A friend from Germany who is currently visiting Goa and is due to return back next month has brought me a profoundly meaningful souvenir -- a small piece of that historic Berlin wall, which had stood menacingly dividing brothers from brothers, curbing liberty for humanity. The wall of darkness has fallen; the little pieces should now help us never to forget the danger of newer walls could rise anywhere to imprison our spirit and mind.
It is ironic that my gift of a piece of the Berlin Wall is an iconic piece of history and one of the greatest achievements of human struggle and success in recent years. The crumbling fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was the culmination of several protests by a passionate and determined people who wanted progress and co-operation, not division, stagnation and human misery. They braved the weather and overcame the fear of even being attacked by the State security. A day of victory for the people of the whole of Germany when unity overcame division, when real progress in the lives of millions could now accelerate. And how am I to reciprocate and gift my friend something similarly meaningful? A vial of water from our mythical Mhadei, which will soon cease to flow tranquil? A sachet of white sand from our beaches which are about to lose their charm and serenity? A canister of Goa's fresh unpolluted air, which is already a rarity? Or a handful of our red soil, before it is all mined and packed to distant furnaces by the greedy looters?... What else are we left with now, to go along with our warm embrace sprouting from our friendly hearts -- alas, currently bared by the evil crown, the Covid. Sadly, I may have to leave my friend to go back with just an unpolluted selfie in Goa. Goans have become that much and that badly poor! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com