THE FUTURE IS IN SAFE HANDS

This is a story which made me think.

Some friends of mine and I go to a school to teach each saturday for one hour. We do not teach the children any academic curriculum but the main aim is to get them acquainted with the rest of the world which doesnt even exist for them. Some may call it 'social work', I think it is nothing but mental satisfaction.

Nothing is more satisfactory than seeing their amazed eyes and hearing their 'oohs' and 'aahs' when they see a picture of the Pyramid of Giza or a video of the Great Wall of China.

After the hour we meet and discuss what we have taken and take tips about what else we can teach the children.

At one such meeting a trustee sir came to meet us later. He was in his late sixtees. It was something which he said that remained in my mind long after we had dispersed from there.

He said that we are doing a great job. Finding time from our already busy schedules and coming there to teach the future generation was commendable on our part. We have taken a good initiative and we we should continue doing so.

'Looking at the present generation, I was always afraid' he said. 'What will happen to the country after us. Seeing the present IT boom, people not getting time for even their spouses, I would seriously wonder what would happen to this country with the rich-poor gap widening, But looking at you, seeing the efforts you are putting in selflessly, I can definitely say that the country's future is in good hands'.

This sentence had an astounding effect on us. Somebody trusting us with the country's future? Had we really done anything at all?

But come to think of it, this generation is really conscious of what is going on in the country and what the country needs. There are so many people working for the betterment of the country in different sectors. People help NGOs to form self-help groups for women, go to teach children in slums, try to keep the environment clean by actually, manually cleaning dustbins,rivers etc.

Agreed the pollution has increased, the rivers have become more polluted, natural resources are slowly depleting, but todays generation is taking steps to rectify the problems faced. Maybe the steps taken are small but going in the right direction.

Todays generation is not just going to the pubs, drinking and smoking. Its also helping to make the country grow.

After all this whenever i see my younger sister going to MACD in 9th and 10th std when we didnt even know what it was at the same age, carrying mobile phones in school, having treats and parties, I keep my mouth shut and dont say anything. After all I am sure that they will also be responsible like the present generation and I am sure I will also say... The future is in safe hands....

A NEW BEGINNING, A NEW LIFE...

On the eve of joining a really reputed software company, my mind is clustered with thoughts...

When I was home for two months after the exams with no joining date in hand, I was damn frustrated and bored sitting at home and hoping to get the joining date as soon as possible. Almost all my friends had joined their respective companies and hearing their different experiences, I was rearing to go.

But when I got my joining date last week and was told to join immediately next week, a volley of

thoughts passed my mind. There were too many things to do now and too less time. Suddenly I felt I didnt want to join so soon because once I join, that will b the end of many things. I wont be able to get up late, laze around doing nothing, watch a 11-1 movie on HBO or STAR movies everyday, sleep at 2 am and most important of all I wont be able to get my 2 hours sleep after lunch. Oh my God!

But as all good things have to end, so did my 2 month long vacation. The last week went in a flash. There were too many things to do. That too along with the regular sleep quota( last week of getting sleep-wouldnt have missed it for my life!)

And now the day has arrived. I dont know exactly what my emotions are. I am worried a little, a little flustered(hope all my documents are in order), excited and for the most part ready to start. I am hoping to make new friends there, hoping to fit in and hoping to learn many new things which i have heard only the names of. I am sure this journey will be as fulfilling and as satisfying as the journey till now...

Till then this is me signing off, entering the Corporate World!!!

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY!

This is something which happened with a friend of mine... In Pune!! U will understand the importance of the exclamation mark after reading this...

My friend, a recently new job goer was returning from his job in a PMC bus. The person who used to say I never travel by bus now has to come each day switching two buses. What a job makes u do!!

Anyways a PMC bus travel as all of us know is not at all hassel-free. U either have to stand the whole time or sit crouched with people sitting just a millimeter apart. The bus conditions do not help at all.Theres tobacco stewn over the windows, half destroyed seats and hoardes of people falling on top of each other. In such a situation no wonder if your wallet gets stolen, your mobile or umbrellas are stolen or lost.

The said friend similarly was coming from from his work one day, tired n wishing to reach home as soon as possible. Between the switching of the buses he found that his wallet has been stolen. A wallet consisting of rs 300, his license, pan card and all the documents of his bike when stolen, added to his frustration and and he came home dejected,frustrated,cursing himself and not even hoping to see his wallet again. Not even knowing the bus number there was no point in making any official complaint of the theft- anyways there is little chance of recovering a stolen wallet.
The only holiday-sunday was now going to be wasted in applying for new documents and going
through the procedures all over again!

The next day dawned bright and new. The same old office(maybe it isnt old yet-not even a month completed), the same people and the same frustration of the added work to do. A call then changed everything.

The call was from Kothrud bus depot made on his home phone no informing him that his wallet was found and he was to collect it whenever possible. When he went there to pick up the wallet, thanking God, his stars and what not, he found that all the documents as well as the money was intact.A sweeper woman had found the wallet in the bus and returned it as it was.
The woman promptly refused the money he tried to give her for returning everything intact and said that she was only doing her job.

In Pune, where we hear of corruption and robberies in daylight these days, this was a welcome change. And this, coming from a person who might have needed the money, makes it even more special.A rich person not needing money giving it back is different than a poor person needing the money and still giving it back.

Everybody needs to learn from this especially some people who have to be bribed to do our job. Just do your job as honestly as you can. Even though you might not be rewarded monetorily, you will definitely get somebodys respect-which is much more satisfying than a monetory gift.