Divine Comedy or the art of sewing the buttons of your shirt

I had been putting off sewing the torn buttons of my shirt, which was a pity, as I rather fancied myself in that particular snazzy shirt! My laidback nature slipped at times quite easily into indolence. And that was not all. Along with being unable to wear this favourite shirt, I had also lost the reins of my life! Yes, gone were the shiny-eyed days of the idealistic youth who believed that by the age of 21, he would have realised his soul and the soul would dictate clearly a roadmap to his life! Now I felt disoriented both in my personal life and in my life as part of the collectivity. Was it a midlife crisis? Sure, if feeling challenged and vulnerable emotionally to the pangs of a community in strife and being agitated could be called that, and along with it, it was a host of other things. It was the little me unable to figure it all out and be in the driver’s seat. It was all the noise of the jukebox mind that went into repetitive inane patterns and was desperately attempting to cover the ever-growing silence within which needed but a little nudge to swallow me up forever in its mysterious folds. I felt that I was on a precipice, and the unknown beyond was both enticing and scary.

I was also genuinely baffled by the loud voices around that seemed to know it all! They seemed to have figured it all out! That was indeed puzzling to me. From where I was standing if I boarded one particular train of thought, perception and course of action, it would lead me to a specific station or destiny, and if I boarded another, it would lead me to another distinct destination. And who was to say that one was right and the other was wrong?!!! Perhaps the truth was above and beyond the little prison walls of these distinct stations? Where is the central station as one of my favourite gurus, Neem Karoli baba would have said? And is it so very hard to admit that I don’t know yet that all-embracive expanse of truth that would heal the divisions? Do I admit to myself that my convictions are also the boundaries that weigh me down, not giving space for the new to arise and transform? Perhaps a bit of humility and uncertainty is also the gap through which the Divine can enter and surprise us!

Anyway, I finally mustered enough will to get down to the business of sewing the buttons of my shirt. After all, if I had not learnt anything from my much vaunted Ashram education, at least it had taught me how to sew the buttons of my shirt! And with each rhythmic swish of the needle and thread through the linen, my mind fell silent, the inner turmoil and strife was stilled. I was one with this moment and act, and my heart opened up to the possibility of love, whereas before it was knotted up by judgement, anger and suspicion. This little miracle from such an innocuous act was both a stroke of grace and a lesson in humility. I realised that the sewing of the buttons was as transparent as life and Brahman itself!

So dear community, I invite you to sew the buttons of our shirts together! Who knows, we might start with this simple act and end up with building this city together?! Let this be a conscious act of silence and love in the city aiming towards human unity! And, what the hell, if I am in an expansive mood to start with, I might even offer to swap our shirts for sewing! But please be aware that this will be an occasion for silent bonding, and if at all you feel that the moment is turning into a solemn religious act, I wouldn’t mind if miraculously a cup of chai appears beside me to render this momentous act more gracious and natural. And if somehow your existential angst forces you to express yourself, let us chat about the weather and even get into heated debates about it and then laugh at ourselves afterwards!

“The Love which moves the sun and the other other stars.”
Last line of the Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri