Forwards!

Forwards

It has been a practice, very age old one at that, to forward the messages received by us to as many people, who we are squinted with, as possible. As I said it's an old practice. May be it has flourished now more so with advent of WhatsApp, Twitter, and many  more Apps  in existence.

The other day, I received a msg. from a relative of my wife. The msg read ' Send this message to twelve different people, including me (meaning her), and miracle will happen in your lige. All your desires will be fulfilled.'

Usually, I delete such messages. But since this was harmless one, I did forward it. Oh, not to 12 people as requested. But just to her. Let miracle happen in her life. She needs it badly. They say, more things are wrought by prayers than this world dreams of. She often sends these kind of messages, perhaps to many people she knows. These messages are almost of similar kind- Read Hanuman Chalisa and all your troubles will be over -  Read Bible thrice and such and such a thing will happen in your life - recite Gayatri Mantra and you can achieve all the success in life, so on and so forth. 

Every time, I would simply ignore and delete these messages.  But not this time. I realized that she needs such assurances, a hope that everything will work out well. And I pray that they do.

This was a  message that wouldn't do any harm to anyone, even if no miracles will ever happen. But I remember a message sent via a postcard to my mother, asking her to send such postcards with that sinister message writing in her own hands,  to 25 people. The msg was 'Unless, you send this msh to 25 people, your son will die within a week. 'There several rituals she was asked carry out along with writing letters and posting them. My mother was frightened and asked me what  she should do. She had even bought 25 postcards, i think,  and would have even started copying the msg had I not stopped her from doing so and tore that letter. I do not know why these people who initiate such things. It does start a chain of fear psychosis. By stopping my mother  had broken that chain. 

 Needless to say that nothing untoward happened to me. 

Vinay Trilokekar