We have been facing a cockroach menace recently in our house and you will soon find out that it’s a menace in many ways.
To begin with these are not your typical large sized cockroaches. That was the only kind of cockroach I ever knew before I discovered this new species in my house, these seem to be some new genetically mutated breed! They are much smaller in size and come in 3 different sizes, small, smaller and smallest with the smallest being the size of an ant and the largest being double the size of a mosquito! But anyways that’s just beside the point; I don’t intend to discuss the entomology of cockroaches here.
What I do want to place before you is the dilemma in my mind that happens when I see a cockroach in the kitchen. The big question is, whether to kill or not?
In this regard my wife has a simple theory that cockroaches don’t deserve to exist, at least not in kitchens because they are ……., actually there is no ‘because.…’ for her. It’s just a matter of fact, like when you wake up in the morning, you brush; when you are hungry, you eat; when you see a cockroach, you kill!! Thus she effortlessly and with great élan swats them without blinking an eye lid.
For me killing a cockroach is a matter of great dilemma and turmoil. Not because of virtuousness for anything but it’s more to do with the fact that I see them in a very animated way. Perhaps it’s my love for animated cartoon characters which is at the heart of this dilemma. Think about it, can you ever harm let alone kill Jerry the mouse or Nemo the fish? It’s impossible.
So when I see a cockroach I start to wonder. What if this guy is going for walk to become healthy? What if he is packing some nice fresh food for his family? What if it’s a lady cockroach, wouldn’t I be a coward to kill an unarmed lady? etc etc. All these thoughts cross my mind and more often than not the cockroaches get away from me before I can make a decision. But sometimes when I am in that ‘cockroaches have to be killed as a matter of fact’ mood I just swat them away. But I must confess that I go through pangs of guilt and pain when I see them dead. It just doesn’t ‘feel’ the right thing to do.
I am curious to know how you handle this cockroach situation if you happen to face it. I told you earlier, cockroaches are a menace in more than one way.
To begin with these are not your typical large sized cockroaches. That was the only kind of cockroach I ever knew before I discovered this new species in my house, these seem to be some new genetically mutated breed! They are much smaller in size and come in 3 different sizes, small, smaller and smallest with the smallest being the size of an ant and the largest being double the size of a mosquito! But anyways that’s just beside the point; I don’t intend to discuss the entomology of cockroaches here.
What I do want to place before you is the dilemma in my mind that happens when I see a cockroach in the kitchen. The big question is, whether to kill or not?
In this regard my wife has a simple theory that cockroaches don’t deserve to exist, at least not in kitchens because they are ……., actually there is no ‘because.…’ for her. It’s just a matter of fact, like when you wake up in the morning, you brush; when you are hungry, you eat; when you see a cockroach, you kill!! Thus she effortlessly and with great élan swats them without blinking an eye lid.
For me killing a cockroach is a matter of great dilemma and turmoil. Not because of virtuousness for anything but it’s more to do with the fact that I see them in a very animated way. Perhaps it’s my love for animated cartoon characters which is at the heart of this dilemma. Think about it, can you ever harm let alone kill Jerry the mouse or Nemo the fish? It’s impossible.
So when I see a cockroach I start to wonder. What if this guy is going for walk to become healthy? What if he is packing some nice fresh food for his family? What if it’s a lady cockroach, wouldn’t I be a coward to kill an unarmed lady? etc etc. All these thoughts cross my mind and more often than not the cockroaches get away from me before I can make a decision. But sometimes when I am in that ‘cockroaches have to be killed as a matter of fact’ mood I just swat them away. But I must confess that I go through pangs of guilt and pain when I see them dead. It just doesn’t ‘feel’ the right thing to do.
I am curious to know how you handle this cockroach situation if you happen to face it. I told you earlier, cockroaches are a menace in more than one way.
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try to find the arrival zones of the cockroaches and block them in the night.... like the kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks etc....probably will help
ReplyDeleteNo, that wouldn't work, because he would then feel guilty for making them deprived of their right to enter his house.
ReplyDelete~rd
ha ha ha...... according to Babuji, its not our actions but our judgement of our actions that create impressions...... somewhere we have to draw a line....
ReplyDeletewhat a compassionate heart u have my dear. Once Swami vivekananda was in ashram with Sri ramakrishna. Lot of mosquitoes giving him trouble He was wondering what to do? as he was disturbed in his sleep very much. Whether to kill the mosqitoes or not? slowly He peeped in His masters room. ALas! Sri ramakrishna was sitting and doing pat pat pat killing the mosqitoes with his hand. He got the answer May be u too.
ReplyDeletebrother, i too have felt the same. not just reg. cockroaches. it is a dilemma indeed.
ReplyDeleteyes many great seers have shown by words and examples what is to be done in such cases.
but individually we are responsible for our actions. also we choose our life, that is before we are born in this glorious earth. and i think when i swat the cockroach, here get on with this life and pray for its soul!
when saint anthony was walking with a new aspirant they happened to come across a beggar inflicted with all possible diseases. the saint to create an impression on the aspirant tells him " but for the grace of the lord, there goes saint anthony". and the aspirant comments that but for the grace of the lord here is a beggar(don't remember the exact words). and this makes the saint ashamed and embarrassed.
i always think if i had been the cockroach would i like being swatted too! but the kitchens have to be clean and so also our houses and places we frequent.