Celebrating his 140th

It's been a while since I've posted, which will be explained in due time. Tonight, in celebration of the 140th anniversary of his birth, I decided to learn more about Gandhi by watching the critically acclaimed 1982 film which bears his name. The film started out with these words flashed over a background of Indian natural landscape: "No man's life can be encompassed in one telling. There is no way to give each year its allotted weight, to include each event, each person who helped to shape a lifetime. What can be done is to be faithful in spirit to the record and try to find one's way to the heart of the man...." I was captivated by those words and thought that they would be appropriate to the biography of any man. They even apply to me as I write my journal entries. How oft I have felt that I could not describe the totality of my own experiences during a single day!

The moral courage displayed by this man is exemplary. First fighting against discrimination in South Africa, and then returning to his homeland of India to assist the people there, Gandhi was a man who always remained true to himself. I had thought that he had always been beloved by the Indian people, but I learned that it was not so. After India gained independence and fighting broke out with Pakistan, the voices of those who cried for death were loud and incessant. Gandhi's usual reaction to such crises -- fasting -- eventually brought people to see their own madness, but only because of the love and respect they had for him. I found it interesting that he was simply doing what was in his power to accomplish and trusting in God that things would somehow work themselves out.

Gandhi's dedication to his principles was unwavering. As I think about the forces of tyranny that seek to sweep over the world, I wonder about the value of nonviolent resistance. Gandhi certainly paved the way for Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement that helped America strive toward her best self. But there is always a cost in such methods -- a steep cost in blood -- and I think this cost is part of why I waiver. I don't want to see death and destruction, especially when it is inflicted upon those I love. Yet a part of me sees that if I truly have that same love for all men, I would not harm my aggressors. Perhaps I am not yet ready to walk down that road. From where I stand now at the crossroads, I would not blame any man for traveling down either path.

The film itself was rather long by modern conventions (just over three hours), but it was very well done. If you are looking for lots of action, this one's probably not for you. Same if you want the typical chik flick romance. But if you have the patience for historical drama, welcome aboard; your ship has come in. The cast performed beautifully, particularly Ben Kingsley. When you compare his portrayal to the actual man as shown in the newsreels (some of the valuable DVD extras), the difference is almost undetectable. They obviously went to India to film, and seeing that gave me a new perspective on all of the Indians that I have seen and work with now. I also gained an interest in researching more about how the former British empire and what resulted from her "demise" has helped to shape the modern world. Britain spent the better part of three centuries building her empire only to "let it all go" within the course of a single century. Yet no continent has gone untouched by the British; they owned spots of land everywhere that are all now free and independent nations. I'll add this project to my ever-growing list of things to do. As far as the film goes, it was well worth the time, and I highly recommend it to any and all.