Patriotism beyond Politics and Religion by APJ Abdul Kalam
Patriotism Beyond Politics and Religion "I do not care for liberation, I would rather go to a hundred thousand hells, ‘doing good to others (silently) like the spring’, this is my religion." Swami Vivekananda Walking has been an essential part of my life. Wherever I go I make it a point to walk five kilometres in the morning. I am particularly attached to seeing the beauty of the sunrise, the light that precedes its arrival and my ears are tuned to the songs that birds sing to welcome the dawning of a new day on this planet. Each time I experience these phenomena–the cool breeze, the singing of the birds and the arrival of the sun–I am filled with awe at how nature brings together all the elements that go into making this moment possible and feel thankful to God. I have been fortunate in that my work has taken me to very many beautiful places that opened up my mind to the cosmic reality. One such was Chandipur in Orissa. From Kolkata, the distance to Balasore is around 234 k...