Hummingbird
27th June 2011, 04:44 PM
August 15, 1990 – Independence Day celebration – Vidyarthi Bhavan
Sanjana had won the first prize in Bharathiyar Song recital competition and was seated in the first row along with other prize winners. She had just received her prize from the Chief Guest (A Bhagawad Gita book) and came back to her seat. She was so happy to see her mom seated in the audience feeling proud and happy seeing her receiving the prize.
Prize distribution soon got over and the Chief Guest was invited to speak to the audience – a few hundred students. Sanjana was curious to know what the Chief Guest had to say to all of them.
“Well students, it is such a pleasure to be amongst tomorrow’s India and be able to share your energy and enthusiasm. I know all of you, especially the prize winners, are waiting to go back and share the joy and the holiday with your parents, siblings and friends. I won’t take much of your time. I will tell you a small story and leave you with that…
One day, the mother of a school boy stormed into the Principal’s room and said “I want to make a complaint. I am not sure if you are teaching the kids what is most important in life”. The principal was taken aback at this sudden attack and said “Madam, please take a seat and tell me what happened. I may probably be able to explain it to you”. The mother said “I gave Rs.5 to my son for him to go and buy chocolates for himself and his friends. On his way to the shop, he saw a group of senior students seeking donations from local shops and public to help pay fees to students of their own school, whose parents cannot afford to pay their fees. My son ran back to me and asked “Mom, is it ok if I donate the Rs.5 for this cause?””.
The principal said “Madam, is it not good that your son wants to donate to a good cause rather than spend on chocolates?”
The mother said “Sir, you don’t understand. If my son had donated the money, came back and told me he did that, I would have been really happy and reassured that the school is giving him the right guidance and direction to choose what is more important in life. If he comes back to me asking permission, it means he is not sure whether it is education or chocolate that is more important, it worries me”.
At this point, the Chief Guest said “I am not sure how many of you students understand the story now. But I am sure, if you remember it, you will definitely understand it at some point in time in future and I hope your parents are just like the mother of the school boy in this story.
The function soon got over, chocolates were distributed and students dispersed. On the way back home, Sanjana’s mom said “Did you understand the story dear? You should always remember what is important and help others”. Sanjana was completely oblivious to what her mom said or meant. She was busy unwrapping her chocolate.
May 8, 2010 – Crimdon Bed & Breakfast, New York – Room No. 10
Sanjana is now a Software Engineer in an Indian ITES Company, currently in New York, working on a proposal. At the end of what was a long and tiring day of drafting and redrafting documents, spreadsheets and powerpoints, she was going through her e-mails to make sure there is nothing that is urgent and can’t wait until next day. One of the mails caught her eyes and as soon as she finished reading it, she felt excited and wanted to respond immediately. It was a mail from one of her friends back in India.
Some of her North Indian friends had been on a camping trip recently and got lost in a remote village in Tamil Nadu. A 10 year old kid, who, to their astonishment, spoke English, understood their plight and took them to his school, where they spent their night. At day break, the kid came along with his Teacher, a local villager and an Engineering graduate from a Prestigious University, who decided to give up his job to teach these kids. With whatever funds he could gather from his own source and from his friends, he had managed to refurbish the local school to some extent and pay salary to two more teachers. Now that his hard work is starting to bear fruits, other villages were also showing interest in sending their kids to this school but due to want of resources, he was not able to help as much as he would like to.
On seeing this, Sanjana’s friends decided to conduct a fund raising campaign to create a fund that can slowly but surely, allow him to expand his good work and help other villages too. The e-mail was sent as part of this campaign.
Sanjana immediately replied to her friend and said she would like to contribute to this good cause and that she will donate Rs.15,000 as soon as she is back from New York the following week. Feeling happy and content, Sanjana went to bed and was looking forward to sharing the happiness with mom when she spoke with her the next day.
May 9, 2010 – Crimdon Bed & Breakfast, New York – Room No. 10
Sanjana logged on to Skype and saw that mom had already logged on and was waiting for her.
“Hello Amma….. how are you?”
“I am fine….. how are you dear? How is the weather and how is your proposal coming along? You are sure you are flying back on Tuesday, right? Hope there are no last minute changes”
“No mom… Am definitely flying back on Tuesday. We have our submission on Tuesday morning and we are leaving by the flight on Tuesday night.…. You know what, I have a very happy news to share with you”
“Happy news? When working on a proposal? That is strange…… what is that?”
“You know Reshmi….my Delhi friend? She and some of my other friends went on a camping trip, got lost, got rescued etc and actually ended up finding a school in a village that they want to help….. she sent an e-mail to all of us for donation… I said I will donate Rs.15,000….. will give her as soon as I am back next week…”
“15,000???? Are you mad or what? Do you even know who these people are and what they will use this funds for? Moreover, if you just like that give Rs.15,000, what will everyone else think? That you have so much money that you donno what to spend on”
“But mom…….” Sanjana was stunned by this reaction. She was not prepared for this at all.
“Its all because of the kind of salary you people get paid….. you donno the value of money… You didn’t even remember that you should check with me before making such commitments right?”
“But mom, this is through Reshmi and my friends..... Not through some unknown person. I know them so well and am sure it will be used for good cause. After all I see them every day. You know her too mom”
“Whatever, because you have committed, I don’t want to let you down. You can give this time, but I am not wholeheartedly saying ok to this. Don’t you dare do such things hereafter, understand?”
“Ok”…. Sanjana didn’t know what else to say.
All of a sudden, from somewhere deep in her subconscious mind, she remembered a story. It was August 15, 1990 and the Chief Guest at the Independence Day Celebration in her school said “I will tell you a small story and leave you with that…………”
Sanjana had won the first prize in Bharathiyar Song recital competition and was seated in the first row along with other prize winners. She had just received her prize from the Chief Guest (A Bhagawad Gita book) and came back to her seat. She was so happy to see her mom seated in the audience feeling proud and happy seeing her receiving the prize.
Prize distribution soon got over and the Chief Guest was invited to speak to the audience – a few hundred students. Sanjana was curious to know what the Chief Guest had to say to all of them.
“Well students, it is such a pleasure to be amongst tomorrow’s India and be able to share your energy and enthusiasm. I know all of you, especially the prize winners, are waiting to go back and share the joy and the holiday with your parents, siblings and friends. I won’t take much of your time. I will tell you a small story and leave you with that…
One day, the mother of a school boy stormed into the Principal’s room and said “I want to make a complaint. I am not sure if you are teaching the kids what is most important in life”. The principal was taken aback at this sudden attack and said “Madam, please take a seat and tell me what happened. I may probably be able to explain it to you”. The mother said “I gave Rs.5 to my son for him to go and buy chocolates for himself and his friends. On his way to the shop, he saw a group of senior students seeking donations from local shops and public to help pay fees to students of their own school, whose parents cannot afford to pay their fees. My son ran back to me and asked “Mom, is it ok if I donate the Rs.5 for this cause?””.
The principal said “Madam, is it not good that your son wants to donate to a good cause rather than spend on chocolates?”
The mother said “Sir, you don’t understand. If my son had donated the money, came back and told me he did that, I would have been really happy and reassured that the school is giving him the right guidance and direction to choose what is more important in life. If he comes back to me asking permission, it means he is not sure whether it is education or chocolate that is more important, it worries me”.
At this point, the Chief Guest said “I am not sure how many of you students understand the story now. But I am sure, if you remember it, you will definitely understand it at some point in time in future and I hope your parents are just like the mother of the school boy in this story.
The function soon got over, chocolates were distributed and students dispersed. On the way back home, Sanjana’s mom said “Did you understand the story dear? You should always remember what is important and help others”. Sanjana was completely oblivious to what her mom said or meant. She was busy unwrapping her chocolate.
May 8, 2010 – Crimdon Bed & Breakfast, New York – Room No. 10
Sanjana is now a Software Engineer in an Indian ITES Company, currently in New York, working on a proposal. At the end of what was a long and tiring day of drafting and redrafting documents, spreadsheets and powerpoints, she was going through her e-mails to make sure there is nothing that is urgent and can’t wait until next day. One of the mails caught her eyes and as soon as she finished reading it, she felt excited and wanted to respond immediately. It was a mail from one of her friends back in India.
Some of her North Indian friends had been on a camping trip recently and got lost in a remote village in Tamil Nadu. A 10 year old kid, who, to their astonishment, spoke English, understood their plight and took them to his school, where they spent their night. At day break, the kid came along with his Teacher, a local villager and an Engineering graduate from a Prestigious University, who decided to give up his job to teach these kids. With whatever funds he could gather from his own source and from his friends, he had managed to refurbish the local school to some extent and pay salary to two more teachers. Now that his hard work is starting to bear fruits, other villages were also showing interest in sending their kids to this school but due to want of resources, he was not able to help as much as he would like to.
On seeing this, Sanjana’s friends decided to conduct a fund raising campaign to create a fund that can slowly but surely, allow him to expand his good work and help other villages too. The e-mail was sent as part of this campaign.
Sanjana immediately replied to her friend and said she would like to contribute to this good cause and that she will donate Rs.15,000 as soon as she is back from New York the following week. Feeling happy and content, Sanjana went to bed and was looking forward to sharing the happiness with mom when she spoke with her the next day.
May 9, 2010 – Crimdon Bed & Breakfast, New York – Room No. 10
Sanjana logged on to Skype and saw that mom had already logged on and was waiting for her.
“Hello Amma….. how are you?”
“I am fine….. how are you dear? How is the weather and how is your proposal coming along? You are sure you are flying back on Tuesday, right? Hope there are no last minute changes”
“No mom… Am definitely flying back on Tuesday. We have our submission on Tuesday morning and we are leaving by the flight on Tuesday night.…. You know what, I have a very happy news to share with you”
“Happy news? When working on a proposal? That is strange…… what is that?”
“You know Reshmi….my Delhi friend? She and some of my other friends went on a camping trip, got lost, got rescued etc and actually ended up finding a school in a village that they want to help….. she sent an e-mail to all of us for donation… I said I will donate Rs.15,000….. will give her as soon as I am back next week…”
“15,000???? Are you mad or what? Do you even know who these people are and what they will use this funds for? Moreover, if you just like that give Rs.15,000, what will everyone else think? That you have so much money that you donno what to spend on”
“But mom…….” Sanjana was stunned by this reaction. She was not prepared for this at all.
“Its all because of the kind of salary you people get paid….. you donno the value of money… You didn’t even remember that you should check with me before making such commitments right?”
“But mom, this is through Reshmi and my friends..... Not through some unknown person. I know them so well and am sure it will be used for good cause. After all I see them every day. You know her too mom”
“Whatever, because you have committed, I don’t want to let you down. You can give this time, but I am not wholeheartedly saying ok to this. Don’t you dare do such things hereafter, understand?”
“Ok”…. Sanjana didn’t know what else to say.
All of a sudden, from somewhere deep in her subconscious mind, she remembered a story. It was August 15, 1990 and the Chief Guest at the Independence Day Celebration in her school said “I will tell you a small story and leave you with that…………”