Thoughts on the Republic day

There were years when I used to sit in front of the television and watch the republic day parade just because I felt patriotic that way. But then, those are yesteryears. Today I couldn't even get myself off the bed to go and attend the flag hoisting in my college. Though it doesn't make much of a difference to anyone if I attend the ceremony or not, I feel as if I have not done something that I ought to have. Reading the news about the tribal people of the tsunami-hit Car Nicobar Island attending the republic day celebrations is adding salt to my wounds.

There are only few things that most of us do as citizens of our country. I seem to be missing even those. I haven't cast my vote for the last couple of years owing to staying away from my constituency. I also don't remember doing any social service in these years. Memories of the Diwali eve 2 years back, when, with a group of colleagues, I distributed sweets and crackers to the deprived children in an orphanage and elders in an old age home, are still ripe in my mind. Maybe that was a more patriotic act than standing in front of our national flag and saluting it. Hope someone is carrying on that tradition that we started in my former office, and hope I will do better in the coming years then what I have done till now.