Insignificantly significant, irrelevantly relevant

I watched a movie this week: "14 Peaks, Nothing is Impossible." You can watch the trailer here.

Yes, you guessed right, the soul is still taking time to return. But this blog is not about that. 

Watching the movie was challenging. What all will humans do to find relevance and significance? 

The main character of this documentary (real-life documentary) says he is not climbing 14 peaks for his significance, but as a message to the world that Sherpas of Nepal, who support all the Western climbers, should get their due acknowledgment and not just a casual mention. Because they are more proficient than all these mountaineers.

 

A significant and relevant movie. This movie was well appreciated by many because of the message: if you have a significant and relevant contribution to make, even if it seems impossible, you can do it if you do not give up and persevere. An excellent message.

 

But watching that movie led to a chain of thoughts. Life today is all about significance and relevance. That is why movies where great achievements and accomplishments is the key story - are box office hits. We also want to be like them. May not be 14 peaks, but at least one base camp :(

 

Life is about achievements, productivity, outputs and outcomes, measures and metrics. And those who do not contribute are seen as non-productive, irrelevant, insignificant and at times a drain on the system. 

We see that today in the policies being discussed. Abortion for foetuses with Down’s syndrome is almost mandatory, in some parts of the world, due to the “economic burden” it will have on the state. End of life and euthanasia are following the same path.

 

But then, being where we are, the elderly (yes, my age and beyond) are all around. I met four seniors (above 80s) last week. Two of them in advanced stages of dementia, one cognitively starting to fail, the other cognitively fine, physically ailing. Discussions with family were very assuring. Though systems might see some of these people as a burden on the system, and insignificant and irrelevant, but for the family members they were mothers and fathers. A significant and relevant presence. Their presence is not based on what they have done in the past, what they are doing today or what they will contribute tomorrow. Just who they are and their presence that makes a difference.

 

Some of us will soon reach that age, when productivity, outputs and measures may reduce and fail. But it is an assurance to be reminded that when all these fails, we still will be significant and relevant because of who we are and our presence. And that who we are is because of the image of our creator in us.

 

That is why we are called Human beings and not Human doings. Or Homo sapiens – humans that know! Even when cognitive decline happens!

 

Today discussion is on Homo economicus, Homo technologicus, and tomorrow it might be on Techno-augmented humanoids or hybrids. But our significance will be because we are human beings! 

 

Recently I read this story paraphrased from the Good Book.

 

“The sun had barely risen over the desolate land when Job sat among the ashes, his body covered in painful sores, his heart heavy with grief. His wealth was gone, his children lost, and his health shattered. Silence hung in the air like a thick fog, broken only by the distant cries of desert winds. Job, once a man of great honour, now sat alone, scraping his wounds with a shard of pottery, his soul wrestling with questions too deep for words.

 

Far away, three friends heard of Job’s calamity—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Each left their home, burdened by sorrow for their companion. They journeyed across barren plains, their hearts rehearsing words of comfort, though none seemed adequate for such suffering.

 

When they arrived, they scarcely recognised him. The man who had once stood tall in prosperity now sat hunched in misery, his face gaunt, his eyes hollow. Seeing Job’s anguish, the friends tore their robes and cast dust upon their heads - a sign of shared grief. Then, without a word, they sat down beside him on the ground.

 

Day after day passed in silence. Seven days and seven nights they remained, their presence speaking louder than any words could. No one dared to break the stillness, for Job’s pain was too great, his suffering too sacred for casual speech. The silence became a language of its own—a language of mourning, empathy, and unanswered questions.

 

Job’s heart burned with turmoil, yet he said nothing. His friends watched, feeling the weight of his despair press upon them like a heavy stone. In those seven days, time seemed to stand still. The world outside moved on, but here, in the circle of ashes, grief reigned supreme.”

“But then on the eighth day onwards they started speaking, trying to find answers for this complex problem, each coming up with a brand-new idea!  A relevant and significant contribution they wanted to make. Nothing made sense to Job! Finally, God had to appear to reprimand them.” 

The silent presence spoke more than all their great rhetorics. 

 

Maybe such a seemingly insignificant, irrelevant and silent presence is more significant and relevant than all my "Ramblings".