Monday, October 16, 2017

Resolve

Various movements in India have marched to the determined chorus of the anthem – ‘hum honge kamyaab’… in fact there are many versions in different languages of India… Everyone seems to know the song but few know the author… In fact, very few know that originally it is not a Hindi lyric… it is an English verse!

The song ‘We shall overcome’ became popular in the US civil rights movement. It is believed to be derived from a hymn penned by Reverend Charles Tindley in the early 1900s. Martin Luther King used it in his oratory. Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen and many other singers lent voice to it. Nations across the globe created versions in many languages.


However, it isn’t enough to sing ‘we shall overcome’. Resolutions have to move beyond internal resolve into aligned actions. Resolves may turn a shifty virtue that changes with situation. They may be oft sacrificed at the altar of selfishness. We must be spot on in our resolves to be consistent and steady in its implementation.

We tend to rein in resolve by succumbing to motives. We must overcome the circle of self-centredness and look beyond to the larger perspective. Very simply, we must overcome hate, greed and injustice of all sorts. The path to wishful positivity is filled with toil, self-doubt, seclusion and even defeat. But we shall overcome, someday!

Yes we can and we will overcome one day…
if we commit to the spot-on resolve today!


~ Pravin Sabnis

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