ANECDOTES SERIAL 1 CHARITY SUCCESS SUICIDE

VALUE OF CHARITY

        Life’s journey is a mixed bag of good and bad experiences.   Interestingly the inherent trait of goodness emerges strongly in extreme adversity. This has been my   crucial learning since that life changing year 2000 when serendipity steered me up the steps to Doon Youth Centre (DYC).  Shall share such experiences as and when I recall those soul stirring episodes. Here is one on charity. 

Few years back Melinda Gate Foundation donated a substantial amount to India to stem the spread of AIDS.  Generosity of Bill Gates to promote charity came up for discussion during life skills classes in a reputed school.  Almost all the students were highly impressed with the charitable gesture.  Interjecting the animated discussion, facilitator narrated his own life experience on charity. 

Decades back  he  and his wife were taking care of about 30 orphans including toddlers with no sustainable resources except unconditional love and compassion.    Hounded out of hearth and home by owners, the extended family changed location several times.  Yet no one either left or was abandoned as if adversity strengthened their togetherness.  Students were listening without distraction—an unusual characteristic especially of affluent teenagers.

One day he was overly concerned about feeding the entire bunch of hungry kids with no cash to feed them.  In that group was one elderly teenager who was son of a leprosy patient.   He was sent to the bank to find out whether any money was available on the hope that someone may have donated. The boy returned and handed over Rs20/- stating that there was no money in bank. His concern for the toddlers was so intense that he sold the wrist watch gifted to him by his father on his birthday.   

By then the students were too moved to doubt whose charity was more valuable!    

SUCCESS

It is a word that is discussed in almost all forums. When challenged by youth to explain it, adults tend to fumble and mumble perspectives that creates more confusion.  

To ascertain views of youth on success surveys were conducted in schools and institutions spread over a decade covering thousands of students. Target group was students of Class 6 up to College. For over 80 percent success means Money, Power & Status. As a sequel to success, ‘work hard & party harder’ is a slogan that resonates with youth.  However, paradigm shift takes place in later life experiencing challenges of balancing Career, Married Life and above all Relationship!!  

Sensing the need for enabling youth to develop better understanding, ‘SUCCESS’   is a crucial session in the life skills curriculum of Shishya Society.

I still remember two unforgettable sessions with Class 9 students.  When asked to explain success, few students said—‘achieving one’s goal is success’.   Spontaneously one student  disagreed—‘my goal may be to murder someone, but that is not success’.  That had a sobering effect on the class. The discussion that followed allowed each one enough psychological space to think and draw conclusions objectively. As a facilitator I was impacted by the clarity in thinking of such young minds.

In another session, on being asked what would be success for you as a  student of Class 9, prompt reply was—’92 percent marks.’   One backbencher stood up and confidently disagreed.  We looked at the previous student for response.  He replied—‘वो तो ऐसा ही बोलेगा क्योंकि he is a 90 per center’.  The backbencher when asked what he would consider success shared an incredible & awesome perspective.  He thought for a while and said—‘I do not know what it is but, I think, it has something to do with the soul’!! 

This reinforced my understanding that given an enabling environment students have the ability to share incredible perspectives. Admittedly, I learnt some real stuff listening to them.

Ironically, in this ‘Rat Race’ everyone is busy climbing the success ladder without pausing to think whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall!!

 

PREEMPTED SUICIDE

Driven by genuine concern for youth, facilitators at Doon Youth Centre (DYC) practice and promote compassion and love as our focus is on developing quality relationship for life. 

One day Ken, Team Leader, narrated a heartwarming episode of compassion,  a rare quality that comes to him so naturally. While returning home at night after a hectic Saturday,   he passed by a young boy busy writing something on paper under street light perched on a bridge.   Concern and curiosity got the better of him to turn around his motor cycle.  Brief interactions with the 16 year old boy revealed he was writing his suicide note.  Providential intervention saved a precious life.   

This is a glimpse of what our organization is all about!