TOLERANCE.

A few months back Chaitra came back from her school with swollen eyes, She looked depressed that day. I asked her the reason for her sullen face. She hesitatingly showed me her forearm. I was shocked and tears welled up in my eyes. You could see the whole dental imprints of a rogue child in my daughter's forearm. A classmate had bitten her. The fang marks were angry red and gave her considerable pain, Yet she suppressed it. We immediately took her to a pediatrician and gave her tetanus shot along with an antibiotic dressing.
The bite was unprovoked and my poor child had to face the brunt. She remained stoic and bore the pain. She did not complain to the teacher or the bus attendant. We were amazed at her tolerance. She did not even entertain the thought of retaliation also.
We were Maratha Warriors by caste and her lack of reaction took us by surprise.
I normally retaliate with my venomous tongue if anyone tries to get smart with me or hurts me. My friends and relatives are scared of my verbal lashings. They never dare to cross my paths in view of fear. My wife also reacts accordingly. Nobody can take us for granted.
Why my daughter did not hit back was the question persistently troubling our minds.
I mustered courage to ask her the reason.
She plainly said that she could not hurt anyone.
She also asked me a question,
Papa, Why do people hurt other people this way?
I had no answer to her query.
The entire world is strewn with hurt people, battered wives and children. War torn nations with their daily list of casualties. Terrorist attacks on the innocent civilians.
Collateral Damages.
Do we have answers?
I do not want my daughter to be so tolerant and a meek lamb like person.
Do you?
I want her to hit back. I want the repressed classes to retaliate and lead a revolution.
It's only a wish.