Thursday, October 11, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
FROM CHANGANACHERRY, WITH LOVE
appa, sat back in his rocking chair. he was very relaxed. he had just received a call from his daughter in maryland, usa. she was joining him and her mother chinnu for a month's vacation soon. "goodness me. ". he said to himself. lots of laughter. non stop chatter by his daughter and her two children, a walk on the riverbank in the evenings and of course a mighty spread of his wife's culinary expertise on the table, three times a day till his daughter goes back to USA.
chandrasekharan nair -appa- was excited. "chinnu", he called out. "my beer please". "mintu is coming home.is n't she"?. chinnu could read his mind. she knows appa like the back of her palm. she knows he gets excited only rarely; only when her children come home or when india is winning a cricket match. "i get you your drink". she said loud, from the kitchen.
appa sat with his chilled beer. he drank the first glass fast. the second one went in a jiffy too. the third was not too slow either. and soon, he was in that happy world of his own.
two decades is not too long, he now knows. mintu, his elder daughter, took her degree in engineering and was keen on her higher studies abroad. she was fortunate- took her masters from michigan and got a fine job and settled down. she found her partner in life on her own. another nationality, another culture and a totally different society. but it was her choice. she was happy. appa always wanted his children to take their own decisions.he did not ever interfere. he wanted them to think outside the box. never wanted them to be just a face in the crowd.
the younger one neena did well too. she majored in science and joined her sister in america.she took her masters and started teaching in the same college where she studied.
god has been exceptionally kind to me, he used to say. he had no problems either, or he found solutions. his wife was happy too.
appa has great regards for keralites working abroad. be it america, europe, australia, anywhere. what appa likes most about the keralites is their adaptability. a keralite can get used to any situation, any country, any culture and any food habit. no wonder a keralite is at home ; be it in europe at a dinner table with continental food served or wearing a thai dress or speaking spanish in madrid. with that burning desire to live well, they gatecrash any where and be a part of the system without much fuss.
the nostalgia, a keralite enjoys is exceptional. he loves his native festivals.he looks for the best in traditional dresses, cooks the best of native foods and be with friends exchanging pleasantries. so a vacation in his homeland is a time to cherish. he lives it up.
keralites are a special breed in many ways, appa thinks. he loves his place of birth. he loves his family and comes home at every opportunity. this love for the family has made the state prosperous; for it is the money he sends home that helps many families live decent lives. now, with the communication so simple,easy and inexpensive he is in touch with his family at the click of a mouse. kerala, as the tourism department says, is "god's own country". appa laughs sarcastically. "it is god's own country , alright. but never god's own people". appa feels. and he has reasons. keralites within kerala are at times led by a queer philosophy that often tolls death knell to the state."we have everything, -educated people, natural resources and everything that is required to make it truly "god's own country". but we love to live in poverty in the midst of plenty. most of our 44 rivers have dried up.our roads are not easily motorable.water transport is almost non -existent. electricity inspite of the many hydro electric projects is palpably inadequate.we hardly have industries worth any mention. appa is disturbed. "our anxiety begins and reaches a crescendo by the middle of each month because if the remiittances from abroad fail by a day or two payments cannot be made". some toil, some others enjoy the fruits of the toil". appa is hurt by our attitude.
"i have always worked very hard, all my life. i still do". he pointed his right index finger to the five hectres of land he was cultivating.
"i know appa. you say this every time you drown your third beer. you and your land".chinnu pretended annoyance.
"i know i loosen up after a few beers. but i open my heart only in front of you, chinnu". appa was apologetic.
the lady smiled. she in fact was very proud of her husband.
chandrasekharan nair was an honest, hard working government servant. he had served his department-notorious for malpractices and corruption- judiciously. the only complaint his co-workers ever had about him was that he was too upright a man to be a government official. he had never accepted any bribes. no recommendations welcomed. his motto was "justice to all; irrespective of caste and creed". he took decisions by himself and held himself accountable. never ever passed the buck so that he could be safe. none above him could undermine his grace and poise. on his retirement day, as the registrar general, many wept, literally. he had brought in a system in the department whereby ordinary citizens could easily the assesss the progress of their files. the long wait in the office and the anxiety regarding files vanished during his tenure. chandrasekharan nair was appa-father- to all. people in the locality came to him for advice on many things. that included land disputes, money borrowings, marriage councelling,
and you name it.he was a superb judge. he was also an agriculturist of repute. from vegetable gardens to medicinal herbs, he had all kinds of plants. he also had a poultry farm. also a hand in pissiculture.he assisted small time farmers with seeds, advice on organic farming, composting and helped them financially too.
"god has given me plenty" he used to say. "if i dont share it with the needy, it is a crime. and i must share my knowledge with my people". chinnu always stood by him.
appa went back to his thoughts again."we keralites have two faces" he said to himself; "the rebellious, haughty, arrogant keralite fighting for everything back home in kerala.the other keralite living outside his native land adapts to different living conditions, language, culture ,earns a name for himself with dedication, application and a high level of intelligence". appa could not understand why this happened?
he salutes a few outstanding keralites who belong to the second category. came the name of dr.swaminathan, the father of green revolution in india. appa remembers the 60s when america sent shiploads of wheat to india free of cost to overcome famine here. few realised that it was no favour. most of it were not good enough for even cattle feed.dr.swaminathan changed the entire scenario. today it is self sufficient in food production. then the king of white revolution dr. verghese kurien ,better known as amul kurien for the "amul" brand of milk and milk products. the once sleepy village of khaira in gujarat is a pilgrim spot for students and heads of co-operative societies.dr.kurien taught the poor illiterate men and women the art of sophisticated dairying. amul kurien changed the lives of many thousand villagers. then there is the konkan railway chief e.sridharan who presently heads the prestigious delhi metro.dr.madhavan nair, the space research chief is another extra ordinary keralite.
there are many more, appa knew. how could these people make names for themselves appa thought. firstly they are exceptional leaders. secondly they are recognised and are given free hand to execute their projects. but the most important factor is that they are not living in kerala, in 'god's own country'.
"another beer please, chinnu". appa was very excited. he was thinking about the great keralites who made their marks in life.he folded his hands and held them in front his chest and prayed for their welfare; in fact he prayed for all keralites living outside kerala. had it not been for them, there would have been no kerala in the world map.he knew they represented the great traditions of the state and its culture the world over. he stood up. saluted the imaginary hoard of keralites standing in front of him.
"Appa, again", chinnu walked upto him knowing fully well that he would hug and kiss her in that mood. she was right again. he hugged her.kissed her on her cheeks.
as he stretched on his sofa he prayed again for the success of keralites striving hard to change the world.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2007
THE KING IS NAKED
to say loudly that the king is naked one needs courage and character. when mahatma gandhi, the father of the nation boldly asked the british to quit india, he knew he was challenging a goliath head on. non violence was his weapon. so strong was his conviction that india belonged to indians that he did not budge an inch even at the risk of severe punishment from the british masters. he fought and won india freedom is history.
nelson mandela was not that very lucky. he hated the white ruling south africa. native africans were slaves, literally.and they were treated like wild animals. but unlike gandhiji who spent only a few years in jail during the freedom stuggle, mandela spent close to three decades in isolated confinement. but he did not give up till the mantle of power was handed over to his people. sheer courage and character almost impossible to emulate.
martin luther king fought for the rights of blacks in america. he was a political activist and champion of civil rights movement.he won for the blacks right to vote;desegregation was made a law and labour rights for the blacks came into effect. non violent resistence, martin luther king knew was the most potent weapon available to the oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity. mahatma gandhi, he said , embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe and these principles are as inescapable as the laws of gravitation.
mind you, these great men were fighting against the establishment . there are many wanting to fight for justice and human dignity. and want to serve the humanity. but most people back out when they have to face the rigours and cruelty of the establishment. physical and mental tortures of the most inhuman nature are to be encountered. only men of high integrity, honesty and rock solid determination can face such situations. no wonder you donot see men like mahatma gandhi, mandela and martin luther king in everyday life. these people knew for sure that they could be crippled both physically and mentally. the establishment, they knew, would try every trick to destabilse the mass movement. money and power of sorts would be offered, they knew, to calm down their quest for rights of people. the estblishment feared their popularity and power of command. they also knew that it was a losing battle fighting the great many oppressed and hapless multitude under the able leadership of such unassailable personalities.
i come to crux point. to say the king is naked , you have to have guts and conviction. the art of saying "NO" , to me is the same as saying the king is naked. both expressions bring out the man/woman in you.we cannot become a mahatma gandhi or a mandela. but we too must establish ourselves as a force to reckon with. we should not be just faces in the crowd.
in everyday life we come across situations where we can either give up easily to make some people happy. but in doing so you make yourself unhappy. is this situation worth the bother? i do not think so. you must be of service to people around you. you must be interested in their welfare. but that should not be taken as your weakness and you should not be taken for granted. if that happens you are looked upon as a spineless thing; not a man of character. you are there, then, for people to play with. dont become a laughing stock. be polite, but be firm. dont let people around you take the carrot and you settle for the stick. DO NOT,EVEN FOR A SECOND, THINK THAT YOU IMPROVE YOUR IMAGE BY OBLIGING TO PEOPLE FOR EACH AND EVERY THING.
when you think something is wrong call your shots and say an EMPHATIC NO. say the KING IS NAKED. and call a SPADE A SPADE.
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Monday, September 10, 2007
the texan's shoes
"For god's sake mr.mathews, get me that girl back. without her, it is like groping in the dark. please". the CEO was down and out. he wanted his secretary then and there , right in front of him.
mathews, the manager, gave a wry smile.
mathews prayed hard. he too wanted lakshmi, the CEO's secretary back. for obvious reasons. with she in the office, everything worked well. she knew the CEO well. knew his likes and dislikes. put in order all papers. gave him his work plan. advised him on what was in store for the day. simply smooth sailing; but not always.
"she will come back sir"' he said. "she cannot live without THE TEXAN'S SHOES".
"shut up. you and your texan's shoes". the CEO let go his anger in hoarse words.
lakshmi joined the company for just one reason. she wanted to be home with her child by 6 in evening. and this
job near her home served the purpose.
but she got a taste of what was in store the very first day. The CEO wanted a particular file on export correspondence. she placed it on his table. "you fool, how dare you keep both import and export correspondences in the same file". and he flung the file at her. lakshmi melted, literally. somehow she gathered enough courage to say"this is my first day.i don't know who keeps what and where".
"damn you". the CEO let go another howl."i dont care who does what . i want papers properly filed".
in walked mr.mathews and he whisked lakshmi away before things more unpleasant happened.
laksmi was soaking wet inside and outside. her throat was dry. she thought she would faint.
"sorry dear. i am actually in search of a person who would enjoy the TEXAN'S SHOES.you almost suit the bill. relax. i am with you". his concern for the hapless lakshmi was very evident. but she did not understand what the texan shoe was.
lakshmi got used to her CEO's outbursts. it became part of the office routine.
she was happy,otherwise. the pay cheque was excellent. perks were attractive too. and she made friends in the office. but again she was on the razor's edge most of the time.
came another explosion. this time it was a greetings card. the cover in which it was sent was smudged slightly in one corner.so tiny that only her CEO could locate it. the volcano erupted."this goes to the most renowned professor in oxford. what will he think of my office. careless, irresponsible.no.no. get me another card and get out, you fool".
poor lakshmi wept. she did not know what to say. again mathews came to her rescue. "it looks as if the texan's shoes do not fit you too. but do not lose your grip.hold the reins. you will be ok".
the CEO was a happy man that day. three exports were made that day. the cargo was loaded without any incident .the ship left the port.. his daughter became a mother that morning after 7 years of marriage.he sat down to dictate a letter. he offered her coffee and biscuits. cracked jokes. talked about his days in the college in oxford.
one would never believe it was the same person who exploded every other day and made people do the tight
rope walk.
seven secretaries in 4 years, mathews once told her. "see, no one complained about the working conditions;or salary or perks. those are excellent.but who can spend 8 hours in a lion's cage six days a week? one can never predict his moods. he cuts you to pieces one minute. offers you coffee next minute. when you anticipate a whiplash, you get a hug. and you look for compliment you get a kick. you never can say where does the roulette stop.have no emotions. that will help. it is difficult, i know", was his advice.
once she called lakshmi after an outburst. "i know i am an impossible person. even i cannot work with me. but dear lakshmi,please learn to bear with me. i admire your honesty, hard work and efficiency. please learn to work with this eccentric".
tears came down lakshmi's eyes. she kept her right hand on her chin and kept her eyes on the files on the table.she reminded him of her father who beat her one moment and bought her toffees next .
came another day and another squabble. this was regarding a letter to the chief minister
criticising industrial policy. lakshmi had typed the letter and had given it in the despatch. she was on leave the next day. the letter was posted only a day later. the volcano erupted. "why do i pay you a fat pay cheque? for your honeymoon? i toil here. you people enjoy holidays. you can go home for good". the CEO was fuming. his face red hot.
lakshmi took up the challenge this time. she typed out her resignation letter and went to the CEO. he read it and threw it on her face. "how dare you do it?" he asked. "i donot rise to your expectations. may be another person will do a better job. i am quitting". lakshmi just managed to convey her feelings. "shut up". the CEO was raving mad."why should you resign for the mistake i made"? he asked. there had been a few corrections to be made. i went and collected the letter myself from the post office. i made the corrections and posted again. that was the cause of the delay. and you fool, why do resign for my eccentricity, "?. he burst out laughing. lakshmi was confused and almost choked.in front of chopping block one moment and in the lap of god the next moment. was she in a state of trance, she did not know. "why did you shout at me",she gathered enough courage to ask him that much. " you silly girl, i am no god, understand that. i make mistakes. simple. go, do your job. i too have things to do".
"storm in the cup again,lakshmi"? john mathews was smiling as he welcomed her outside CEO's cabin. "the texan's shoes seem to fit you well". he said as he went past her. lakshmi nodded.
"strangest concotion i have come across in my life". she said to herself.
the CEO was sitting with another CEO of another company. lakshmi was there taking down notes. the visitor asked her boss:"tell me in just one sentence, what is your greatest asset here"?. the boss was cool and he said softly;" my greatest asset sits next to you". but before he completed the next sentence, he called her a silly joker.
never ever can fathom this man . she thought.
it was a quite saturday afternoon. lakshmi was totally unwound since the CEO was away in Delhi. she was in mathews's cabin. "sir, i am getting used to this tight rope walk. if he does n't call me "fool" at least 3 times before noon i feel bad. my note pad should fly around as a matter of right,every day. "shut up", i must hear at regular intervals".
"good to hear that". mathews said. "the stick and the carrot " act is keeping you in good shape. now , i feel, you are matured enough to hear the TEXAN story.
the tough, rough texan walked into a shoe shop in downtown texas. he sat on a stool. the sales girl came to him.
"look, i need a pair of wooden shoes.knee high, fit enough for both horse riding and for working in the fields". she brought a pair . he wore them. walked up and down the shop and sat down."tight on me. they crush my toes. it hurts too". he said. "no problem sir, i get you another pair".
the texan laughed loud. the girl was wonderstuck. she did not understand why was he laughing. the texan calmed her. "listen, young lady, i am a very busy man. i have over 10000 cattle heads. over 5000acres of wheat field.plus piggery and poultry . you get me". the girl nodded. "i get up at 4. wear this tight shoes. and my day begins. she grunted.
my toes hurt. skin is peelig.
"hmm".
my wife comes saying the hay stalk caught fire. with these tight shoes on i go to put out the fire. mind you, my feet take the toll of the tight shoes. i get help. put out the fire in an hour.
another"hmm'.
"comes the message that some robbers stole my cows, about one hundred of them.my feet are already swollen. even walking is difficult. but still i jump on the horse back and run after the robbers. my aides join me. and after a great struggle i get my cows back. jesus, my feet are hurting". the sales girl was keen now. she looked at the texan anxiously.
"do you know what could i have been thinking then"? the cowboy asked.
"no clue sir". she admitted her helplessness.
"my aching feet, young lady, my aching feet". he jumped up. " think of my ecstacy on removing the shoes and freeing my feet. think of the immense pleasure i get on placing my feet on the cold cement floor".
"great" said the sales girl.
"mind you, my day has only begun. i sit for the breakfast. i get a luke warm coffee and toast worth no mention. turned eggs is not well done, and my wife knows i hate half cooked yolk dancing in the plate. i throw it on her face and walk out of the kitchen.what could i have been thinking then? asked the big man in jeans.
"the pleasant evening with your feet on the cold cement floor".the girl was smiling.
"you got it baby,you got it". the chief looked a very satisfied man.
"all kinds of problems creep up till i settle for my drink and dinner in the evening. i get my swollen feet out of the tight fitting shoes. skin has peeled off in many places. and the pain really bothersome. but i have 3-4 large pegs of cutty sark. hot onion soup. sirloin steak rare. large salad. and some music. .THAT'S heavenly my dear girl, heavenly".
" i agree, sir". the girl could fathom his contentment and satisfaction at the dining table, with hot food in front and his swollen feet firmly placed on the cement floor.
"the cool breeze tickle my feet. blood circulation has become normal. and the whiskey is hard. soup hot. i am in cloud 9".can anyone dream of such ecstatic moments,everyday?"
"no way sir. you are lucky". the girl could only agree.
"can this happen if i buy a wellfitting pair of soft shoes?". "no, sir" came the reply.
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lakshmi's daughter fell ill. the bronchial ashtma was severe this time. lakshmi stayed by her bed in the hospital for 3 days. she reported to the office on the fourth day.
"it is the doctor who treats the patient.not you. and what can you do in the hospital?showing emotions. weeping?looking for sympathy from people around? i tell you, rubbish. go, stay with your daughter till she gets married. your pay cheques will reach you every month. is that ok"? he was shivering with anger.
Lakshmi lost her cool too. "if i cannot sit by her when she is sick and in bad shape, i dont think i need this job".
"get out". the CEO was red hot in the face.
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lakshmi stayed home. it was almost a week since she left the office.
she was feeding her daughter that day. it was almost noon. The CEO called mathews."go, get lakshmi. i am ashamed of my behaviour. apologise to her on my behalf and bring her back.now".
the car halted in front of lakshmi's house. mathews was stretching in the back seat. he walked out. went into the house.
there were animated talks. sobbing. pacifying. and eerie silence.
when the car left for office there were three occupants, not two. also there was plenty of laughter.
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Thursday, September 06, 2007
THE VIRTUAL DOSA
THE VIRTUAL DOSA
Sujata, my brother in law's wife, is an affable lady and a great cook. She
enjoys making good food and loves to share it with everyone around. She
does not expect even a thank you for what she gives. She loves people. And
shares her happy moments with all of us. Good food for her is just an
addendum.
My grand children, when they visit us in kerala, make it a point to spend
most of their time with her because she makes excellent dosas. She can
spread the dosa batter like a saree on the floor; as simple as that. Like
what they do in restaurants, she does not turn the dosa over. And the razor
thin dosa comes out, crisp and light brown. She has coconut chutney and
dosa podi to go with it. The children eat them by the dozens; no
exaggeration please.
Now to 'VIRTUAL', the title.
Technology goes through the roof every minute, so to say; especially in the
field of information technology. Everything that is new and trendy today is
obsolete tomorrow. And this is where I came across the word 'VIRTUAL'. The
computer scientists have invented so many virtual things; you can virtually
feel the smoothness of a saree; you can virtually smell a rose; you can
virtually touch a film beauty. A never-ending line of virtuals. At 64, it
is mind boggling to me. It amazes me as to how these scientists bend
backwards to invent 'believe it or not' wonders. Not that these are
commonplace now, but they are on their way to become as common as chapatti
and dal or rice and sambar.
Now that was virtual for my dear readers from what little I know of VIRTUAL
in scientific terms.
Back to dosa. My daughter sapna makes excellent dosas too. And she has a
dosa kallu [pan] that has a convex curve good enough to hold a litre of
water. Dosa pans are generally flat. The kind of curve that my daughter's
pan has is unusual and funny. And I picked up a quarrel with her once over
her pan. "You could do with a new pan, young lady", I said. And she glared
at me, the intensity of anger 'virtually' crushing me to smithereens. "You
know appa, this is my life line. You say I change this pan. Will you
exchange me for a younger daughter". And she flared up. Very fortunately
my wife walked in and she calmed our daughter. Attachments, affection, love
and sense of belonging are different in the eyes if different persons. My
daughter sapna froze me to a chunk of ice that day with her outburst. She
was right, anyway.
Now we go for the bull's horns.
My wife and I went to her place last month in vizagapatnam. Her children
have grown up. They have school from 8am. Her husband goes to his office at
9. She herself goes to school at 8.30. That was the time I saw her
elegantly completing her pack lunch job her children, her husband's
breakfast and her own pack lunch. Dosa reigns supreme in her menu even
today. She takes a few dosas. Her children eat a few and carry to school a
few. Her husband sits down to enjoy a few dark brown dosas. Dosa
everywhere.
And I experienced a strange phenomenon. She still owned that dosa kallu
over which we quarreled many years back. With regular use it was shining
inside, the gleam of metal showing affection to my daughter. There was a
certain amount of grandeur about that piece of metal She, I believe, even
talks to that dosa pan.
She was making dosas. She half filled the ladle with dosa batter and
spread it right round the pan, a bit more than a foot in diameter. She
spread the batter fine and even. When she finished it the batter was well
spread and it gave a hissing noise. And she emptied only one half of what
she took. Goodness me, can this happen. I have heard of virtual smell,
virtual touch and virtual feel. But can there be a virtual dosa; a dosa
without batter. My daughter proved it possible. One. Two. Three. She went
on and on and on. Everyone had his stomachful. They also packed their
Tiffin box with dosas. When she left the kitchen I quietly opened the
container to see what was left in the container. It was half full when she
started it, ALMOST half full when she left.
Today I say sujata makes excellent dosas; but she needs batter. My daughter
sapna can make equally good dosas even without batter.
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Wednesday, September 05, 2007
GOD FEARING- WHY SHOULD YOU FEAR GOD?
it has amazed me, always; the term GOD FEARING. fear god. that's rank stupidity. you can agree or disagree.
but please listen to what i have to say before you call me stupid.
to me god is the supreme power. right from childhood i have been hearing about the greatness of god. he is benevolent, loving , caring, concerned and punishes wrong doing severely.he is the creator of this earth and all its animate and inanimate things. he controls lives of all living things. he decides the time of death of all living beings. he controls the sea,the land,wind and the sky. he is the supreme power.
you agree to all that i say. you will, if you believe in god. if you dont believe in god, this article is not for you. such is the power of god that you can only be his subject, never his master. he leads you, not you lead him. however great and imposing scince and technology may be, your efforts are destined to certain limits. you can say you decide your destiny; but is nt that statement laughable. your very existence is controlled by various factors over which you have no control. right from the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat and the work you do there is that unseen hand of god guiding you. it is amazing. even the president of the united states of america, the supposedly supreme power on earth is unable to fathom the power of his enemies and take precautions inspite of the fact that he has the best of brains and technology under his control, forget the stranglehold he has over the world community.he has the best of metereology. but still he could not prevent the katrina devastating new orleans. he has the best of aircrafts and satellite spying and intelligence network. but still came the 9/11 and how many died. why did columbia burst in mid-air? he and his NASA has the most sophisticated technology and equipments that one can dream of.
you might think why i talk of only america? obviously because the most powerful country is unable to prevent disasters. who else, then, can.
back to GOD FEARING. i have touched the tiniest tip of the iceberg called GOD. if you believe in this phenomenon tell me why you you should fear him. he can upset your apple cart,not you, his. he does not need your assistence or co-operation or goodwill to make things happen. he controls every heart beat.
do you have to fear such a power. his aim cannot be to distroy our world and our existence.if it was, i would nt have been here to write this. he is there to better the mankind and all that is there in the world. you fear him if you dont do things right.you fear he punishes you for your wrong doing. not that wrong doers are always punished ,at least we dont see them being punished. crime and punishment in the eyes of god, is a trillion dollar question. you and i have no clue over it. fear him not, for he is for your peace and happiness. fearing is giving him the face of a demon or a monster. he is not that. if you care for yourself, your family and the society and are concerned about the welfare of everything around what you transpire is love and not fear. god does exactly that.
therefore LOVE GOD,NOT FEAR HIM.
good day friends.

