I've been hearing about 'ahimsa' for as long as I can remember. This to me was a term and notion that was popularized by Gandhi. His nonviolent means brought an end to the British regime, and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi became Mahatama Gandhi. I was just a little kid, but I wanted to be 'Mahatama' Sharma. I chuckle at the thought, but what Gandhi did was simple. He stuck to his ideals, so I wanted to follow his. Ahimsa was still a mystery to me though. Finally, after ages of confusion, I have stumbled across an unglamorous ahimsa. In our Anthology, ahimsa was just a word, not Gandhi's legacy. Ahimsa is "not merely non-killing. In its comprehensive meaning, Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word or deed" (Anthology, 235)
The Symbol for Ahimsa
This definition has the essence of a religious doctrine within it. The message is so powerful that I believe it should be it's own religion, the religion of love and compassion. When I say this, I think slightly of Jude the Obscure, right after Farmer Troutham beats him. Jude "was a boy who could not himself bear to hurt anything" (Anthology, 228). If you've read the story of Jude, it's apparent that he is filled with compassion. He is a true disciple of ahimsa.
Jude the Obscure
There are other true disciples of ahimsa in the east as well. As I said, Gandhi transformed this mere word into a symbol, and now, this symbol appears to be sparking its own religion, but what of Jainism, the religion that found the meaning of ahimsa powerful and moving enough to invent a new word? The simple answer to be look at the Jain guideline for ecological crisis.
Guideline 1: Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life (Anthology, 245).
Gandhi's Experience with Violence
It appears that the guideline if followed to the word would be an amazing feat, but how to do it?
Guideline 5: There is no absolute truth. No doctrine, theory, or ideology is perfect (Anthology, 245).
So even Jainism isn't perfect. How am I to follow something with flaws? Here St. Matthew deserves profound attention. "But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil one: but whosever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" (St. Matthew 5:39). So ahimsa is a must, but you also need love. I've heard that love is known as the 'Spirit of God.'
What is Love??
How amazing are humans as a species? We have the power to emulate the spirit of God and live with his peaceful essence, ahimsa. The journey to discover the true meaning of one word led me to the spirit of God. Truly, there is great power in words. In my opinion, there are two words that accompany an individual from obscurity to 'Mahatama,' ahimsa and love.
How exactly do you see compassion or how would you use it?
Chris:
How are we to love...?
Lauren:
"So the Christmas spirit really refers to the spirit of Jesus, which the bible hints is the spirit of love, the spirit of compassion, the spirit of charity."
Helen:
"No one person is better than any other. In these ways, we all must learn to live with compassion for one another."
Molly:
Compassion arises from us loving our neighbors as ourselves, and love springs from the compassion that we show to one another.
Molly:
it is possible to feel love for someone without acting compassionately. It is also possible to act compassionately toward someone without loving them.
Jade:
As we put ourselves in another person’s shoes, we can open our hearts and become more understanding of how our actions affect others.
Jose:
... most try as best they can to live moral lives. I think the New Testament is meant to be a guideline rather than a word-for-word instructional manual to how to live a moral life.
This is was my first time reading certain parts of the bible, so I'm a little in shock and a little in awe and overall a little inspired. There were some lines though, that made me say, "Whaa...?" Do you believe in the New Testament? Are there any parts that confuse you a little?
Maysie:
The Bible is ripe with contradictions, which is mirrored in the religions that fall under the wide umbrella that is Christianity.
Helen:
This DB’s reading assignment was interesting for me because I had never read much of the New Testament.
OH! Another thing that kind of gave me another "Whaa?" moment was the part of charity. Do we donate to charity and offer up our time as community service in an effort to find our way to God?
Emily:
I think that helping people, whether it’s totally selfless or has benefits for you as well, is something to be valued.
Chris:
Personally, I believe that the Christian faith puts a lot of stress of charity because it is almost a human embodiment of God’s divine treatment of mankind.
Another great topic is credibility. This text has been translated so many times. Do you believe it? History shows that people often didn't follow the bible (Crusades) plus it has been translated and edited a whole bunch.
Some Contradictions Pointed Out!
Lauren:
I think that I remember this Christmas most clearly of all because it was the first Christmas that I listened, REALLY listened, to the story
Maysie:
It is because of this contradicting nature in both the New Testament and the Bible
Helen:
It was hard for me to accept the miracles of the stories.
Now, to an intriguing part, was Jesus vegetarian?
I hear this is must see...
Maysie:
am a Doubting Thomas when it comes to the claim that it is possible “to argue that this meal is both literally and figuratively vegetarian, that is, that by remembering the suffering of Jesus in the context of the covenant of God with all of creation, it anticipates the total reign of God in a world of complete harmony, void of all strife and suffering?”(Anthology 135)
Katherine:
egetarianism can be one such practice. After all, as Webb argues the Church even recognizes that “eating meat was not an appropriate way of remembering the vivid and brutal death of Jesus.” (Anthology 135)
I am a little confused about how to respond to this. There are parts which highlight compassion with grace, and then there are parts which confuse me endlessly. I enjoyed the Gospel of John with the utmost delight, and I wonder what would happen if everyone actually followed the words to the word. "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (New Anthology, 134). These are words of great potential; they reflect a pure spirit, so how is any of this confusing? Well, Gospel of John starts off by stating that the Spirit of God is in every spirit that claims Jesus Christ "[to have] come in the flesh is of God" , and anyone that states otherwise is the spirit of the antichrist (New Anthology, 134). So, me and the Gospel of John have a love-hate relationship. Some parts are profound in their relative meaning while others are simply subjective to Christianity.
The Gospel of John offers further insight into a double standard which is embedded in almost every religion, and so does the Gospel of Luke. In lines 20-30, the Gospel of Luke preaches about upholding certain values such as nonviolence and encouraging "love for your enemies" (New Anthology, 129). I was enjoying this part, but then, I was blindsided. BAM! Here's line 31, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (New Anthology, 129). I'm like "Okay... this is the total opposite of everything that's been going on!" This is one of those lines that confused me endlessly. I was lost but kept going... with a hint of skepticism. Sure, I see loads of compassion in the Gospels, but I can't take the text at its word.
I am the Skeptic!
For there are some inconsistencies within the texts. I need to take from the Gospels the words that capture the spirit of Jesus as the Gospel of John suggests. This is the step that my heart guides me to take, and it makes sense. In order to be compassionate, I must be willing to learn what I know not and find the essence of love in this knowledge "for God is love" (New Anthology, 134). This is the essence that ought to describe humanity. Everything we do as a species ought to be driven by love.
Gospel of John
However this is not always the case. It appears that in our society love is an emotion reserved for humans. On occasion, we are empathetic to the plight of another species; we don't consider them to be our neighbors even though we share the planet. Animals have become an industry for humans to profit from, but who is to question this motive when food ceases to arrive at our tables? We, as humans, overlook the parts we seem to detest. "The raising, processing, packaging, and marketing of meat and even the prayers given over meals deflect attention from the violence meat production necesitates" (New Anthology, 135). The killing of beasts for consumption is socially acceptable, and therefore, it continues on, in a far away land that's not in plain view. We as a species have deemed ourselves to be powerless over this matter; in fact, scientifically, it has been proven that humans are supposed to be omnivores (inheriting traits of carnivores and vegetarians). So, I have but one question, where does love go? The spirit of God vanishes... unlikely. It is disguised by something else.
Where is the Love?
Fear. Fear distorts our perception of reality. Forces unseen emotions and thoughts unto us. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (New Anthology, 134). And as individuals, we fear one another. We think, "What can I do? How else will I survive? What about Thanksgiving (traditions)?" This is the fear that has gripped all species. It's the fear of change. The dog barks at an unknown visitor; the dog is afraid that this person will alter the dog's life for the worse. The dog barks to force his fears away. But we as humans can rise above animal thinking and choose to allow love into our lives and change us for the better.
Changing Fear to Love and Joy!
No need to be afraid. Just love and know that this change is for the better. Relax with your mind and heart at ease and in unity. We will endure this change together as one specie and envelop the planet with love. We will even extend our love to alien life forms (if they exist), or maybe we'll just take it one step at a time for now. We'll deal with aliens when we meet them. Change represents movement/progress like time, no matter how hard we try there is no stopping it.
So many Hearts and they all need to LOVE!
Love, love, love.... This is the essence of the Gospels of John and Luke. Find within your heart the chamber of compassion and feel the blood from that chamber rushing through you. "Ye are of God" and "We are of God" and we need not fear (New Anthology, 134). Spread this essence and your love, and you in essence will be doing God's bidding. All we need is love.
True in the 60's and half a century later, true again...
Religion is an amazing and surprisingly simple topic. People will often argue against me by perhaps granting me amazing but simple, now that whole conversation will get a little complex, so I'll put a end to all the 'haters' right now. Religion is the devotion of the concsious self to divine and sacred beliefs; religion is only complex when people attempt to compare religions or when they attempt to analyze the faith or test its logic. People will often over-think this simple and beautiful subject and turn it into an something its not (No disrespect to people that analyze religion without losing sight of the beauty), but even the people that over-analyze this radiance of magnificence are participating in a religious doctrine of their own. These people, most likely, believe in themselves more than in any story they've heard or any miracles they've either seen or heard of. Their passion is through their hearts, and they attempt to follow their own rules and logic while drawing their conclusions; in Jainism, "each soul is an autonomous unit struggling for salvation in its own way" (New Anthology, 30). Some Find Their Salvation through Love
This is an interesting concept, and the beauty of it is that it's simple. We can analyze for day on end, but it's just one sentence, and therein, the beauty amplifies. I love finding beauty in religion, even the ones I don't know too much about or don't believe in. I've always been interested in why there were seven days in the week. In hindi, Sunday is called "Ravi-Var" which means that this is the day (Var) of the Sun (Ravi), and my oldest brother (Ravi) is actually named after the almighty Surya-Dev (Sun God). What a coincidence it is that my brother is bright, amazingly bright; if his intellect could be emitted as light then he would glow a bright-golden like the sun. The kind of golden that makes you relax, like in our meditation the other day. So, this Sun-talk reminds me of a famous quote from supposedly God himself. I believe his exact words were, "Let there be light" (New Anthology, 114). I was intrigued, a 'wee' bit more investigation, and I found this (New Anthology, 115):
[God] rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.
So the seventh day was the holy day that was blessed by God after he had worked for seven days; the work that started with His permission which allowed light to exist (similar to the Hindu concept of the Surya-Dev without whom there can be no light). This analysis makes me smile because it implies that my brother has been blessed by God; he has a supernatural/divine blessing that will shield him from evil and guide him towards the light. This is most definitely beautiful, and it has the shine of the beautiful gold which shines in the sky.
The Radiant Glow Carries Spiritual Meaning in Numerous Cultures
The very thought of gold is electrifying (also in a financial perspective)! Many people reference it; take Virgil and the fourth Ecologue. He writes, "With a new breed of men sent down from heaven... the golden race arise" (New Anthology, 123). This is further significance of how gold is sacred/holy/divine, basically spiritual in religions along with art forms such as poetry. Here again, we can draw a reference to Hinduism, but let's change the theme up a little. Take this line from the same Ecologue, "Justice returns, returns old Saturn's reign" (New Anthology, 123). This is a deep connection to astrology as Saturn in many cultures such as the Greek, Roman and Hindu culture is attributed with Justice. I'm Hindu so I like to relate to material I'm familiar with; Saturn, in Hindu Astrology (the study of which is Jyotish-Vidhya), is called Shani, appropriately named after Shani-Dev. Shani-Dev is a very respected figure in the Hindu religion, but he is often blamed for the mis-fortunes of many because in the astrological belief, the position of Saturn at the time of your birth will have an effect on you for the remainder of your life. Shani will put you through a varied track of tests which is somehow directly related to the time your were born and the position of the planets. Interestingly enough, Shani is supposedly fair and just in his trials and strict as well; almost as if he's a judge in a court. He upholds the law but has the power to interpret it differently from case to case. Virgil relates Saturn to justice which is symbolic of Shani-Dev!
Saturn and Shani-Dev, the Planet of Justice
This whole essay probably sounds a little long winded but realize that these connections and realizations happen at an immensely rapid pace. Basically the time it took me to realize this beauty is the same as the time it takes me to take three breaths. 1-2-3. Bam! Everything I just said went through my head again. It happens at the speed of light, and the golden rays just radiate around me as well. The beauty is epic and poetic. Hope the beauty of religions is realized as amazing due to so many different and varied ideas represented in different cultures, different environments, in a surprisingly similar fashion. The ideas are simple, and that makes the religion simple. As the Jainis believe, one must struggle for salvation through their own methods. I seek to shine, but I guess that's everyone. But to shine is to inspire, and I would hate to shine by myself. I was inspired by the beauty and simple magnificance of the sun (and my family). So now, I seek to shine and inspire.
I'd like to think that Pi's story is much like the story of any religion. Although Pi lacks direct contact from a divine power, he has somewhere deep within himself found his own power, and in doing so, Piscine has made a believer out of me. I had a strong connection with his voice; it was guiding me through his survival and discovery. In the beginning of the novel, I thought that this connection was just there because, well, Pi and I are both Indian, but as his tale unraveled, I noticed that I couldn't stop the turning of the pages. I was addicted to Pi, and appropriately at the end, I feasted upon upon a delicious pie as a tribute to Pi. But what was it about this book that I couldn't put it down? Was it Pi's emotional odyssey? I don't even know if that's a legitimate question. I thought Pi's story was simple, but now that I'm at the end of the whole thing, I find myself looking back at a complex and surreal story. This isn't very simple...
So, what's confusing about Pi's tale? I don't think there's a single answer that can satisfy the question, but I'll make an attempt. Throughout the book, he's growing emotionally; he's connected to all of the other people and animals through his emotions, but towards the end, he turns to reason and his own fancies (which are kind of opposites of each other). Before Pi floats into the island, he has a conversation with Richard Parker about food. The man has a conversation with a tiger; if nothing in this story impresses you, then this should definitely do the trick! It seemed to me that Piscine had finally lost it at that point, but I could relate to all of the zesty dishes that he was listing out, and I began salivating. I could smell the dosai's and the sambar and that's all I could focus on. Every time the tiger interrupted, I grew irritated; as it turns out, I was the host of a talk show whose guest stars were Pi Patel and Richard Parker, and Parker opened with, "Let's have a conversation about food... " (Mendel, 307). Pi, just like that, abandoned my Conan O'Brien-Knock-Off Script, abandoned reason, and took to his sentiments. He was "addicted to indulgence in superficial emotion," and I, too, took part, but I guess that's what commercial breaks are intended for (Sentimentalism, Definition). Stay tuned as We'll Return right After a quick Message From Our Sponsors.
During this short break, I connected with reality again. My room was getting dark, so I flicked the light switch and dived back into the novel. I decided to rush the next page and the next one, until I found the other side of Pi, the logic and the science side which is what the island is for. I guess it's kind of like the Island from Lost in that it has unique characteristics and is literally sinister in nature (this island actually digests its inhabitants). So, Pi explores this island, observes the meerkats, sleeps on the tree and analyzes the land. He doesn't assume anything until he has hard evidence to conclude from. He understands the acidity of the island only after he almost burns off the bottom of his own. The Pi from the first few chapters wouldn't be so analytical about such a marvel. Clearly, the tree can be seen as a symbol for the Tree of Life or the Tree of Good and Evil; maybe, the island with its green color and the association of that with Islam is in itself referencing the Garden of Eden. A spiritual being would be eager to make the connection, but Pi was more interested in training Parker to jump through some hoops. So, right then, my light began flickering due to some voltage inconsistency and I was back in Texas.
This island reminds of the Mystery Island
Pi always seemed to be a reasonable person. Everything he did had some sort of consistent logic to it, mostly spiritual logic, but here, all of that goes straight off the deck. Who is Pi? Is he indeed losing it as he appears to be in his talks with a tiger? Is Parker real? I don't know what to think, but I believe in numbers, and something just doesn't add up. Maybe this is a spin by Martel, or perhaps this is part of the original version from Pi Patel. With some of these events in the plot, I just have to know, "Is Pi for real?"
All the Playas Want to Know if Piscine's For Real?
I find truth in the promise of the book; this indeed is a story that will make you believe in God. I, for the most part, was mystified by the presentation of the story. The inner thoughts of Pi were simply flowing as my own thoughts produce themselves within my own consciousness, and I had set sail on the Tsimtsum and consequently, I had sunk, but I had no raft or boat. I was consumed by Pi's Ocean, so much in fact that I was drowning. I didn't know how to describe the experience. Occasionally, I would become distracted during my reading; I would look around and say to myself, "How do I react to this?"
Yann Martel's
That proved to be a difficult question given that the Super Bowl had just started, and I gave Pi a rest for a while. I came back to my question with a slight euphemism. Pi is a loving being, and even though he's stranded in the ocean, he finds happiness in the little things around him such as Orange-Juice. Although "the hyena expertly got to her throat" within a few days of being stranded, Pi looked to her as a maternal figure. When she's fighting for her life, Pi recalls his memories as a child when Orange Juice's "never-ending arms [surrounded] him" (Martel, 163-4). His admiration of Orange Juice reveals another side of his loving being and the utter hopelessness he feels. He clings on, fighting for his life, surviving through hope.
This brings me to his connection with Richard Parker. I found myself amused by his plans, but I was moved by number 7. When he's training Richard Parker, he fancies himself as part of the main performance in "THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH" and brings the Bengal into submission with a simple whistle (Martel, 208), and right then, he forges his master-plan: "Plan 7: Keep Him Alive" (Martel, 209). In his stranded and hopeless state, Pi makes a connection with Parker and transforms his fear into his hope! That just made me say, "Absolutely Brilliant!" Then, I was distracted into the real world by my 'mum.' I told her that I was reading a book about a 'Desi' (A common term used by Indians to reference each other) boy. Then there started the religious train... From Laredo all the way back to Kolkatta!
Imagine This... On a Boat!
I felt Piscine had boarded this train with me as he makes a reference to a story that I was particularly fond of as a child. The story about the sage Markendeya. As a child, I never understood it. I felt that Pi was meant to explain this story for me. Markandeya is much like Pi, so I know that this was meant to be. Realize that Markandeya was destined to die at 16 (Pi's age), but it's his devotion to Shiva that saves him, and as a reader I know that Pi's story is one that will make me believe in God, so Pi like Markandeya will be saved through his (blind) faith! Is that even fathomable? Blind faith... To devote yourself completely and absolutely to someone (or something) else. Pi accepts this too! "And I could accept this. It was all right" (Martel, 223). He later admits that his conscious will to survive kicks in, but for a short instant, he is able to align himself with the energy of the cosmos, and that is true strength and power of Pi Patel.
This Book is Epic! Extra Class Participation?
Every chapter, every page, every line and every word in Martel's Life of Pi is an elaborate play designed to make the reader believe that there is a God. It's a humbling story and a troubling tale, but its power doesn't lie in it's words or the verity which they represent. No! The power of this books is derived from its reader who like me are bound to ask themselves, "How do I react to this?"
The Tsimtsum has sunk, but I lie afloat, on a boat. I wonder, will I find hope like Pi? Who knows if I will survive, afloat on this boat.
There's a certain power that can be felt when one hears of predator and prey. The gravity reels me in; I feel compelled to see the relationship in action. There's an old African proverb:
Each day a gazelle wakes up and knows it has to run faster than the fastest lion. Each day a lion wakes up and knows it has to run faster than the slowest gazelle. Lion or gazelle, one thing is for sure, when the sun rises, you better start running.
So many of today's situations revolve around this relationship; even poems attempt to capture this power. However words can only do so much... Tiger Hunting
The tiger is one of my four totem animals, and after seeing these videos one thing is sure, I am dangerous! "A tiger is a predator, its mission on the earth is to kill, and indoing so it often displays awesome strength and dexterity" (Anthology, 153). This line from Harrigan's Tiger Is God captures nature with pure simplicity and brutal accuracy. After reading that line, I took a breather and thought, "Hmmm... Harrigan is divine!" Miguel is a power figure and in Hinduism, the Lion and the Tiger are a symbol of Goddess Durga, who was born out of a divine collection, but once I started reading Miguel and Tovar's story, I was distracted from everything else, even my core religious beliefs; I just couldn't stop till I had read every single word.
Australia! Let's Go Outback Tonight!
However, when I was reading Blake, I stopped reading quite often. For some reason, I felt like a Canadian in South Park as I read through Blake's poems and couldn't stop myself from reading the poem in sort of song/rhyme/chant. I was utterly LOST (slight reference to the TV show) and clueless, but I felt a connection between Blake's Spring and the Predator-Prey relationship, particularly its last stanza (Anthology, 141-142):
Little Lamb, Here I am; Come and lick My white neck; Let me pull Your soft wool; Let me kiss Your soft face; Merrily, merrily we welcome in the year.
'Spring' - Blake
After reading Spring, I felt as if Blake was writing every poem from a Lion's perspective. Take Spring. In the very first line, I hear a Lion's mighty roar! Lion's love easy prey, and the second stanza is about the "merry... noise" little boys and girls make; surely, they're a distress signal for the lion which the lion takes to be, "Come and eat me! I am alone, not too much work!" After all, the lion is the King of the Jungle; shouldn't it get meals on a silver platter? After that stanza, there's the third stanza which is reproduced above. The lion is looking for a lamb to eat, and at that thought, it thinks about what a wonderful start to 2010 would it be to have a lamb for dinner, so he says, "Merrily, merrily we welcome in the year" (Anthology, 142).
The Ghost and the Darkness
(On a side-note Prof. Bump, we should totally watch this movie in class, The Ghost and the Darkness, it's about two Lions in Africa which hunted and killed over 200 humans [I think that's the number] during a railroad construction; these lions grew a taste for humans and were come to be known as the Devil's Pets!)
Conflicts always bring up the image of heated battles! Disputes that have grown from a small spark into giant wildfires... Already, my five senses are being overwhelmed with the image. My skin is starting to sweat, and I begin to only hear certain sounds as the great blaze simply dominating the landscape. The very air that I'm breathing turns into a poisonous fume! The situation is dire; it forces me to be defensive, to fend for myself and for those whom I care about. In the heat of the moment, my gut tells me that I won't survive if I don't find a way to escape the burning blaze that surrounds me. With the severity of the situation that conflicts have put me in will cause me to lose my connection with reality. The only thing that matters is me, that fire and a firm resolution to put it out. I must seek to understand the core of the situation. What started the blaze doesn't matter until the situation at hand cools down or gets resolved; this detail is important but irrelevant if I don't survive the flame! When I hear of any conflict or dilemma, I become a fireman, and instantaneously due to the transformation, I prepare to fight fires.
Literally, Get Ready!
The very first preparation for fighting fires is the proper mental model because, like the stripes of a tiger, each fire is different. Some are subtle and swiftly die out with no external factor, such as a fireman, intervening, yet some fires are started by firemen (Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451). So the obvious question is what's my mental model as I seek to resolve a conflict? There are a few factors that affect my mental model, so I have to seek out certain truths about the situation. I need to understand the situation itself before I have a mental model of it. What's driving up the thermometer? Is it a person or a group of people? Is it me? Is it a certain current event or the reminiscence of a historical event? What's at the core of this fire? It may even be an actual fire... now what?
To better illustrate this, I must take a journey through time and space all the way back to August 5, 1949. This date marks the death of 13 young men; the only survivors of the blaze were foreman Wagner Dodge and two other fellow firemen. The events of that day can teach a lot about dealing with conflicts and the conflicts that arise when the situation itself is unclear. What happened on August 5th was fairly complex:
Around 4 P.M., 15 smoke jumpers - trained fire-fighters but new to one another as a group - parachuted into Mann Gulch to join a forest ranger who was already fighting the blaze which at the time was a basic 'ten o'clock fire' which meant that the jumpers could have the fire under control by 10 next morning. Dodge was supposed to be the 'team leader,' but the group of smoke jumpers were often separated from each other, and there radios had been crushed in the landing as their chute didn't open. These brave men had no clear leader, no connection to the outside world, and no idea that this fire would consume most of them. At the time, the concept of an escape fire was a novel idea; it was unheard of to fight fire with fire, but that's exactly how Dodge managed to survive. The fire had jumped to both sides of the canyon and was chasing the group. Fifteen of the sixteen people ran for their lives. Dodge urged them to use his escape fire, but the crew wouldn't listen. Only two of those 15 men managed to find a crevice in the canyon; the rest perished!
A Graphical View
I can just imagine how Dodge must've felt through it all. As a matter of fact, I am Dodge in certain situations, trying desperately to help. Things might've gone differently if I was Dodge. Imagine if it were me down there in Mann Gulch instead of Dodge...
Time- 3:50 P. M. "Sharma, there's a fire spreading in Mann Gulch. There's a forest ranger trying to do something about it himself. Get your new crew ready for action! Show this ranger how the pros do it," says the in-charge fireman at the station to me. "I'll get right to it, sir... alright men, let's get moving. You all heard the man. There's a blaze going wild over at Mann Gulch, but we're going to rain down on this 'ten o'clock' fire." The crew readies, and we're out just like that. Fifteen strangers on a mission to stop a fire.
Time-3:58 P.M. "Everybody on board!" I bellow at the crew and count their heads. The pilot has informed me that we'll be jumping from 2000 feet today instead of the usual 1200; it's a little nerve-wrecking to jump out of a plane from any height, but duty calls! The radio crate's parachute malfunctioned, so the radio's were pulverized upon landing! "Alright men, grab something to eat; I'm gonna find this ranger who's supposed to be around here. Hellman! You're in charge 'till I get back." Sure enough, I find this Ranger Harrison about 250 meters out! He had been here for hours and tells me, "You're Sharma right? Yeah, you're him alright. There's a really thick forest close to the fire; I'd have your men move up from the Canyon. You know, keep your options open in case something goes wrong." I had noticed this myself, but was surprised that the ranger had thought it up himself. So, I let him feel good about himself for a few minutes, but his approach did seem like a great one. I got back to the crew and told Hellman to take the crew from the north side of the gulch, away from the fire. "You got it Cowboy! Alright everyone, let's roll out," yells Hellman; he's such a character! I am beginning to feel the hunger, so the ranger, Harrison, and I grab a quick meal before heading into the gulch.
Time- 5:15 P.M. "You know Harrison, I already knew about that thick forest next to the fire." He wouldn't believe me; I chuckled on the inside as we begin walking towards the north side of the gulch. I picked up my pace in a second. I want to get back to my crew; who knows what Hellman's been putting through on their ears. I chuckled again, but I hardly know these men, and I need for them to listen to me. They don't know me either, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. I chuckled again; I cared for my crew and felt crafty with my tricks. I didn't know these particular men, but I don't even know half the people I help by putting out fires, so these guys that help me are definitely worth getting to know. Maybe we could take a vacation together one of these days. I chuckled yet again. Harrison who was a little annoyed spotted the crew, and we raced toward them. They were walking in a line, so I just stepped in front and naturally began leading the way. As I turned the corner, I spotted the flame... Two-hundred yards away. "This is it boys!" I yelled at them. There was a slight excitement in the air. We were all going through the normal wear and tear, but right then, we were rejuvenated! "This is what we came here to do," I yelled again; "No," they replied, "this is what we were born to do." I chuckled for the hundredth time, and this time, I even gave the crew a heart-warming smile, but when I faced the blaze again, I was in shock! I was the only one who had turned the corner, so nobody else could see it, but the fire had jumped to the our side of the gulch and was now speeding towards us at 660 ft per second. I yelled to the crew, "RUN! Run! Let's go men! Move, move, MOVE! You too ranger, hustle up!" We were running through the slippery grass, running for our lives.
Time-5:50 P.M. There was no escape near by, and our rate, we were doomed to perish. "Men! Drop your tools right now! We're not going to make it," I yelled, but they didn't listen. It's as if I asked them to go find Big Foot or something; they must've felt as if I, a stranger, was taking away their birth-right! They ran with their gear; I dropped mine and ran faster. I ran a good distance in front of the crew and made an escape fire. "Are you insane!" That was Hellman; little did he know, but this fire would save our lives! "No," I replied, "this is gonna save our lives. Now, get to it!" Hellman didn't trust me and said, "To hell with this!" The crew apparently failed to see the point of it either as well and followed Hellman, their new leader. How do I get them to realize that this will save their lives? How? "Ranger! You get here with me now!" He just ran by and said, "Man, you ARE insane!" I had lost the battle to the flames. Their fury had now caught up with me. I lied flat, face-down and was able to stand up later, untouched by the fire. I was sweating, and all I heard was the screams of my men. I realized that I was breathing the smoke of my men. I coughed and held my breadth. Damn it! Hellman took them all straight to hell! I should've known just from his name... Maybe if I had skipped my lunch, this wouldn't have happened, or maybe if the radios hadn't been crushed, someone could've told us about the fire spreading to the north side of the gulch. Maybe... There's a long list of things that might have impacted the outcome, but all I can say is, "What if..."
Time-5:56 P.M. Five-Fifty-Six P.M. This is just about when 12 of my men died, along with Harrison. The hands in Harrison's watch had melted into place! I am left wondering now, what if...
Had I, in Dodge's stead, really been at Mann Gulch that day... I wouldn't have made any real difference. Maybe some of the talk would indeed change a little, but the outcome of the day remains unchanged. There was too much conflict over at Mann Gulch. Information had ceased to flow, and the blaze got the best of 13 young men! This is similar to what happens in a conflict... Nobody listens, everybody just runs from the fire, or some follow Dodge and run into the fire, head first! People always do one or the other...
A Tribute to the Mann Gulch Incident
A conflict could be as intense as it was that day in Mann Gulch, or it can be more subtle; for instance, when I decide whether or not to tip the waiter after he recommends a dish that's too hot (spicy) for me to handle... I am always torn, limb for limb, on what to do. So, I'll leave a tip for my readers- be careful when you're fighting a fire, evaluate and assess the situation, and act by the most self-less means- because no matter what you do, the fire consumes the environment, so do like I have done and step into somebody else's shoes and see how the perspective changes. No matter what anyone does in the face of the blaze, the fire consumes everything!
