Does it really matter?

I finished a chips packet the other day, walking on the road and searched for a dustbin to throw the empty packet. My friend suggested – “Just throw it in the corner. Anyway so much waste is dumped there”. So much waste being dumped there already was exactly the reason for me NOT to throw the packet too!

My little cousin served extra food the other day at a function and wasted the whole thing. What was worse? His aunt telling his mother – “He’s still a kid. It’s okay!” Really? Isn’t that exactly the reason why they should teach him not to waste food?

I was sharing with my uncle few days ago that a few volunteers of IUY2C went to a government school and taught about a 500 students, basics of hygiene and my uncle says “You can do that in one or two schools. How will that make a difference? There are thousands of government schools in the country” Thousands of government schools being there is exactly the reason we have started approaching scores of them!

I left a job that paid me almost half a lakh per month and my relatives said, “So many people are unemployed! You were fortunate to get such a job and you left it?” So many people being unemployed is exactly the reason I left the job and now giving all it takes to become an entrepreneur, dreaming of providing employment to hundreds of them.

It’s interesting to know how people think that the ‘little’ negative contribution of theirs (AND the ‘little’ positive contribution of others) doesn’t really make a difference. It’s like asking a drop of water how important it is, like asking a grain of rice if it can fulfill your hunger, like challenging a speck of dust to create pollution, like wondering how one electron can generate electricity. Each drop of water, each grain of rice, every dust particle and every electron matters! So does every small action of any person on earth – negative or positive!

I know you got the point. So, next time don’t step back when you have the smallest of chances to do a good deed. It might be as small as turning of lights in your house/office when you aren’t using, pushing someone not to waste food, carrying empty food packets or chocolate wrappers in your bag till your find a dustbin to drop them, sharing positive news with friends over tea rather than talking about who got murdered or robbed and so on.

At the same time, please be watchful of not discouraging someone who’s already doing his/her bit. Even small phrases like – “Showing of eh?!”, “Big deal dude!”, “What’s wrong with you?”, “Chalta hai yaar” can discourage. It doesn’t hurt to say “Good job”, “I really appreciate what you did”, “You just inspired me” or at least pat on the back!

I just tried doing my bit today, by writing this piece of article not knowing how many people this would impact. But I sure know IT MATTERS! Now if you’re thinking whether your comment on this or sharing this link would really make a difference, you don’t need to think again :) IT MATTERS!

It's 'Now' or 'Now'

A couple of months ago, just when everything seemed to be going great, I gave a visit to my grandpa's place. My grandpa, who was all healthy for his age, was on bed when I saw him; he had stopped responding all of a sudden. He was trying really hard to breathe. We put all our efforts to make him respond for half an hour. His condition only got worse. For the first time in my life, I saw someone close to me being taken in an ambulance not knowing that he wouldn't return back alive.

Few months ago, I heard from a friend that her mom is in critical condition in the hospital. She had cancer, which was diagnosed only in the last stage. No medication would work. She passed away within a week.

A couple of weeks ago, my aunt slipped and fell down; she ended up having multiple fractures. It will take her months to start walking normally again, for something that happened in a split second!

Could she have done anything about it? Could my grandpa do anything about his life? Could my friend save her mother's life in any way? Can any of us avoid something like this happening to our near ones or us?? The answer is an obvious 'no'. That made me think for a moment - We get all stressed and all worked up trying to control our lives 3 - 4 yrs from now! Is the very next moment in our control? 

Someone who's in 12th is worried about getting a job 4 yrs later. Someone who has a 5yr old kid is worried how she'll fare in her 10th grade. Someone who's getting married is worried if she'll be happy in her new house (No, that's not me) Someone having a daughter is worried every moment if she's coming back home safe. Someone at job is worried about promotion two yrs later and this and that and the list goes on. Planning, anticipating and working towards it are justified; just "worrying", getting tensed and stressed out aren't!

While you are spending those few moments in worries, you're losing your precious present which was "future" few moments ago. I don't even know if this article is gonna reach my blog, so is there a point in me worrying how people are gonna take it? Instead, I can give my complete focus to what I'm writing and how I'm writing this very moment and be sure that I've given my best, enjoying the whole process of penning down my thoughts!

All I wanna say is, the next time your mind tends to worry, ask yourself if that's gonna help your present or future in any possible way, unless your favorite pastime is to worry and get worked up! Since the answer is 'no', give a smile and say "I'm gonna live this moment and not the next moment which I'm not even sure if it's gonna be mine!"

Relax and have a happy weekend :)