Ganesha

Remover of Obstacles

There were idols near our alley way the other day. Someone didn’t need them anymore like they didn’t need an old pair of boots.

Ganesha, remover of obstacles, was particularly hard not to pick up. God knows I could use some help in the obstacles department, how I often crave a smooth road.

But I’m learning now that navigating obstacles is how we build our muscle, grow our resilience, gather our grit

and how removing obstacles, especially for our children, doesn’t do them any favours.

Our kids need the obstacles in order to learn they can hurdle over them, find their way around, smash them to pieces. They don’t need Ganesha for that

and they certainly don’t need their parents to pave the road.

I’m not sure about the other goddess. The one with eight arms, wielding weapons and riding a tiger. She looks pretty fierce. Pretty useful.

O to have eight arms in this day and age. Think about the multitasking we could do, all while looking so serene!

I once knew the name of such goddesses when I was in college searching for answers. I once travelled to India and waited five + hours in the hot sun to get a glimpse of Shiva, the destroyer.

When it was finally my turn to to peek inside her elaborate alter I was disappointed. I wish I remembered more about what I saw. I just remember feeling let down, like all that waiting wasn’t worth it.

Why stand in line, shave your head (as many of the pilgrims do) to worship a god who destroys? Fairly soon after I arrived at my own conclusion, which is that life can be relentless, with its endless cycles of building things up and breaking things down…

We pray to Shiva to ask for mercy, for a pause in the weather, for a break in the clouds, for the sun to come out

and then, when it finally does, to give thanks.