?
Have you ever truly reached out to someone, beyond the confines of societal data, or are you stuck in that limited perspective? If you feel trapped, you’ve likely adopted the color of your belonging group, and it’s time to rediscover your inherent individuality.
You are the one orchestrating the complex machinery of your brain, body, and everything in between. You transcend mere data; you’re the CEO, calling the shots.
Though spiritually and physically connected to the real source, data can render you vulnerable, impressionable, and insecure, ripe for manipulation.
If you feel like your wings have been clipped and you can’t soar independently, start communicating with your inner courage.
Do you aspire to be a CEO who’s first and foremost a human being? Then, connect with the true essence within you, not the identity shaped by external affiliations.
Take ownership and challenge the politics of belonging before participating in senseless violence in the name of religion or nationality. It’s akin to harming God one cell at a time; the body may survive, but it suffers greatly. Think of it as God having an autoimmune disorder, which only human beings can remedy.
Your reward will be internal. Assume the responsibility of a CEO, and you’ll comprehend the harm inflicted upon God.
Imagine if humanity pooled their resources to alleviate suffering. Would we still endure starvation, homelessness, and poverty, or national bankruptcy? If united, we could address the suffering afflicting God’s body.
Our evolution is intertwined with God’s; every cell is vital. However, the politics of belonging often obstruct this unity.
Our divisive politics propel us towards the destruction foretold in holy books, yet we each possess the power to shape our lives.
As CEOs of our existence, we must transcend the boundaries of religion and nationality. Let’s cultivate peace and realize the potential intended for humanity by God.
God has bestowed mankind with free will and sustenance; it’s now our responsibility to fulfill our potential.
Can we evolve into a godly humanity, capable of saving lives and alleviating suffering? Or will we succumb to the fate predicted in ancient texts?
Individuals trapped in the politics of belonging are hindered by personal insecurities. If we shed these insecurities and embrace our connection to the real source, we can transcend group identities and belong to humanity as a whole.
Currently, we often prioritize our religious, national, or personal identities over our shared humanity. My fervent hope is for a reversal of this trend, but it can only happen if we collectively understand and act upon it.
God is akin to a pearl if you can comprehend it; otherwise, it’s merely water, regardless of our prayers, fasting, sacrifice, or attendance at mosques or churches. An individual can spiritually benefit from a belief system directly connected to God. However, living within the confines of religions and nationalism can potentially lead to harm. Just observe our history and present riddled with wars.
It’s worth reiterating that if you prioritize belonging to a gang, community, nation, or religion, it’s akin to living in a pond with boundaries. You’re constrained by rules, unable to freely express your thoughts, regardless of your inherent abilities prior to adopting these identities.
The capacity for independent functioning is innate; it’s part of your nature. You can discover it by immersing yourself in the spiritual realm of God, which is vast like space, the internet, or humanity itself. It’s boundless, evoking fear in non-believers yet providing complete security to believers.
By shedding fear, you can transcend death, live life unencumbered, and resolve physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. Removing fear-related stress can lead to a happier existence.
Imagine yourself standing with one foot in the future and one in the past, metaphorically urinating on the present. Living solely for the afterlife, engaging in violence due to past grievances, causes immense pain to both yourself and God. Understanding God beyond the confines of the politics of belonging is crucial, akin to how a CEO comprehends their responsibilities beyond organizational boundaries.