Review of Personal Narrative - Essay Example

Review of Personal Narrative Words: 1130 (4 pages) I. Introduction Wherever I go, whatever I do—I will always be different. Historically, politically, and economically, my people—Sikhs—will always face issues about assimilation and stereotypes, just as they always have. However, I resolve to keep my faith as well as shatter peoples’ assumptions about me by simply being who I am. II. The Historical Element “There are about 25 million Sikhs living around the world. Sikhs live in almost every major country. About half a million Sikhs live in the United States.”1 Historically, the Sikh people came from the Punjab region of Pakistan. After the partition of India in 1947, many Sikhs came to reside in the Punjab state of India—where about 75% of the world’s Sikhs live today. In a historical sense, Sikhs have always been pressured to assimilate into the culture of the place in which they live—primarily because they look a bit differently. One custom of Sikhism is to wear a turban—which I do—but both men and women may wear turbans. Wearing a turban is considered a way to keep oneself pure and unsullied for the world. Moreover, it is a holy practice to keep one’s head covered. Sikh men are also technically not supposed to cut their hair, and generally they wear beards. Some of these descriptions are true to a certain extent. However, they also have a potential to be stereotypes because, not everyone has historically necessarily worn a turban, said the daily prayers which last about two hours, or grown beards (for men). In that sense, Sikhism cannot be merely defined by the practice of what you do—but rather, who you are and what you stand for and believe in. III. The Political Element Politically, Sikhs fought for their independence in India many years ago when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. There have always been political clashes in Sikhism, sometimes because people from other faiths choose the side of violence. However, the stereotype that a person’s faith is not significant—just because a person is from a faith with less believers than other world religions—is wrong. Sikhism actually happens to be the world’s fifth largest religion, and it is continually growing every day. From a personal standpoint, I know that many Sikhs feel like they have been marginalised by other groups, sometimes wanting Sikhs to assimilate. However, it is possible to keep one’s faith and still live in the world—even knowing that you are different from a majority of the people on the planet in terms of what one believes. IV. The Economical Element Economically, Sikhs are just like everyone else in many respects—which is something that outsiders have a hard time believing because they think Sikhs are different in more ways than just our religion. This is also a stereotype. Sikhs are normal people, just like everyone else—they want the opportunity to experience democracy, live in a free society with upward mobility, and have their families well-provided for so they can enjoy life. Thus, like most people, Sikhs just want the same kinds of experiences that many other people do who are not Sikh. Sometimes, because my socioeconomic status might not necessarily be defined as “rich,” people can look down on you—but many times you just have to ignore the stares that you get from police officers or other people in positions of authority and try to not let it bother you. Obviously, it is not because I am doing anything wrong that people stare—it is just because perhaps they have never seen a Sikh person before, since our religion has only a minority of followers compared to other world religions. However, that does not diminish the richness and beauty of my faith at all. I see my faith as a strength and not a weakness, and hopefully others will too. Instead of trying to get me to assimilate completely, people who want to get to know me should just reach out to me like anyone else they would in normal, polite conversation. In that regard, I am like many other people—people who believe in peace and justice—which is not only the foundation of Sikhism itself but also of many other world religions in general. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism—for example—all maintain teachings that promote peace and justice in the world, and that is something that Sikhs definitely have in common with people from other faiths. We too, just like anyone else, want to be respected and acknowledged that our religious practices are valid and meaningful to us—even if outsiders may not understand all the nuances of our religion. That is not necessary, but to the informed outsider, it is common courtesy to appreciate people from all faith backgrounds—regardless of whether or not they understand only a little or are experts in Sikhism. Respect is a very basic attribute that can be bestowed upon everyone—from young children to adults. Thus, it is that sense of respect that I seek to cultivate within my circle of family and friends who have very strong beliefs about the ability to be oneself—and not to be influenced too much by assimilation or the stereotypes that other people may hold against me. V. Conclusion Sometimes, being the “lone wolf”—or the “outsider”—in a crowd is very difficult. Whether it be because I wear a turban or if I have my beard visible to the public, people are always going to make assumptions about my faith—perhaps judging me because I am not like them because I haven’t assimilated or make stereotypical judgments based on my looks, shallow as that may be. For the most part, Sikhs are a peace-loving people who maintain their religious beliefs like any other faith tradition. We may be considered a bit unorthodox because of the fact that our personal styles vary—but inside the heart of every Sikh there is a genuinely caring warmth. Sikhism teaches us to be mindful, to be kind, to be respectful, and a whole host of other values that directly relate to our faith—making it a relevant religious tradition that affects not just only ourselves but society at large. Sikhs are very approachable people who may have a different take on life than others, but we have a lot more in common. However—historically, politically, and economically, Sikhs like myself have been intricately involved in our faith which challenges notions of assimilation and stereotypes. It is hoped that, leading by example, I can help others to realize the beauty and the richness of my faith as a guidepost for promoting peace and justice wherever I go, whatever I do, and whomever it is I meet in this journey called life. WORKS CITED Khalsa, Sukhmandir. What Do Sikhs Believe? [Online]. Accessed 13 May 2011 from . Read More