Victory of Innocence

By Sherry Raj. Sherry, 15, lives in Bokaro Steel City, India. Please read her article and leave your thoughts and comments below. *Runner-up for the NUHA Youth Blogging Prize 2017*

The statue of the charging bull has long been symbol of the confidence of investors in the stock market. In fact, we have seen it more as a symbol than as a work of art. With the recent addition of the “Fearless Girl”, who seems to be staring the bull down, however, there has been quite a controversy, and that changes the meaning of these statues altogether.

Together, they create a different story, a different scenario. What do we interpret from that? What if we approach what they, together, symbolize, from a different perspective?

The bull is aggressive and about to charge. This is quite similar to the modern day aggression of the leaders of different nations; and not only them, but also the belligerents of the Syrian Civil War, those who thoughtlessly bombed Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine, and, the most formidable of all- terrorist groups who are trying to take over everything. The fearless girl is only a child, yet, she faces the bull bravely, unafraid. Today, in this chaos created by politics, children suffer the most, yet we seldom see them giving up on the world. They feel hurt and lost, angry sometimes, but for them, blind aggression is never the key. Many an  incidence of a small child standing up to an adult’s wrongdoing has been talked of – Severn Suzuki moved everyone with her speech when she was twelve, Malala caused a stir by not giving up, even after the Taliban tried to kill her when she was fifteen. Of the refugees who died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, many were children.

There have been countless times when children have had to see war, something that not every adult can withstand, yet they have shown bravery with silence. It is they, who with their simplicity and love, faith and hope can defeat aggression. Children never need weapons to bring adults to their knees.

Anne Frank wrote a diary that contained the accounts of her family in hiding during the Holocaust, one of the most horrifying chapters in history. She died when she was only fifteen, in a concentration camp in Germany, and those who read her diary today, moved by her innocence, find their eyes welling with tears.

Of the children who became innocent victims of war, Sadako Sasaki’s one thousand origami cranes haunt even the hardest of hearts. She was only two when the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima by the U.S. Sadako developed leukaemia later. According to Japanese legend, if a person makes one thousand origami cranes, he will get a wish from the Gods and that is what Sadako did, hoping to recover. She was able to fold 644 cranes and died when she was only twelve.

Tanya Savicheva was the only member of her family left during the siege of Leningrad. She also kept a diary. Tanya wrote the most haunting lines after her mother’s death.
“The Savichevs are dead.
Everyone is dead.
Only Tanya is left. ”
Tanya died of intestinal tuberculosis after having been rescued.

If we have seen so many children die to our thoughtless hate for one another, just because we want to prove that our nation is stronger, or our religion is stronger, why don’t we stop? Why do we continue to fight, to hate? Children, as said by a famous poet, are “life’s longing for itself” and if we harm them, this is simply despicable.

Over time, we have become thoughtless, crazy in our greed for status, money and proving our superiority over others that we forget to see the world through the eyes of innocent children. They have faded into the background; they see, they learn, they face our irrational aggression like silent soldiers face war, like the sand faces the violent sea, like the Fearless Girl faces the Charging Bull. They know neither the boundaries of race nor religion, they do not hate; they know the language of love,  the only possible language that can calm the bull down and put off the raging fire of aggression. The Fearless Girl does not necessarily symbolize defiance, but rather love, which does not fear anyone, even if they are about to attack.  It is children who can bravely confront dangers and difficulties, be they in the form of aggression, violence, or a charging bull. Let us protect and love the children, our only hope to a strong and stable future. It is their innocence which will safeguard the world and give humanity a chance of existence.

49 comments on “Victory of Innocence

  1. ASHISH RAJ on

    Sherry, you write beyond your age! This is not only well written, but also well researched and very well structured. You draw upon diverse subjects – stock market, politics, the holocaust, civil war in cities far removed from India, history in Russia, Japan and Germany – a pointer to your intelligence and capacity for complex thought. This is a good read and I will wait for more 🙂

    Reply
    • bill aitken on

      Dear Sherry thank you for your profoundly moving words. Why when and wherefore we lose our innocence on growing up is another of life’s mysteries. At least the charging bull of finance is halted in his tracks by the determined stance of the girl. Mankind evolves slowly and the symbol of courageous love as you have discovered is the surest way forward. Love is the answer to all our questions.

      Reply
  2. Saumya on

    Anyone who reads this can see the admirable penmanship in the article. I am more impressed, however, by the sensitivity that the author of a mere 15 years of age displays. To be deeply aware of these problems, to attempt to understand such heavy, worldly affairs and to tackle these by studying how mens’ minds work – this is maturity and acuity of perception beyond the author’s tender age. Many promising writers can, well, write well, but only a few become exemplary – and that is often by dint of the sensitivity, the passion, the keenness they make flow into their writing ; Sherry, it seems to me, has those very qualities. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  3. Anastasia B on

    Hello Dear Sherry,

    Thank you for your interesting perspective on the current war consequences for normal people, kids.
    I think your paper shows very well the history of “being kid” in the last 100 years. Your connection of the picture to these terrible violence in the reality touches my heart directly on different levels: rational, emotional and artistic.

    Thank you for your interesting writing.

    Reply
  4. Sara on

    I really liked your articel.

    Its sad story. We cant really change the world. But its better to talk about it then to ignor it because its happening all around the world.

    But you had a good way to picture it. And i like your way of thinking. Its importanz that young people believe in change.

    Reply
  5. Maya sinha.Bokaro steel city. Jharkhand. on

    Love is the greatest weapon through which one can get victory over hatred,jealous, enimity and voilence. Malala and Mahatma Gandhi are the best examples of this.I really appreciate and admire you from my heart for your this high thoughts and deep interpretation
    at this early age.God bless you Sherry.

    Reply
  6. Narayan Prabhat Ranjan on

    Dear Sherry: Are you only 15?? My God, I was moved by your writing, your knowledge, interpretation of issues and most affected of them all – the children. Hopefully, we will learn, progress in our minds and do those things that will bring sanity in this chaotic world. Kudos!!

    Reply
  7. Mohan Jeswani on

    Dear sherry,

    No words left to say about ur thought.

    Simple n Superb. Well written article, keep writing regularly.

    God Bless u little girl.

    Reply
  8. Gopal Pathak on

    Sherry, I read your article not considering age of the person who is voicing her opinion. Truly well written. You have wonderfully articulated the relationship between Fearless Girl and thoughtless minds at play of the society at large. The way I interpret it, its a perpetual problem that continues to beseech us for a solution over years ad infinitum. Though well thought out which implores us to reconsider our evil minds, but nothing will change. Keep penning.

    Reply
  9. Dr Jeevan Shetty on

    This article with all the knowledge, research and words put together would put an adult to shame… You seem to have a lot to conquer, a lot to achieve… This i am sure is the tip of the iceberg. Here’s wishing you the best in the future.. Which i am sure is as bright as the sun. Keep marching forward.. You have it in you. All the best.

    Reply
  10. suraj kumar on

    Impressive Article, in this dramatic world some nations and few people are extremely greedy in nature,for them humanity comes nowhere.

    Reply
  11. Anand on

    Dear Sherry, your article not only depicts your incredibly matured and sensible thinking, but also it sheds light on the devastation caused by the greed and lust for power, acquired by the adults, which, unfortunately, is increasing with everyday. In fact, today when we are sitting on the junk of nukes, ready to destroy the world without any attention to the sufferings of children; your words are important now like never before. Let the world know what might happen if we keep on being guided by our mean interests, rather than enjoying the beautiful world with children laughing and playing everywhere. Let your voice be the voice of millions of children, impatiently waiting for peace and joy in their own streets. God bless you, honey.

    Reply
  12. Abhay sinha on

    Great Sherry!!! You have written something that’s well beyond your age. This makes us feel so proud of you. Hope you keep on developing and become extremely successful. Its a formidable piece with a higher than standard penmanship. We’ll wait for more👌👌👌🙂🙂. May God bless you.

    Reply

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