Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Article by a Bleeding Indian….

India celebrates its 73rd year of Independence from the British Rule today, and the entire nation is basking in a patriotic glory. It’s a day to cherish, celebrate and remember the great sacrifices made by the freedom fighters to give us a free country.

Are we really free and independent? Every day, we hear about pronounced issues in our system and society such as poverty, unemployment, terrorism, the crime against women, corruption – which are not exclusive to our country. The whole world is suffering from these at different levels. My mind hovers around other subtle yet critical issues that our society is suffering from and in a way society itself is responsible for this situation. We call ourselves a free nation, but do not have the freedom to choose what we eat, what we wear or even whom we love.

Independence Day doesn’t mean one day of nationalist pride, it means a commitment to serve the nation in a truly inclusive way. We salute the brave hearts and heroes who fought in the freedom struggle but they dreamt of a nation of peace and harmony where people prospered. Until unless we eradicate these social evils, intolerance and learn to accept differences and celebrate them, the people in the country can’t prosper.

India is the largest democracy in the world. The Constitution of India gives its citizens six rights known as the Fundamental Rights. We have the:

– RIGHT TO FREEDOM
– RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND CULTURE
– RIGHT AGAINST EXPLOITATION
– RIGHT TO EQUALITY
– RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION
– RIGHT TO CONSTITUTIONAL REMEDIES.

The above rights are in our Constitution but not in reality. Even after 73 years of Independence, if we look at life of a common man in INDIA, he is leading a painful poisoned life .Most people in India are simultaneously prisoners and prison guards in the cages within cages of family, job and society. They spend their entire lives in these cages doing exactly what they are told to do. From birth to death their lives are regulated and decided for them by others. They usually cannot take even one day off in a year to do only what they please. They are conditioned to eat, drink, dress and behave in prescribed ways. Conformity in everything is the sum and substance of their identities. Their freedom is the freedom of the reflex action; it is the freedom of the knee to jerk. This is not freedom.

I hope that someday, I will see those kids in schools unfurling the National Flag in their schools and not selling them on traffic signals which would be trampled upon by cars the next day. It is our duty to make the dream of a progressive nation with all citizens having equal rights to live with dignity come true.

Having said all that, we still have a reason to celebrate today. Let’s enjoy our freedom, for whatever it means to the people today!

I wish that this year, we as Indians get real Independence from all the evil forces and practices that are present in Indian society.

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.