The Only Language We Need To Learn

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The Need Of a Language

The human society communicates through a language specific to that region, state or community. The language we speak is as much a part of our identity as our name is. What would we have done without a medium to communicate? The world would have been a chaos resulting from miscommunication. All thanks to those who created languages- the ones to assigned meaning to sounds and symbols, formed words and created grammar. We owe them our entire vocabulary. But still, there’s havoc here and there. Spoken words aren’t enough. What are we missing?

The Language Of Animals

Have you ever studied the animals, the birds, the butterflies? What is the language that they communicate in? It’s incomprehensible, right? Just a few gestures and sounds- wagging the tail or fluttering of the feathers along with a bit of coo-ing and moo-ing and the message is understood. It is indeed amazing how they understand one another’s fear, grief, pain, happiness, excitement, and so many more emotions without the need for words. We need to learn to look beyond the words we hear. We need to read in between the lines to understand the real meaning. We need to learn this language of the animals.

They are lucky who can connect with animals so well. The people who practice gardening, keep pets and spend quality time with them daily have nearly mastered this art of communicating without the need for a language. This is the language of love. Those of you have pets will agree with me on this- they make our lives beautiful, stress-free and worthwhile. You eagerly wait to get back home after a long day’s work to be with your pet dog or cat- your companion. You fondle a bit when he allows, and he keeps licking your palm. He has missed you, you understand. You know when he is hungry, moody, or angry. You know how to stroke him to calm him down. You have learned to read his eyes and to stroke him for encouragement, love, care and playful mischief.

Many great personalities in history and mythology are said to have mastered the art of understanding nature and its beings. I was genuinely fascinated by them. Sita in Ramayana could influence snakes and deer, as they listened to her and trusted her. Amazing isn’t it? A few fairy tales too illustrated this idea; Alladin’s pet monkey and  Jasmine’s pet tiger in the Arabian Nights; and the Nightingale and the Rose among contemporary tales.

Reading blogs on pet tales I have come across numerous life changing and healing experiences that the bloggers have gone through. Learning the language of animals has made their lives peaceful and calm. It has made them do away with so many inner demons, personal losses and lead a complete life. Some of them have joined activists and used the lesson learnt to fight for animal rights. They have successfully created awareness in some places. The world will be such a happy place if we all could do it.

The Language We Need To Learn

The one thing about any communication process that you need to learn is ‘Empathy’-the art of viewing the world through someone else’s shoes. You try your best to understand their circumstances from their perspective. Empathy is the one thing that can bind societies, bring communities together, connect generations, and unite all the diversities. It is the only skill needed to understand the unspoken. In every language in the world, tears and laughter mean the same. Every person feels happy, guilty, grief-stricken, respected, loved, and adored through that which is unspoken. Words have no effect if the feeling behind them is not right.

They say eyes are the windows to your soul. Learn to read the person’s eyes- it communicates a lot more that the words he speaks. Familiarity and friendship; hate and scorn; flattery and malice- the eyes can’t hide anything. For the mute, the dumb, eyes speak volumes- they shout out every word unspoken, every feeling unexpressed. Trust the eyes.



First published at http://www.twinkleidea.com/

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju
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