This week, I was voted the 'Best Speaker' at my local Toastmasters meeting. I attempted an organized speech, with an introduction, a body (with 3 main points), and a conclusion, from chapter 2 of the Competent Communication manual.
I believe my audience was listening as some were taking notes. From the little chits that were passed over to me, when I had concluded, I felt very much appreciated and encouraged. Thank you, fellow Toastmasters, for your guidance, mentorship, for listening, and for your affirmation! Without further ado, here is my speech:
The
Quality of Mercy
You all have heard of
Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, who lived 500 years ago and who has enriched our
lives with his plays and poems. He wrote a play called ‘The Merchant of Venice’
in 1598. This play contains one of the most well-known of Shakespeare’s persuasive
speeches – ‘The Quality of Mercy’, made by the leading lady Portia.
This speech is
addressed by Portia to the court in general, and to Shylock, the villainous usurer,
in particular. It is an appeal to the moral conscience of Shylock, to
spare Antonio’s life. Antonio has stood guarantee for a defaulted loan and now
risks losing, literally, a pound of flesh as punishment for the same. As we
know, losing a pound of flesh would lead to certain death by bleeding. Hence,
Portia’s appeal to Shylock’s compassion.
What is this ‘The Quality of
Mercy’? I quote a few lines to capture its essential meaning:
“The quality of mercy…
…droppeth as the gentle rain
from heaven
…it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives
and him that takes:…
It is enthroned in the
hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God
himself;
…When mercy seasons
justice.”
Throughout his plays,
Shakespeare presented the qualities of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness as
the highest possible values that could be upheld by the powerful and the rich…be
it the power of a Governor over his subjects, the power of a professor over his
students, the power of a parent over his or her child, or even the power of a
husband or wife over his/ her spouse. The most obvious reason why is because
the wealthy and the strong could crush those beneath them with a few words and
deeds. Therefore, it is imperative that they practice compassion and
forgiveness, that they season their justice with mercy.
For instance, a parent
who repeatedly harshly disciplines his child in public will produce an adult
who is afraid to stand up for himself. A parent who over-reacts harshly to his
child’s inappropriate behavior will produce an adult who lies often and does
not confide in the parent. A parent who keeps lecturing and crushing his
child’s spirit will produce an adult who has poor self-esteem. Forgiveness
makes us human. As long as there are relationships, there will be a need for forgiveness.
But here’s a thought – those
who are materially prosperous and those in positions of control are not the
only ones who are wealthy and powerful. Shakespeare points out that those who
absorb and develop these qualities of mercy, compassion and forgiveness gain
power through the exercise of these qualities. Such people are rich in moral
wealth. They are evolved human beings whose wealth cannot be measured in terms
of dollar value. They may be materially poor or they may not occupy any high social
position, but they are wealthy in terms of their moral compass and dignity.
They are values-driven leaders who understand that any rule is to be applied in
spirit and not in the letter.
To explain, a kind and forgiving person may be
laughed at for having been taken in time and again. However, one can see it
this way – a kind and forgiving person is not a fool. He is just lucky to be
blessed with a beautiful heart that not many have. Zen, yoga, motivational
teachers, and psychologists have for years encouraged us to shed the baggage of
anger and hurt. If one were to carry a glass of water for 1 minute, it would be
easy. Try carrying that same 8 oz. glass of water for 1 hour and watch how your
arm would hurt! By carrying around our zealousness, self-righteousness, and
grudges for years, we are hurting only ourselves. Sometimes, these negative
feelings have resulted in diseases of the mind and body – such as schizophrenia
or cancer. Forgiveness is a great release. Forgiveness sets you free.
Lastly, I wish to point out
another angle to this cycle of forgiveness – namely, the roles of the giver and
the receiver. In other words, the person who shows mercy and forgiveness and also
the person who receives it. It could very well be that although a person is ready
to forgive, the receiver may not be prepared to accept this mercy. For
instance, in a divorce, an abusive spouse may not be willing to be forgiven,
seeing this act of forgiveness as an accusation instead. A perpetrator of
violence may scoff at the forgiveness offered by his victim, seeing it as an
insult or as an affront that challenges his rightful aggression.
“The Quality
of Mercy” speech describes how one prays for divine mercy and also how one dispenses
it. The act of mercy, therefore, demands that both the giver and the receiver
evolve and be humble enough to give and to receive the same. What does one do
when the receiver does not acknowledge one’s forgiveness – perhaps to cover up
his or her wrongdoing through denial? Does it mean that the act of forgiveness
cannot be complete? In that case, one must forgive oneself for holding on to
the hurt for so long, and for having been vulnerable. Then, one must move on. They
don’t call it ‘water under the bridge’ for nothing. Forgive (don’t forget), and
make a fresh start. For yourself.
In conclusion, one might say
that the qualities of mercy and forgiveness are indicative of an enlightened
and cultured society. Note, I did not say a ‘materially rich’ or
‘technologically advanced’ society. I also didn’t refer to an instant and
forced forgiveness. I meant – a society that thinks before it acts and that
values integrity.
To forgive is to be human. The act of forgiveness and
compassion is a great equalizer. It reminds us of our shared humanity – that we
all are not perfect, that we all are capable of slipping up – both the giver
and the receiver...for one day, the roles might be interchanged.
History is not
destiny. We always have the choice to embrace a positive and constructive
future. Choose the quality of mercy.
