• TOPICS
KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 4
Human beings, by nature, are egoistic. It would be astonishing to encounter a person without flaws in this unjust world, that too in Kaliyug. And I don't think I will ever find an answer to this abstruse philosophical inquiry. To exist in this 'paranoid' world plagued by corruption, nepotism, barbarism, cronyism and cynicism, while also having a generous person by your side, is a huge blessing.
When the whole world was against me, Madan Bhattarai believed in me, no matter what.
His boundless love left a lasting impression on me, for I am now a completely different person.
Madan has an instinctual ability to observe an individual's behaviour.
The way he provided emotional support to me at my lowest times, when I was tormented by intrusive thoughts and mental anguish, is priceless.
"Look Karki! Never let your undying passion fade away," he kept reiterating.
Madan never made me feel that I was a worthless person. At a time when I was constantly scourged by self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness, he instilled in me a glimmer of hope viahis insightful therapeutic techniques, albeit he never graduated in Psychology.
Once, I told him, "I feel like retiring from my tedious journey of this topsy-turvy life."
Rather than invalidating my intense feelings, he questioned with a low-toned laugh and evergreen smile on his face, "So early?" I was in my mid-twenties back then. Upon listening to the heart-wrenching story of my broken family life, Madan opined, "You are an alluring lotus flower blooming in muddy water."
Madan unwittingly deployed the technique of client-centred therapy as he demonstrated an unconditional positive regard with no strings attached and provided an atmosphere of complete acceptance, empathy, and non-judgmental valuing.
This fostered my in-built organismic valuing process and self-actualising tendency, thereby enhancing my healthy psychological growth in the long run.
Having someone one can open up to without being judged is the rarest thing in the world. Needless to say, I can express myself naturally without any fear of being ridiculed when Madan accompanies me.
Apparently, he never seems tired of listening to all my nonsensical talks. He is more of a shrink than a mere friend of mine.
Prevalence of ingrained injustice against people from a Syangja background and Brahmin community still persists in the Nepali society. On the contrary to such preconceived notions and ideological rigidity, Madan is an affable person with a kind heart and pleasing personality.
I wonder if he even has any foe. If he has some haters on this planet, then I can rest assured that we, the people of this generation, definitely live in a dystopian society.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 5, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
