M K Gandhi (assassinated by a Hindu nationalist, and often called 'the father of the nation') is, for me, the exemplar of the idea that you can be a great family person, or you can be a hero, but you cannot be both.

From what I remember, both his sons were alcoholics, a condition attributed partly to the lack of parental care and partly to the pressure of achievement placed upon them. Which does not mean to say I think either: that Gandhi was an evil person, or that what he did was not worthwhile; but that, in order to achieve any sort of greatness for humanity, one must most likely have to pay a bitter personal cost.

In any case, my favourite line from Richard Attenborough's film was from Gandhi himself:

"An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind."

So much for retribution.

cheer

the sunshine warrior