Bad Hindu

Hello there! It is good to see you! I overheard an interesting conversation today. I was at work, and this one woman asked another woman what book she was reading at the time. The woman responded with, “Passage to India”. “Oh.” the one who had asked said. “What?” “Well, that doesn’t sound interesting to me at all.” I resisted the urge to repeatedly slam my head into the table. Seriously? Traveling to India doesn’t seem interesting to you? Classic literature doesn’t seem interesting to you? The woman then continued, saying that when her husband saw all the books she had, he just shook his head. She apparently had an unorthodox amount of paperback romance novels. She was also very proud of this fact. And she’s older, and has been working in a grocery store for a long time.

 My eyes! They burn!

I then thought back to my World Lit class. We went over Hinduism a while back and I was very interested in it. One of the elements of the religion involves the caste system. In some societies the caste system is used, but in America (where I live), not so much. The views in Hinduism state that you should stick to your caste. It is what is natural for you to do. It is your dharma, or your duty. Now, I’m not one to conform, and we don’t really have a caste system here, but I tried to apply that thought to my lifestyle, wondering how it would work. 

I came to a very positive conclusion, that allows me to be a little less judgmental towards people like the woman I mentioned above. I realized that I know a lot of people from all walks of life, with all different view points. The woman above seemed really happy not reading what some would call, “classic literature”. She also seems to really enjoy her job. Some people I know feel the strong urge to become social workers. Some, doctors. I know I have no urge to do any of those things. I would prefer to be in the public eye, influencing people’s thoughts and opinions, and making changes to the world. I feel that is my duty. Some people are so happy going to work in the coal mines. And that is caste. And that is dharma. And that, my friends, is what allows me to not be sad that people aren’t living the lives that I imagine they would like.

Her eyes look like they do, too.

They are living the lives they feel they need to. Everyone should do that. Everyone should try to find what they love and what they can become good at. That’s another interesting and what I feel to be helpful part of Hinduism. If you deny that, if you deny your dharma, you are a bad Hindu. Lots of things can make you a bad Hindu, and I am not necessarily Hindu, but sometimes I call myself that. I call myself a bad Hindu. I try to be kind and not too judgmental, and I try to further my steps toward performing my duty. I also sometimes call my dog a bad Hindu, and she looks all stressed at me when I do, but that’s another story. I feel like if you do what you feel you need to do, you will be successful in life. If you go become a doctor when you hate blood and studying, you won’t be successful. You will be sad and unaccomplished, and I will hit you with a newspaper. 

I don't really hit her with a newspaper. She just always looks stressed.