India, Aug. 28 -- It is human to commit mistakes. There is no shame in getting up, dusting ourselves, learning, and moving on with a resolve to do better. A child understands this intuitively. Yet, the urge to be accepted by the majority erases these lessons of childhood as we enter adulthood. We continue to commit acts that go against humanity and the inherent goodness of the heart, despite knowing the disastrous consequences of the past.
The recent war stirred patriotic fervour. I too celebrated our decisive action and victory. Yet we failed to grasp the trauma of families who lost their dear ones. As a child, I once visited an army officer with my uncle. He had lost a leg in the 1965 war. Only years later, with maturity, could I even be...