1
Khrietuonyü Noudi
A dynamite is an explosive but what makes a dynamite different from other explosives is that it always comes in small packages. In other words, dynamites are very small in size and can be easily wrapped and hidden. But though small in size, when a dynamite explodes it shakes the whole ground and can break even massive structures into tiny particles. Dynamites are used to break natural structures like huge rocks and rocky mountains. Dynamites were also extensively used in places like America and Europe in the 19th century to cut rail road tunnels through hills and mountains. In the heyday of the cowboys in the Wild West also, dynamites were very popular and were extensively used specially by robbers and looters to explode rail tracks and bank lockers because dynamites were small, light and easy to carry and hide but very powerful and effective in desecrating even concrete and metal structures. So that is the most outstanding quality of dynamites – it is small and light but very powerful and dangerous.
So I guess dynamites do not agree with the notion ‘size does matter’. Size may count and matter up to a certain extent but size is not everything. This is so because if size is everything, the elephant would have been the king of the jungle. Huge physical size may look impressive and intimidating but there are many other criterions that play parts in ensuring whether a person would be successful or not. So no matter what our physical size is, it should be the endeavor of all to be like dynamites – small but powerful and impressive.
In the Oxford dictionary, two meanings of the word ‘dynamite’ are found. First, a dynamite is an explosive. And second, a very impressive thing or person can also be called a dynamite. So I guess to be a dynamite in our own field should be the goal of every individual especially those who are small in stature or physical size.
We Nagas belong to the Mongoloid race and we as a people are generally small in physical stature when compared to people belonging to other races. Some of us even say that Nagas can never compete with others in sports and games because we are very small in physical stature. This may be true to some extent. But still then, some of the most impressive and talented sportspersons in the world have been short and diminutive people. Here I don’t need to mention names because their names are so famous, well-known and familiar to young and old alike.
I guess the standard height of a Naga man would be around 5 feet 6 -7 inches while that of a Naga woman would be around 5 feet 2-4 inches. These are good heights as far as we know and as long as we are in Nagaland. But when compared to someone from Europe, America, Africa or even mainland India, we would see that our height and stature are very diminutive. And therefore the idea that we are somewhat inferior or that we can never physically compete with others in sports can easily creep into our minds.
I guess our genes and heredity have a big role to play in determining how big or how high we would be. And so there is nothing much we can do as far as our physical size, height or stature is concerned because it has been passed down to us through heredity and genes. But when it comes to our attitude and approach towards others, it is a must that we should not let our physical stature limit our mindset, physical capabilities and potential in any way. Others may be big and huge but size is not everything. We may look unimpressive, unappealing and unworthy to others because of our small diminutive statures but let us remember that dynamites always come in small packages and when a dynamite explodes it shakes the whole ground and everything is turned upside down.
When the Israelites reached the fringes of the Promised Land, there was only one more city standing between them and their destination. It was the city of Jericho. It is said that the city of Jericho had such a huge and thick wall that even chariots could ride on top of the Jericho wall. Moses sent out Joshua, Caleb and some other men to spy out the land. When the men returned after spying the land of Jericho, they had two reports. The other men said that the people of Jericho were so huge and big that there was no chance that the Israelites could defeat them. They even said that they looked like grasshoppers in front of the people of Jericho and that there was no point in even attacking the city. They also reported that the fruits in the land were so big and huge that it needed two men to even carry a bunch of grapes. But Joshua and Caleb had another report. They did not deny that the people there were big and that it needed two men to carry the grapes there. But Joshua and Caleb were not frightened and discouraged because they knew that God was on their side and so they said “let us go in at once and take the land”. So it is all in our attitude. Others may be big and impressive but that does not mean that God has deserted or forsaken the physically unimpressive ones. If we maintain the right attitude, it will be the Lord Himself who will fight our battles for us.
When the prophet Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint the next king of Israel, he also said that God does not look at the outside appearance but at the heart of a person. So what does this tell us? It means that what are inside are much more important than what are visible outside. This is why even though someone may look impressive outside, if he has a filthy attitude and does not have a heart that honors God and others, ultimately no one will be impressed.
I don’t deny the truth that physical size does play a big role in many things especially in some sports and games. For example, in basketball, having a good physical height is a great advantage and probably this is the reason why we don’t see people with short height playing basketball. But there are also other criterions like talent, hard-work, the right training, the right strategy, the right attitude and the fighting spirit in us. And therefore if the Nagas today do not seem to be doing well enough in certain fields especially in the field of games and sports, the reasons could be many and not just our physical structure. Maybe we don’t have the talent, maybe we don’t have the passion and commitment, maybe we don’t have the needed training and infrastructural facilities or maybe we are not following the right strategy and method. The reasons could be any one or more of these.
When it comes to matters like marriage also, outward appearance does play a role because nobody wants to marry someone who is not impressive outwardly. But all that we see outside is temporary and all that are inside of a person are more permanent and long-lasting. Beauty fades but it is our attitude that will endure and appeal to others.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “shake the world in a gentle way”. So the bottom-line is that we don’t need to be physically big, huge and tall to shake the world. We may be small in stature but we can be like dynamites that when we explode it shakes the whole ground around us. If we believe that we are also created in the image of God, if we believe that we as a people has a destiny to fulfill, if we believe that we are here for a specific purpose to influence and enrich the world, then we can become like dynamites in any field we may pursue and leave the world more enriched and enlightened in our own way…
