The beginning of a journey...

Originally I started posting this as a comment on my previous post. But then, I ended up writing more than what I initially intended to. I wanted this to be a continuation of the last discussion.

Let me start by saying - "there is nothing to conclude". In fact, those who believe after all these discussions that some changes can be made should take it upon themselves and push to implement what they think will work. If you are still confused on what needs to be done, get it clarified with someone you trust and try to support him/her in working towards that change.

Honest to everyone, there are some of my friends who read this blog (most of them are silent observers) and have conveyed their support and we have started thinking on ways to do things now. By contributing to this discussion, you have already started doing your part, by making people think that several solutions are available. Keep continuing to do that by bringing in your own group of friends and making them think and work together.

If you think doing something for your school is good, start gathering your school mates, create an informal association (cos more formal it becomes more problems arise) and start working on things that you think will improve the situations that you felt weren't good when you studied. If you don't think that works, then fine, do something that you think will work rather than giving up after about 150 comments on this blog - that was not the intent. If you think Onyx is the solution to cleanliness in your neighborhood, take it upon yourself and make it happen - now. Gather the strength of those in your community and work towards it as doing things alone is not easy. There are several who want to do something but have very little guidance. Those who respond and read this blog are several steps ahead of those who are clueless. Help them achieve their goals by guiding them.

If you believe that this post is more than just another post, take it yourself or help me take it to the next level. If you don't want to publicly support, then those who know me, email me in person of your intent and thoughts and those who don't know me email me through my profile.

We conclude only when we achieve our results. We have just begun. Like the name of this blog, there are several milestones to cross and we have crossed the first few. No one knows where the road takes us further, but everyone knows where we want to go. There will be road closures and detours, there will be wrong turns and U-turns, there will be blow-outs and empty gas tanks, but just like we do whatever it takes to get to our favorite weekend destination, we should work harder when in crisis to get to our destination. For that to happen, those who work together must have the same destination though they may have several routes. But, if many head the same route, then it is easier to handle problems on the way as compared to taking different routes. Let us drive forward rather than spinning the wheels in the same place.

Fruits of Life

After my earlier post, I started fresh. I believed it can done. And now, I am reaping its fruits, literally. All it needed was some soil, a sapling, lots of water and plenty of caring.

That is a good enough motivation for me to think bigger and I am going for it. To go bigger, I need the tools synonymous to the soil, the sapling and water. I consider optimism as the soil, kids as the saplings and time as water. To gain the fruits of life, we need to start with kids in schools and groom then so we can pick the fruits of life when we grow old.

It is easier to teach a kid than a grown person. A grown person has a brain filled with tremendous information and it is hard to convince the person to change the way of life or the way of thinking. Selfishness and ego tend to take the driver's seat over humaneness and morality. A country can never become developed until a human life gets the respect it deserves irrespective of the status - rich or homeless. Such a state can not and will not occur in a country like India overnight. Patience and perseverence are the keys to success.

Personal and public hygiene, safety and compassion should be an integral part of a kids education as they are the keys to a healthy and humane life that defines a country's stage of development. Personal hygiene, as most of us know, is learnt through family values and the way the kith and kin carry themselves around in the family and the kids do in the school. These are instinctively learnt. Public hygiene is often not given as much importance as personal hygiene in our society. This needs to be taught in schools so the future citizens of the country can carry the education to make the country more healthy to live in.

Safety needs to be taught in schools. In my school days and I am sure it still continues in some schools, there was/is no concept of safety or precautions except in record notebooks. I have not seen a physics lab darker or a chemistry lab without the basic safety equipment like fire extinguisher and first aid kit. We were not taught the importance of safety in school in our days and that reflects in the current generations total lack of safety on roads and in society. Had we been given the right tools to tackle these situations when we were in school, we wouldn't be having posts and debates on if safety and hygiene need enforcement or not. Moral values need to be taught at an young age and social implications needs to be highlighted to kids. These can only be done at schools. Schools form the soil, kids are the saplings and education is water. The more nutrients we replenish the soil with while watering the sapling, the juicier is the fruit.

Twenty years ago, had someone not thought of the idea that India could be a strong player in the world today in IT services, it would not have happened today. Hundred years ago, had someone not thought that India could be independent, it would probably not have been independent.

It is time for us to think and act now. There are several problems we face and we also candidly exchange opinions on what can solve those. But no one enters the field to implement the same. Let each of us pledge here to solve one problem in our lifetime that we think needs a solution. Let us take the effort beyond opinions and solve it for a change.

Today, I pledge that I will do all in my power to make my country healthier to live in for all. I intend to do this by requesting the support of some of my friends in India to take up the duty of cleaning a designated area themselves and with the help of the local school kids. In the US, highways are often marked by mile markers saying that a fraternity is responsible for keeping the highway clean for so many miles. These are not mandatory organizations or enforced by the government. These are voluntary frat members who work hard to keep the zone in their jurisdiction clean. Such zones need to be created in the places we grow up in or become part of. I also intend, with permission from the nearest school, to teach a class every week on safety, hygiene and the importance of individual responsibility in society.

The doubters and critics may just dismiss my intentions saying I live in a foreign country and this is just "ettu suraikkai". As long as I am true to myself and my intent, I will continue to make all the efforts and I would appreciate your support, suggestions and actions to make us gain the real fruits of life.