I want to share an enthralling episode involving my friend and her 4-year-old daughter, Yannah, during the Mumbai monsoon. When the windows are open, insects and moths often take temporary shelter inside their house. Like any other child, Yannah doesn’t like moths and panics when she sees one. However, she has a jar with a purpose. Whenever an insect flies or crawls into the house, she carefully captures it in the jar and covers it. Then, someone in the house must go outside and set it free, without harming it. One day, Yannah found a moth and gently placed it inside the jar. But as everyone got busy, they forgot to release it. Yannah approached her mother, pleading to let the moth out. Though her mother was trying to finish her work quickly, Yannah was worried and cried, “Mama, if you don’t let it out soon, it will die.” Her plea was so sincere that it made her mother stop her work abruptly and release the moth, still alive. Later, her mother shared that despite her fear and dislike of moths, she didn’t want them to die. Her love overtook her fear. Yannah’s actions reminded me of Rudy Francisco’s poem:
She asks me to kill the spider.
Instead, I get the most
peaceful weapons I can find.
I take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk away.
If I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,
I hope I am greeted
with the same kind
of mercy.
Little Yannah may not be fully aware that she is created in the ‘image and likeness of God,’ but she certainly behaved that way. She respected and provided every creature with a chance to live on this earth, even those she was uncomfortable with. She kept her dignity intact and alive. Our dignity is bestowed upon us by God. Every human being is loved and willed by God and thus possesses inviolable dignity.
FR. RICOPAR ROYAN SDB
To read the entire article, click Subscribe
