Jeanne Mansoor is waiting to hear from you...
Long years ago, when I was understudy to Manik De Silva at the Sunday
Island, Nihal Fernando, a photographer and one who was always intensely
passionate about things Sri Lankan, suggested that I arrange for a
series of pieces, either as articles or interviews, on how Sri Lanka
could be turned around.
He was thinking of people like Ray Wijewardena and others who had not
only excelled their chosen fields but whose love for this land was
beyond question and moreover whose characters and integrity were
unblemished.
I left that newspaper not long afterwards and that was that as far as
Uncle Nihal’s splendid project was concerned.
Simple project
Since then, however, I have used whatever means at my disposal to
educate myself about such people and their work and to share whatever
knowledge I picked up in that exercise with as many people as possible.
I was told in school that one can learn both from books and from
people too. Charles Dickens, through Hard Times told me to look for the
best in people and not the worst.
![](z_p08-jeanna.jpg)
Dr Ray Wijewardena |
He need not have bothered, for that’s what my mother’s life was all
about.
She didn’t teach it, although she was by profession a teacher. She
lived it and in living, she taught.
It’s good to know about good people because they set benchmarks. When
people are unblemished and when both the unblemished and the
‘unblemishedness’ are known, the blemished and the blemishes stand out.
We can then employ circumspect in our engagements with such
individuals. So when I got an email from my friend Jeanne Mansoor a
couple of days ago saying that she was collecting a few people’s take on
corruption, I was very interested.
It’s a simple project that has a lot of potential in terms of giving
frames of reference to people in the matter of assessing the
high-profiled, officials and politicians, professionals and stars.
Here Jeanne’s request, which I copy-paste and forward with pleasure
and a sense of privilege to the Daily News readership:
Incorrupt person
I am putting together some writings about people who are/were
incorruptible, as a counter-punch to our country having got out of
control corruption-wise. If I can get enough participation - I would
like a book to come out of it. I would be grateful if you would write
something I can include in the collection - on any Sri Lankan you feel
qualifies as an example of incorruptibility and why. There are a few
guidelines:
* The incorruptible person may be alive or dead.
* No spouses or children can be included, because both may feel hurt
if they are not. However parents and other relations are fine.
* If you feel more than one person you know or knew qualifies, would
you write separately on each.
* I’ll need a few lines separately on who that person is/was -
pertinent dates too.
* I’ll be cutting down to 500 words maximum per incorrupt person per
writer.
* Email me the pieces one at a time if that is easier - it would be
easier on me for sure.
* If you have a friend or friends who you feel could contribute to
this project, would you ask them to participate and give them my email
address. Be sure that they send it under a subject that will alert me to
their not being a nuisance writer looking for new friends.
You email her [email protected] or write to her at Puwakwatte,
Kotadeniyawa, 11232, Sri Lanka.
Wonderful people
We don’t know the full lives of people we encounter and not even of
those who are closest to us. There are no perfect people on this earth.
Our assessments are based on imperfect information sets. Still, there
are always people we look up to, take cue from, try to emulate or are
inspired by. We don’t have to write to Jeanne and once, hopefully,
Jeanne publishes a selection of submissions delivered to her, we may or
may not read the book.
She won’t get all the stories and given the parameters associated
with the communication of this request, she might get a skewed sample.
Still, it’s better than not having it.
Most importantly, we don’t have to wait for such a publication. We
can look around and find many beautiful things and wonderful people too.
We will also see horrible and horrifying things and despicable people
as well. We can play pick-and-choose as we do quite frequently. What we
pick can depend on what we have become and who we want to be.
There’s nothing to stop us from picking wisely, though. Nothing to
stop us from sharing our pick with Jeanne. It’s a little ‘something’ we
can do for the nation and more importantly, one another, at very little
cost.
Let’s try, shall we?
[email protected]
|