Writer's Quill - Quarter 1
Euthanasia – A Silence In The Storm
I was a storm in the light,
Hoping that daybreak held on.
God allowed me to sink out of sight.
I searched for anything that might bring me hope.
Misery melted into the sky.
I should not remain cold,
My head had been hurt by mindless accusations.
I needed to be kept higher up straight.
But I was living in illusions.
Sleep, in fact, was a delusion.
The truth I had failed to notice
was surely speaking confidently.
But when the truth becomes daring,
Suddenly he’s playing like the devil.
I wasn’t even worth worrying about.
My life was over.
That being settled, I believed that
my life was quite literally dying.
And now that the word has popped
into my head.
It didn’t let me think of anything else.
As if the world itself were
A compelling sensation.
The discomfort from suffocation
Can be quite taxing,
Your debts don’t want to run away.
It was enough to make me go raving mad.
Physical hell, this pasty feeling in my mouth,
The unbearable pressure,
This sensation in my blood
That barely flowed,
Truly, was nothing.
I truly felt nothing.
It was more peaceful than
The suffering of the
Merciless cruel world.
- Rtr. Oojal Kour Dhajal
Rotaract Club of Lokhandwala
Mental Health (Depression)
Into the doom of nothingness
Death is but a note unsung,
a word unsaid, a feeling unpaid.
It was supposed to be a phase,
I was taught to despise,
I’d thought,
It ought not arise, for,
we shan’t rise with such speeding seconds.
But how terrorising can something as plain as death be?
When selfishness is cleansed and
We are too pure to remain
a remnant of dirt, of the Earth.
Alas, we become one with the dirt.
One with the stars, I’d say.
But that’s pretty much just for saying.
An attractive scenario in the making.
The angel of death was a sinful fairy godmother.
Depriving my split soul from the others.
It didn’t pretend to care,
Drugged my mind with despair.
Void emotions and spilled notions.
Along with an assured alliance in hell.
There is something aesthetic about the graveyard.
The burning souls, the screaming ghosts.
They all scream out to me.
Bound me to it,
now I am all choked up.
So, goodnight, before I weep,
before I fall asleep into a deep slumber of sleep
and never wake up.
- Rtr. Oojal Kaur Dhajal
Rotaract Club of Lokhandwala
Is India actually a democratic free country?
Kitni ajeeb baat hai na
Sab apni ladai lad rahe hai
Koi apne pati se
Koi paise se
Koi khane ke liye
Koi dost se
Koi apne sapne se
Koi sainik apni jan se
Koi insan ap kaid kiye hue vicharo se
Har insan aaj bhi lad raha hai
Par ek msg padne milta hai
Happy Independence Day
Kisse aazad hue hai hum?
Us britishers se jiske desh me jane ka aaj har hindustani ka sapna hai.
Ki us muslims se jinke liye aaj bhi siachen border par apne sipay mar rahe hai ?
Ki us mard se jo apni patni ko uska haq nai de sakta?
Ki us bhagvan se jisne sab diya par apne muh pe fir bhi shikayate hai
Hum kaunsi aazadi mana rahe hai mere dost?
Hum naapne se vicharo se aazad hue na in sab chizo se
Woh azadi kya kaam ki jo hume aazad nai karpayi?
- Rtr. Hiteksha Bhagat
Rotaract Club of KC College
Mental Health
Just over a week ago, I was informed about a particular piece of news that shook me hard. I was informed about a suicide that took place in the very same hostel where I spent two years of my life. I consider my time at that hostel as one where I grew and learnt a lot about relations, cohabitation and life in general. Hearing such news struck me hard, keeping in mind how safe the hostel actually was at the time.
However, this made me think of the bigger picture here. The one of the unfortunate victims and the turmoil he was put through towards the last moments of his life.It made me think of the pain felt through his mind at the given time, the pain felt through his family and friends post his death and the pain of how he suffered continuously only to result himself to end it all.
Through public discourse, it would be unfair to state that we, as a society are not thinking about mental health. The issue of mental health has been ever concerning and has been brought into the limelight of youth discourse over the past few years in a very major form. There is enough awareness for the same today than there has ever been over the past few decades, especially as far as the young population is concerned.
Although, is it enough? Are we really doing enough? According to a recent WHO report, “1 in 4 teens in India of 13-15 age group have depression.” This statistic is appalling and definitely must be addressed. Moreover, it is important to note that this is just for depression alone. Mental illness, too is present in other forms. Just like depression, even other illness like anxiety have risen over the past few years. If we are really trying to tackle the issue of mental illness and if this statistic continues to remain a constant, there clearly isn’t enough of a major impact of such discussions and initiatives.
Therefore, in order to tackle this graving concern, what is required is a much more forced plan on action on the whole. This could be achieved at a micro and macro level. One prime area that would prove beneficial is building awareness in institutions. Investments should not only be made for a child’s physical health but also their mental health, as that usually isn’t equally considered. It must be mandatory in the form of counsellors and building an overall strong network for the same. More so, similar initiatives could be taken up at a macro measure.
Although, one of the most vital forms of cure would simply by communication. Everyone should always remember to talk, even in their darkest moments. If not talk, find some ways to express themselves. While I do not consider myself a specialist in the area of mental health, I do strongly believe that while we’ve just hit the nail in the right spot. It is now time to drill it all the way in and try our best to eradicate this future pandemic.
- Rtr. Rahul Waslekar
Rotaract Club of Bombay West
Mental Health
I lived, I felt, I suffered
From the day I witnessed it,
I knew I would not want to live even a bit,
For me, people saw with a pity
It felt, I lost my dignity
For those who see this as God’s will,
Think would he choose for me such suffering
Seeing my loved ones in worry,
Easiest would be to bury,
I do not see this as a fault,
It’s my life, like a vault
I find no strength to take a breath,
For I am no more; a living dead
Seeing me turn moist each eye
I made a will to bid each goodbye
For my life, I make a move
No externals have to oppose what I have to choose,
In my shoe, even you would choose to lose.
- Nikita Chavda
Mental Health
Yes, things changed
Felt like it was mockery
But it was my misery.
Shaken from within, turned a horror
How can I be a survivor?
Driven by a third
My existence was blurred
Each pitiful gaze made me burdened.
Carefree I saw the other without me
It was time for me to flee!
Breathing became a cacophony
An artificial, more a dummy
A choice of will, please let me
Release of pain is a want,
It’s my death, I wish to flaunt.
For me, life is in the dead
I lay at peace in my bed
Only not me, another hundred
Each battling not to have a bread!
- Nikita Chavda
Mental Health
Overpowered by the mind
My consciousness turned blind
Aware,unaware at same time
Life has turn into a single line
Amidst people I behave normal
Because my real self has turned abnormal
The moment of happiness has fallen to seconds
Mind asks to go on a weekend
Alone or within the crowd
Should I live,I have a doubt
They bombarded me right on the face
For the change they see in me for past few days
Few get helped,more neglected
Others end up writing like me
Because paper is only permanent
Who would listen; without a judgement
- Nikita Chavda
Mental Health
It’s exhausting to fight a war inside your head every single day.
“You’ll get over it”, they said. “Oh, it’s just a phase.” “You are too young for something like this.” “People have much bigger problems in this world.” “You don’t have any reason to be depressed.” “Stop being sad all the time.”
How many times have people said this to you, and you wondered nobody ever gets you?
No matter how hard you try to explain what’s going on in your mind, nobody will ever understand? That feeling of helplessness and despair is a mental illness.
Importance of mental health is being talked about everywhere these days. Most people have heard about it, only some of them know what it is, but rarely does anybody really understand it. Rarely does anybody understand its intensity and how much it can consume and affect someone. Everyone knows that suicide rates, depression and cases of anxiety are skyrocketing. But the sad truth is, nobody really is doing anything about it.
The problem is you think you know someone, and you think they are happy and living a perfectly normal life. But sometimes all you can see is the person who laughs, smiles and jokes. And you will have no idea of what they may be experiencing internally. I can’t imagine how easy the world would be if you could just look at someone and tell whether they’re going through a mental illness. Unfortunately, mental illnesses like depression or anxiety are not visible like a broken arm or leg. It’s no wonder that they go unnoticed so easily. The person experiencing them could be screaming out for help and yet nobody would be able to hear them.
You see, the problem is that most people brush it off by calling it a “bad day” or “moodiness”. They don’t understand that these illnesses feel like you’ve reached even below rock bottom. You lack motivation or energy to do anything. It’s very hard to concentrate on anything, you even tend to lose interest in the things you enjoyed in the past. You overthink and at the same time don’t think at all. You become extremely hard on yourself, constantly beat yourself up over things that may not even be your fault at all.
The saddest part is how people who are lacking knowledge about the harm these mental illnesses can tend to worsen things even if they are just trying to help. They don’t understand that you cannot recover from anxiety by just staying calm and not getting worried. They don’t understand how the cure to depression is not trying to be happier and more positive. They don’t understand that if mental illnesses were that simple, so many people would not be struggling with them in the first place.
Social media deludes you well, but the sad truth is that mental health is still extremely neglected and misunderstood in most parts of the world. Why is it that if you break your hand, everyone runs over to help you but if you tell someone you are going through depression everyone wants to run the other way? People are so quick to say, “You can always talk to me. I am always here for you.” But have you ever wondered how many of them actually mean it and can stand by you when you going through something like that without losing hope or patience?
There are a lot of misconceptions related to mental health. Depression or anxiety don’t have rules that says you have to constantly be sad. There’s no rule that says you have to be suicidal. “But you don’t look depressed at all” is not a real thing. These things can be hidden deep within happiness. You can cry yourself to sleep at 2 a.m. and be laughing with your friends at 2:00 p.m. People may notice the changes in you and ask you what’s wrong and you will have no answer to give them. That’s the thing about mental illnesses, there may be no necessary answer as to why you’re facing them.
If you are someone who isn’t battling any mental illness, consider yourself to be one of the luckiest people alive. You’re free from what is an all-consuming illness that we cannot even easily open up about. it’s natural for you to want to help people you care about if they are struggling with their mental health. The simplest thing you can do is just be a shoulder to cry on. Be patient with them, and don’t always give suggestions & advice as to what they should do. Most people don’t need suggestions, they just need someone to listen. All it takes is a little kindness and care and some amount of effort to show the other person that they matter to you and what they feel, matters.
If you are someone who is struggling with these issues yourself, firstly remember you are not alone. You are not moody, you are not weak, and you are not a coward. There will be days where you’ll feel like this sinking feeling is going to last forever, but always remember that things get better. They always get better.
There is no shame in admitting that you’re not happy. There’s no point of suffering in silence. The only thing more exhausting than having a mental illness is pretending like you don’t. Don’t be afraid to tell the people that care about you what you’re struggling with. You will realise eventually that with their love, support and care you’ll be able to overcome these illnesses.
Don’t dismiss your feelings. Be real with yourself about what you are going through. You’re no less than are a warrior and you will keep going. Getting out of bed every morning & trying and living your life normally is also an act of courage. Give yourself credit for doing that every single day. Lastly, don’t be ashamed of your story. It’s what makes you who you are it’s what will make you stronger than what you already are. And it’s what will inspire others.
- Rtr. Aashvi Shah
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Mental Health
Do think suicide is very easy?Thinking of it may be, but not doing it. Have you ever thought of your family or your friends what type of trauma will they go through? Now let me tell you a small story, when I was in my 12th I flunked my board exams so I went through depression and I said why am I born with this thing cand I went through a depression that I wanted to commit suicide and quit my education and end my life but then I said to myself, is this worthwhile? If I commit suicide what will happen to my parents, what will they go through if their only son commits a suicide? If I quit my studies will I be able to continue with my Rotaract which is my passion.
And today I have reached my TTBA though it’s taking me a bit long to clear my kts but I said to myself if my parents are letting me do Rotaract and now even Rotary then I need to make them proud by completing my under graduation.
-Rtr Sahil Hathiramani
Club ambassador and director events of RCBQT 2018-19
Is India actually a democratic free country?
71 years of Independence, the largest working democracy in the world yet we still have this one question, how successful is our democracy?
“The voice of millions of Indians say no India is not a Democratic free country. Democracy and freedom go hand in hand, freedom for us will be then when every individual with less than 35years of age who forms the 45% of the total population gets all the opportunities he deserves, Freedom will be then when a farmer won’t have to leave his land take is exile which has no return, Freedom will be then when our economy will not be dependent on those Capitalistic lobbies which control the wheels of the world, Freedom will be then when our country will again be the land of riches the Golden Paradise which it was.”
Talking about Democracy where the rights of votes are laid in the hands of the people among whom millions are illiterate, how successful is the democracy if those rights are not used wisely. Also, is the Democracy really successful if millions choose to not vote and the youth decided to stay away from politics? The answer remains No! It’s not the success of the democracy but the one’s framing the laws which govern the country. Keeping the needs of the people and the country in whole aside what we really needed back then in 1947 was our right to education and understanding what democracy is rather going to general elections to elect India’s first government with only 11% literacy in a population of 50crores, we failed then which did cost our lands our people and the prestige of the country which was burned down in the riots.
Our Democracy was crushed when back in 1971 when a forceful administration in the name of emergency was imposed on us which eventually failed when the People reunited.
Well that’s what can be said, Democracy is when the people unite, when the people walk towards the betterment of the nation.
The question is not if India is Democratically successful or but the question is, are we 133 crore Indians are able to make this world’s Largest working Democracy successful?
- Rtr.Nikhil Somani
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Mental Health
Well you don't see them cry, While they break a little inside, Their struggles are not real, And their stories not that sad, You believe it's just a phase While they prepare to die.
You named them mentally ill, While they just needed help, To have somebody besides them, Or a shoulder to prove someone is there.
The fine tuning of our minds, Have created these stereotypes, While you fear and disregard them, They deal with unstable cacophony in their heart, While one tells to die, And other to survive a little more, And when we look down upon them, They suffer from anxieties and depression, Both meeting at a crossroad, Deciding which one has to stay , And they both never leave, Thinking it's fun to be mixed, And more painful then you believe.
It's time we break these stereotypes Give them a hand or lend them an ear, Take them to a psychologist, If need be, Or a group where they feel they belong, But never leave them ignored, Because we may all be murderers, For letting them quit, And while their dead soul and body, Silently peek at you, Then we know who is to blame!
-Rtr. Muskaan Patni
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Mental Health
I was 16 when I started feeling insecure and low. I could not understand what is wrong but I could feel it. Till the time I could figure out what is wrong anxiety attacks had become a common thing.
I still can't forget the day when I was alone at home and my anxiety had begun to creep in. I can’t put it in words. It hurt in the gut. There was a throb in my chest. I tried to calm down only to realise I was not able to stop thinking. A hard-blank stare at the wall and I just could not stop my sob. The more I tried the more I felt trapped. My mind was racing with everything I did not want to think about. When, I tried to pull a glass of water there was a sudden lump in my throat. I was not able to drink or even eat. Exasperated, I tried to look around to make sense out of the chaos, I felt numb. I did not want someone to comfort me or tell me that everything is going to be alright. I was not looking for everything to fall in place because I did not want a fix. Only thing that I wanted at that moment was to have my mind at peace. Just like everyone else I always wondered that how can someone become mentally unwell until it happened to me. Since then I' m struggling with anxiety.
We all have our own share of bad days, but if you are not able to come out of your bad days there is something to worry about. No one deserves to experience any kind of negative emotions for long. Being mentally fit is everyone's right. If someone suffers from depression it's certainly not their fault. Depression does not make anyone incapable or weak. Those who self-harm do not have to be alienated. We need to have a positive outlook towards them. Just because their approach towards life is different that does not make them different. People with mental health problems are not insensitive or bad but people who do not understand them definitely are.
- Rtr. Divya Maurya
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Mental Health
Mental health…Still a topic which people avoid to talk about. It’s not a problem but a fight with the mind- set of people. We need to understand that having some kind of a mental illness doesn’t make you a mad or unacceptable person in the society. Mental illness is as normal as our physical illness like flu and fever. Rather than disregarding it we should talk about it and make people aware. We should discuss with our friends, family and maybe a counsellor to solve the problem we are going through. Also, according to the surveys conducted by American Psychiatric Association it’s observed that more than 6.7% of American adults go through depression. It is a very common disorder and not only adults but even teens go through depression. Today’s competitive world never fails to stress up the people in it. Whether it’s a kid trying to compete with her/his peers at school or an adult making their image at their workplace. Each and every person goes through the phase of insecurities, low self-image and loneliness which ultimately leads to depression. Some simple solutions to avoid depression and anxiety could be trying Yoga and Meditation, enjoying your own company, reading positive books and always appreciating yourself.
- Rtr. Dhruvi Wani
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Euthanasia
Euthanasia or mercy killing, is the act of ending the life, in case of severe injury or dying of animal of animal or human being with use of fatal dose of drug that will lead to a painless death.
Euthanasia is an end to suffering pain. Unimaginable pain and least control over the disease can be cured by euthanasia – causing to death. Euthanasia gives dignity to a dying person who is in pain during their last breath. It treats the people with extreme death pain, unworthiness of living and irritation of patient due to low quality life. Society treats euthanasia to be bad as mythology says that, “God is the life giver, so only he has the right to take back life. The human life cycle of birth and death is disturbed due to early death of a person. Karma should be borne in this life.’’ These myths cause patient to live with reckless pain. Peace of living is much more important than natural death. However, I myself would try my best to consider euthanasia legal, though life of human is not cheap, but the peace and silent death is much more worth pleasant to any person.
- Rtr. Mitali Vyas
Rotaract Club of UPG College
Mental Health
Got a fever? People will immediately rush to a doctor. Fell down and scrapped your knees? People will immediately bandage it. Slipped into depression? People will… Wait, what? Depression? That is not an ailment, is it? It is more of a phase, which too, shall pass.
This has become our mindset which needs to change. Mental health is not taken as seriously as physical health is. People just tend to ignore their mental state, thinking that it is temporary and will lessen or go away after a while. But the truth is it only worsens as time passes by. People do not understand that whatever discomfort they’re feeling mentally can be early signs of depression. In the fast-paced and technologically advanced world that we are living in right now, people feel shy of speaking about what they’re feeling in the fear of being judged and not being understood like they would wish to. This adds more to the pile and leaves no one to talk to. Insomnia gets the best of them and many such disorders follow.
It is high time that we identify symptoms of mental discomfort before it reaches the stage of depression. Let us be supportive and widen our horizons about such issues and not just consider them as “phases which will pass”. We need to invoke the feeling of empathy in ourselves and not make the person feel alone. Because during such difficult times, all we need is someone who will be by our sides throughout that journey.
- Rtr. Kinjal Panchal
Rotaract Club of S.K Somaiya College
Is India actually a democratic free country?
“India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic” as stated by Indian constitution which was adopted in 1950. A lot has changed since then. Considering the current government in power, it is no doubt that India has progressed immensely in the past 4 years. But has the Indian democracy progressed yet?
We all have learnt back in school that democracy is the form of government where people are free to choose their representatives who'd run the country on their behalf. But are the real goals achieved practically when we talk about a large-scale democracy like India. Does each person get the right to choose, let alone vote? Do we get a say in any of the decisions made by the government? No, we don't. In fact, our voices are hardly heard in any of those “busy” government offices.
As the responsible citizens of this country, we are expected to pay taxes on time, take part in the decision-making process every five years and follow the rules drafted by the government. But what do we receive in return? Poverty,
unemployment, poor infrastructure, illiteracy and zero control over government funds, policies or employees for that matter. The biggest sufferers in this game of politics are the minority groups. They are the oppressed class who are only considered as vote banks by political parties for selfish motives like power. Despite receiving a huge collection of over 7.41 lakh crore by the government, after GST implementation, there is yet nothing being done about the villages which are still not accessible to electricity.
Then again, it's all about perspective. Each and every form of government has its limitations. Considering India’s population and its history, it is nearly impossible to imagine that India would've adopted any other form of government, other than democracy. In the past, India has faced imperialism. So, it is no doubt that communism, fascism, monarchy, dictatorship and other such forms of government are a big No! for our country, since they restrict rights and freedom of people. Besides such form of government organization are against the concept of capitalism, which would greatly affect Indian economy (if India followed it) and would eventually hinder the progress of the nation.
Thus, democracy is, without a doubt, the best option India has; we have. Yes, it has limitations. But thanks to our ever-evolving free press and digital modernization, most of these restraints are being solved on a large-scale. In short, to make India an effective democracy, political authorities should focus on improving the democratic practices and reducing political barriers to least. Only then, developed India vision shall turn into reality.
- Zarana Sanghvi
Is India actually a democratic free country?
India is the largest democratic country in the world. Though this statement sounds right but is India actually a democratic country? As democracy is all about people's government and eligible citizens have an equal say in decisions that affect their lives. Now the question is do we have an equal say? The answer may be easier but saying it loud and clear isn't easy. No citizen would take trouble for themselves by blaming the democracy."FREEDOM OF SPEECH" as one fundamental right is defamed! Democracy is related to Indian polity which includes fundamental rights, development of constitution etc. And Indian polity have failed to provide solutions to the problems of common man it may medicinal rights, housing rights or voting rights. Democracy will only work in India when the citizens actually know the meaning of democratic country. An ideal democratic set-up is not only about what a government should do. It is also about the duties of the citizens of that country. Democracy is not only confined to selecting the government who is expected to work for people. But the point is are they really working for people? The answer to this question is known by everyone but there is lack of realisation. Democracy is beyond that. It includes basic needs, equality, economic freedom, transparency etc. But regardless it is true that democracy has failed to fulfil human being expectations. Most importantly it has failed to eradicate the problems which are most prevailing like poverty, injustice, women problem (domestic violence, rape, etc). However, we must keep in mind that there is no better form of government than democracy. Other forms like dictatorship, monarchy or aristocracy are beyond doubt good but not suitable for country like India, one of the reasons maybe the population. Democracy is the only way to create a better society and nation. The citizens along with government should fight against the odds for the betterment of human life.
- Rtr Sakshi Chitlangia
Rotract Club of Ghanshyamdas Saraf College