There are certain days in our calendars marked off for reflection and inner conditioning. There is a kind of feel to them, they have you joyful with whispers of kindness and wrap you in the fuzzy fragrance of compassion. Parsi New Year is one such day. Now whether you are a believer, non-believer, an atheist, or a devout follower, this is how I understand it – compassion is a quality of the soul. It is the same as talent – it is congenital and inherent. Our life is a series of events interlaced with love, likes, passion, hatred and infatuations and in one lifetime we experience these abundantly.

We live in a world divided between the have and have-nots. Where you stand depends partly on your merits and if you’re Parsi, then greatly on the entitlements you’ve been handed. Being born Parsi is pretty much like winning the jackpot in Vegas! The place you stay, perhaps your education, your medical needs etc., are all catered for by the largess of our generous forefathers. So how do these genes of compassion work? We’ve already established they are inherent, but like any talent that needs honing, it works on muscle memory. You have to work at it constantly.

From birth, you are taught to share a piece of candy with that irritating sister, your toys with your obnoxious playmates, your books with that goofy kid who keeps forgetting them. But somewhere along the way, the persistent droning of that beast of selfishness threatens to occupy pieces of our hearts. Soon, feelings like never wanting to share your Sali-Margi or caramel-custard take root. Allowing someone to drive your precious car or ride your bike is not even a topic for discussion!

As we age, perhaps questionably wiser, there is that severe and cautious gradation from the good to the needy selfishness of all humankind… the scented candle of compassion and kindness leaves behind scant whiffs occasionally, to soon vanish into the foul smell of greed and avarice.

This New Year, flavour your life with that kiss of compassion. And while you dig into your scrumptious feast, remember to infuse that feeling of satiation and sweetness on the roads you walk. Carry in your pockets that certificate of compassionate purity, remembering at all times, not all folk are created equal. Even as you flaunt the suave and the swag, many others could be tottering on uncertain grounds. While you have the trappings of wealth, there are others languishing in putrid poverty. The New Year is much about the wealth of heart and home. Be sure to enrich those or you may have no gladness in the world.

Compassion wears a crown – a crown of soft, gentle deeds that neither question nor reason. It forgives all – your age, failures, misdeeds and misfortunes. It’s much like the gentle snowflakes falling on the shoulders of men, soft and unnoticeable, but after a while of settling down, there’s no denying its abiding place.

In today’s world of unrest and divisiveness, let us adopt an actively practicing practice of compassion. Choose a way forward, with an active declaration of what you stand for and a visible testament to the world you want to live in. “To be deliberate, to be unifying, and to be active and regenerative in compassion is the Parsi way of life.” So share your Dhansak and those Farchas.

And this New Year while you sit on your antique, 100-year-old gilded chairs, surrounded by family, folks and friends, let a sort of unwonted peace hang over that gathering. A day solely dedicated to high-strung family drama, unfettered tempers, where arguments rain on petite ears and voices boom louder than canyon calls. It’s a day of fun and festivity only complete when some form of embarrassment or faux pas hangs heavily in the air… firmly instilling your faith that Parsis are by far the most eccentric but compassionate bunch of fellas – loud voices, tough demeanors and soft hearts do make you a different kind of adorable.

Compassion and empathy is not about the riches, nor the charity or donations. It’s the voice, the tone, the words and the way your talents, skills and gifts are used. It’s never about who you love, it’s about how you love. It’s about timing and opportunities not for you but for others and for the general good. It’s all about perfect harmony and ingenuous calmness while possessing the grace to forgive that wine spillage on that rather ancient and precious carpet. It’s about the complacent satisfaction and the comfort of rejoicing in tiny acts of kindness.

Don’t pack your stuff with things immaterial. Life weighs itself in those necessary moments of reflection. And each needs to be coloured in shades of compassion and kindness so that all humanity can sink in a deep frothy softness of love… real love that walks with a heart the size of a billboard pinned to your chest!