The meaning of the word is strong. But what does it mean to be equal to someone? It just means being the same in value and status. These thoughts were triggered with a simple message forwarded to me about Sudha Murthy, whom I consider a woman of humility. She was questioned about equality by her son around why the househelp never sit with them at the table for any meal and she made that change at home. This was an eye opener to me in so many ways and I thought writing about this made a lot of sense. Sometimes I wonder when we talk of equality, are we practising all that we preach?

Do we really treat everyone equally? Do we secretly look down upon people because we are of a better status, are in a better shape, have better looks defined by certain impossible standards, or just feel higher than someone else?

One might say that the only thing that matters are actions, whereas thoughts that remain within the comfort of one’s mind should not really make a difference…Do I agree? No, not at all! Actions are mere thoughts that get transferred from the mind to the body. All of us are guilty of feeling higher than another person at one point at least in our life.

How many of us can go and hug someone whom we do not consider our equal in “terms defined by us and the roots we come from?” How many of us can wholeheartedly say that all of us are truly equal and practice that day in and day out in our life? We need to prepare the soil that holds the seed of equality in our minds to ensure our actions are reflections of just that.

Equality is not just the battle of sexes or sexualities like most of the modern societies stress upon, it is primarily the war of pride in one’s mind that needs to be dealt with every minute… it is the war that needs to be won with ourselves first. All of us fall, all of us falter, but there is always a start to a great change and that start – as cliche as it sounds – begins in our mind.

Equality can truly be achieved when our thoughts match our every action whether we are watched or not. All of us are equals and no one can boast to be greater than another just by mere societal standards. After all we bring nothing when we come into the world and take nothing when we leave it.

By Samantha Hawkes

Samantha is an amateur writer and she has been writing for a couple of years. She believes simplicity would reach farther more than complexity. She loves to meet new people, read and write all about her life experiences.