On the 3rd day at our training institute, we were asked to make a life map for ourselves: everything in our lives that has led up to this moment right here. It's not an easy task - reaching back into your life and buried memories and extracting both the happy and the painful; sharing intimate details with strangers. The connections and understanding between us that developed from it are hardly tangible at the moment. But the internal reflection helped me at least get a better sense of my decision to join Teach for India, and to get a better sense of myself.
Silently Passionate
People have different aspirations. To earn money. To see the world. To become CEOs of major companies. Doctors. Lawyers. etc.
I had one too. It's been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I wanted to make a difference to someone's life; to do some good; to be remembered in such a way that I make others smile.
Of course, I never said those words out aloud. What if someone heard? If you've ever seen Miss Congeniality, you might know what I'm talking about. Phrases like "world peace" and "human rights" have become so caught up in political melodrama that the only positive outcome they have is in being used as the butt of some dry humour. In short, they've become meaningless.
In a world where everyone around you is bursting with ambition, "wanting to do some good" hardly stands as an equal. Sure, everyone wants to end poverty and see equality. I was passionate about several causes, but never did anything about it. Not out of fear, but out of my own laziness. I took the easy route out.
Like everyone around me, I joined clubs in university to show my dedication to various causes. Perhaps even attended a potluck or two. Maybe spent a few hours here and there volunteering our time to help the 'needy'. Made myself feel good. What more could I do? What more could we do? After all, we had our real lives waiting, our real jobs. It's not like we could do this forever.
People have asked me several times why I would want to spend two years of my life doing something that I could probably do in a couple of months through volunteering. I always knew the answer to that question, but it's become a lot clearer over the last week at institute. These children are used to having volunteers come over for a couple of hours and spend time with them, showing them a really good time. But as soon as that time is over, the children know they have to go back to their own reality. These few hours might give them happy memories they could hold on to as they follow the footsteps of their parents and continue living in poverty. But those few hours won't change their life.
And it is that life that I want to change. I want to help them tap into their own potential and give them the skills they might need to bring themselves out of that poverty and create their own new reality. I don't just want to give them memories anymore. I want to give them a life, so that they can do the same to others, and set the wheels in motion.
I want to remove the silent, and stick to the passion.
Silently Passionate
People have different aspirations. To earn money. To see the world. To become CEOs of major companies. Doctors. Lawyers. etc.
I had one too. It's been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I wanted to make a difference to someone's life; to do some good; to be remembered in such a way that I make others smile.
Of course, I never said those words out aloud. What if someone heard? If you've ever seen Miss Congeniality, you might know what I'm talking about. Phrases like "world peace" and "human rights" have become so caught up in political melodrama that the only positive outcome they have is in being used as the butt of some dry humour. In short, they've become meaningless.
In a world where everyone around you is bursting with ambition, "wanting to do some good" hardly stands as an equal. Sure, everyone wants to end poverty and see equality. I was passionate about several causes, but never did anything about it. Not out of fear, but out of my own laziness. I took the easy route out.
Like everyone around me, I joined clubs in university to show my dedication to various causes. Perhaps even attended a potluck or two. Maybe spent a few hours here and there volunteering our time to help the 'needy'. Made myself feel good. What more could I do? What more could we do? After all, we had our real lives waiting, our real jobs. It's not like we could do this forever.
People have asked me several times why I would want to spend two years of my life doing something that I could probably do in a couple of months through volunteering. I always knew the answer to that question, but it's become a lot clearer over the last week at institute. These children are used to having volunteers come over for a couple of hours and spend time with them, showing them a really good time. But as soon as that time is over, the children know they have to go back to their own reality. These few hours might give them happy memories they could hold on to as they follow the footsteps of their parents and continue living in poverty. But those few hours won't change their life.
And it is that life that I want to change. I want to help them tap into their own potential and give them the skills they might need to bring themselves out of that poverty and create their own new reality. I don't just want to give them memories anymore. I want to give them a life, so that they can do the same to others, and set the wheels in motion.
I want to remove the silent, and stick to the passion.
ruchi, many of us talk about " wanting to make a difference " or "doing our bit" or "giving back to society". but how many really have the courage to move out of their comfort zones and actually take a step in that direction? good for u gal ! may u have the strength and perseverance to march ahead on your chosen road !
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