Now it’s not every day the Man in the Moon starts peering down at Earth, right? But today, his missus, realized that hubby was spending a little too much time staring down below, “Another Miss World pageant going on husband?” she asked, “That’s one time you are glued to your Earth watching!”
“No!” said the Man in the Moon, not addressing his wife’s jibe, “It’s Aug 15th!”
“Yeah, I know, so what?” asked his wife.
“It’s the day India celebrates her independence, and normally, there’s so much noise and fanfare, it disturbs my sleep, but today it’s unusually silent down there!”
“It’s that virus!” said his wife, “So it’s a quiet celebration!”
“Does quiet mean fear?” asked her husband, looking at her philosophically, “Are they being quiet because they are afraid of the virus lurking outside, or is it a meditative quietness?”
His missus, who knew her husband’s deep wisdom, quietly sidled up to his side, “Whatcha thinking dear husband?”
“That today could be a real Independence Day for them! Real freedom, could come from the quietness of their minds!”
“Freedom through quietness?” asked the wife puzzled.
“From the quietness of meditation and reflection can come true freedom!” said the Moon man.
His wife nuzzled closer as he continued, “And if they find that such a freedom does not exist, they in their stillness can resolve to see this freedom comes to being in their country, so that in 2021, when the pageants and floats move down Delhi again, they will be floats which came out of a quiet today!”
“And what floats would that be husband?”
“A float of Tolerance between religious communities, between castes, and between those of different states. A Float which will have all of them, standing, hugging each other, with no social distancing maintained! Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and others! Hindi speaking, Konkani speaking, and languages from the North East, all being spoken in joy and brotherhood, springing from that float!”
“I hope that, such a freedom, springs out of quiet today,” whispered his wife.
“Also, the freedom of Voice!” said the Man in the Moon, “That they will celebrate the fact, that every voice in their country, rich or poor, of whatever caste, community or creed, will be equal!”
“How beautiful!” whispered his wife, “So that next year, a float rolls past, with the Voices of the Voiceless being heard! What a joyful sound that will be!”
“There are more,” said the Man in the Moon staring at Earth, “But this year, in their meditative quietness if they can reflect on these two freedoms, then instead of fear will spring a vibrant and free country!”
“Freedom of Voice and Tolerance!” whispered his missus, “What a freedom dear India to meditate on this quiet Independence Day..!

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