Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Out of the World- II

We are all living and striving for ourselves; The betterment of our lives in terms of monetary and physical comforts and then once achieving that; struggling for the betterment of our minds and finally our own souls. Its a long and arduous route; and by the end of it.. each one of us is so tired that we require and eternal rest in a grave or on a funeral pyre.
We never look at what it is to help another, to live for another, to strive and struggle for the betterment of another’s life. I too like most of you belong to this category of people (or personal behaviour) which looks only at our self as a source for comfort.
For many their satisfaction and comfort (physical or otherwise) comes from the feeling of helping another; making another feel or be better for their lives. This is not quite right…. I meant making another child feel or live better.
Children are truly out of this world. Their imagination and hearts are so huge. Their understanding of simple issues which us adults tend to ignore or look past is comprehensive. They are without guilt or shame. they can be taught anything and they can interpret what they have learnt with originality. This is why i adore kids, not the crying cribbing kinds; but rather the learning smiling and playful kinds.
Our HR class had an opportunity to visit various NGO’s thanks to our awesome social cell, composed of guys who are sincere and want to do something to help others and taking the right initiatives for such thankless goals too!
There are many many NGO’s in this country operating without name or recognition for improving the conditions of various sections of society without much funds from anyone. All they have at times is will and determination and hope of intangible rewards like a smile or love from the eyes of a doe-eyed child.
Life is holy and its perfection in action; its empathy and the feeling of elation of being able to connect to another life form as one. Without any distinction or ego hassles. Many people though don’t see this, and they run past in their attempts to just make it better for themselves.
Our group visited a little girl’s ngo in chattarpur area next to the temple. The village is like many others in Delhi; its unsanitary, filled with people without jobs and rampant with social evils like drinking; drugs and discrimination towards the girl child. There is poverty and social inequity and the root cause of this is lack of education.
The children whom we interacted with briefly over a 2 hour period were aged between 10-15. All of them went to school *thankfully!* and were very very smart from the first go! Many were outspoken and some preferred to be quiet; and all of us interacted whole heartedly to listen more than speak. For a child’s wisdom is something us adults have to learn from them! The girls understood why education and independence is important to their lives and what the consequence of not learning like other children could be. They also knew that rampant causes of poverty and abuse in villages like theirs was a consequence of the men getting violent or not going out to get work for their family. They also clearly knew how much a woman does (like their mothers) for a family and how under valued such a job is in the eyes of society.
We also held a little painting competition for them; and the group (consisting of some 20 odd girls) could create out of their imagination such artistic designs, that it left all of us dumbfounded in awe! Such celebration in the hearts and minds of those who are in youth, for verily youth and innocence are the only ways that this cruel heartless world could regain some of its pristine beauty.
I was particularly impressed with a child called lakshmi yars, who was I guess in 7-8th standard at this time. She had a deep thoughtful aura about herself, she was clearly responsible for more siblings in the house and perhaps had to do some house chores alongside her studies as well. She understood that guys dont work and spend most of their times in loafing about (something very abundant in indian villages and indian culture itself). But she accepted this and wanted to do something to make her family and her name better, What a selfless goal for a child. A child is one person who could be selfish- ask more for themselves and just themselves, and they would be right in getting it too, but these children living in villages wanted to do something good for their families, they wanted to study and earn a honest living so that they wouldn’t have to be in the position that they were currently in. This realization so crucial and critical for anyone wanting to change their lives- was so clearly present in these little kids (girls). I was in awe of god’s miracles in the form of the child. I truly was in silent celebration that i could find even now; in today’s world- people nay! children who were truly befitting the kingdom of heaven!
Yes the eyes and laughter of a child are something out of this world. they dont belong in the vile desecrated atmosphere which us adults make in this so called society, and children are not worthy of being in a world where love peace and chance for living in entirety are not possible.
I am amidst people who more often than not discuss their own personal gains at any and all costs. They want something for themselves not knowing what that something is, or at what costs it would becomes theirs. People who i interact with are prospective owners. They want to own something and everything which comes their way… But they could never own their own hearts and minds to liberate the same.
Children don't own or possess much, but they are in supreme control over their hearts. Their innocence ripples through to the most beaten bruised souls in this world. They remain the pillars of our society., In this place where evil and hatred pounces in every alleyway; every corner….. Children remind us of a better place; perhaps this better place is after all a place out of this wretched mean world!
Peace
(and the story unfolds further….)

No comments:

Ode to Humanity

I am not a big fan of human kind, the version of life that in today’s day seems to be only focused upon itself. The day’s pass and humans ...