Filter Coffee #075

On Diamonds In The Rough

Dear Readers,

I counted my blessings after seeing the number of people who viewed FC #74. Receiving 1295 views was indeed exhilarating. Thank you, readers, I am grateful for your continued support.

I also received very interesting and thought-provoking comments from some readers.

• P A Verghese said, “‘Thanks' is many times used quite flippantly, as more of an expression of good behaviour and culture, rather than an outpouring from the heart. But still, the mere word `thanks', when expressed sincerely, does wonders to the giver and the receiver.”

• Michelle’s comments were very poignant. She said, “We have come across many angels in the course of our lives. Some have influenced us to change the course of our lives for the better but when a total stranger, who has nothing to gain from you, does that it is etched in our hearts forever.”

• Preeta Arun said, “‘Thank you’ has become so automatic that we forget to experience gratitude. Gratitude that a prayer was answered, gratitude that your loved ones are safe, gratitude that you have food on the table, gratitude when complicated issues magically sort themselves out. Gratitude can be expressed by animals as well. My dogs occasionally do come and rest their heads against me or shake a paw or give a small lick on your hand after a walk or a treat.”

• George Easo Mathew sent this verse: 
  
  When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, 
  When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, 
  Count your many blessings, name them one by one, 
  And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Dear Readers, this being FC #75, one could call it a 💎 Diamond Jubilee edition. I still cannot believe how I started FC and that it has gotten to this stage. I contemplated discontinuing after this edition but my family was united in urging me to continue and they said ‘get to FC #100 and then we will see’. So, here I am writing a post that hopes to celebrate the jubilee. 

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💎 Diamond in The Rough

The 2019 movie ‘Diamond in the Rough’ is about Michelle, a young teen in Colorado, who loses her faith amidst extreme hardships and brief homelessness. She has a mother who has been battling drug and alcohol addiction since Michelle was little, and a war veteran father battling extreme post-traumatic stress disorder. But with a grandmother strong in her faith and new friendships at school that break down walls, Michelle begins to realize that sometimes hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. 

Diamond in the Rough is also a song from Disney's Broadway musical version of Aladdin. I urge you to appreciate the extensive use of this idiom in Aladdin by using this link.

The idiom is based on the fact that when a diamond is rough, you cannot see its true beauty. This idiom appeared as early as 1788, in John O’Keefe’s play The Highland Reel, as “rough diamond”. It is said in a dialogue between a character called Captain and McGil, an eloquent but little known speaker, in a remote place:

Capt.: Such talents as yours, here in an obscure corner of the world! Such powers of eloquence! Why, man, you’re a diamond in a quarry.”

McGil: I am a rough diamond…

Capt: I’ll dig you out to shine in London, in the Parliament.

The idiom applies not just to a person whose talent or other good qualities are hidden but also to someone who is very kind and generous but is unassuming. Or, to something (like an antique) that is in poor condition that is likely to become valuable with appropriate care or attention. We can also relate this idiom to someone whose bark is worse than their bite. 

There are people who are not good at demonstrating their love and affection even if they are very fond of a person. They can be mistaken as reserved or grumpy. But, they are the ones who care for you and stand by you in times of need and acknowledge thanks with a grunt. I knew of a father of two sons who untiringly pushed his sons to do better but never had a word of appreciation when they did well. He was undemonstrative but provided for them well and even let them go to a movie as a reward if that request was routed through the proper channel — the mother!

Some people are very frank and outspoken but completely harmless. In fact, I would consider them a safer bet than someone who says nice things to your face without conviction. My own brother-in-law, who passed away some years ago, was such a person. I would feel very safe talking to him and getting his unqualified views on various matters though at times I thought he could have put it differently and not so bluntly. He cared for me a lot when I was struggling and would change the topic if I tried to thank him. People who misunderstood him would later realise that his intentions were noble and that he was a well-meaning man who had no personal prejudices. A diamond in the rough indeed.

The idiom can also be used to describe a person who is kinder and more pleasant than they seem to be from their appearance and manner. A self-effacing person is too a kind of diamond in the rough whose accomplishments remain unannounced unless someone takes pride in sharing those achievements. 

Thalaiva Rajnikant, who was a bus conductor, is a shining example of a diamond in the rough, becoming a crown jewel for Tamil cinema.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui exemplifies how a diamond in the rough can be made to shine through. He studied under a lamp, became a graduate, worked in a chemist's shop, pursued his passion for acting and is now an actor in his own right. 

The doyen of the cricket world, M S Dhoni was a ticket collector in the Railways. His story is truly one of tickets to wickets and Ranchi to riches.

There are many international celebrities of today who were diamonds in the rough and who shone through. Please see them in this link here.

There are many Indians too, like the founder of Infosys N R Narayan Murthy and the late APJ Abdul Kalam, who scripted history by their unwavering commitment to their vision and mission. My readers may know of many other people. I am happy to hear from them.

Before I sign off, let me also characterise people who are meek and humble as a species of a diamond in the rough. We tend to get impressed by people who appear charismatic and who have commanding personalities. But we often see leaders who are humble. Humility is not a sign of weakness or being subservient or being an introvert. They are in reality leaders who let others speak, encourage differences of opinions and harness the best ideas whether they have come from a top manager or from the guys on the shop floor. When things go wrong, humility dominates and the leader would say “the buck stops here” and when things go right, the humble leader will shy away from taking credit and let the team get the accolades. 

I shall end this with Kabir’s doha:

Heera Padatha Bazar Mein
Raha Chhar Lapatay
Ketihe murakh pachi muye
Koi parakhliya aur uthaye

Translation: A diamond was lying in the street covered with dirt. Many fools passed by. Someone wise who knew diamonds picked it up.

Dear Readers, you are my club, you call spade a spade but you have a big heart, so please give this diamond a good deal. Cheers!