Respect and Retrospect
“I want to become a pilot”
“I… Umm.. I.. I want to become software engineer”
“And Anna… I want to join Army”
“I… (she giggles..) I want to become a science teacher”
Their responses were as varied as the expressions on their innocent face. But one thing that was common was their background and the environment they live in daily. Our first interaction with 30 odd high school kids studying in a govt aided high school which like many of its peers is going down the path of financial ruin in spite of the dedicated teachers and a very passionate principal.
“Young friends..” was how he started addressing us. The principal “Mr. B.K Purushotham had studied in the same school and later rose to become its principal. His 38 yr association with the school has made him struggle for its survival despite shortage of teachers, lack of infrastructure, lack of support from benign society but in spite of these he still runs around with a great passion, energy and the hope that his school will reclaim the glory once it commanded. My head bows in respect.
He, very categorically, stated that he is very happy that we share some responsibilities of the school and hence would see to it that every moment of ours in his school is utilized for the betterment. He emphasized that it still does not absolve any responsibilities of his staff and should continue to work as they have done before. He said we are all professionals and let us take this work to a logical conclusion professionally. I found a high school head master more professional than some of the managers in the professional field.
We then moved out of the four walls of the class and into the playground. After a few games which helped melt some ice between us and the kids, we sat down with them for some talk. The responses above were for one of the fundamental questions of what they wanted to become once they grow up. Some answers were stereotypical (such as software engineer – specially in Bangalore), some generic (doctor, engineer), some interesting (army, pilot, police, painter, business man) and some, interestingly, specific (mechanical engineer, science teacher). And one response that captured the attention of everyone – I want to become Nothing. I don’t want to become anything. Well this kinda response might be one of the hard-headedness, frustration, anger, indifference, juvenile or just plain ignorance. Or might be something else which I am unable to comprehend. But it does certainly has the potential to give us immense insights. (I plan to do a post on this sometime in future)
The school bell started its symphony at almost the same time we finished our theatrics in the playground! We were content that at least one govt initiative – the mid day meal scheme, was running successfully in this school. A boy came out of the hungry bunch with his plate of rice and asked us to have lunch with him. Declining his sweet offer politely for obvious reasons, we engaged him in a talk. During the course of our conversation with him we found out that he came from a small hamlet in the Lingasur taluk of the Raichur district. He wants to become a teacher and uplift his hamlet from the ignorance. He asked us to keep coming every week and guide him through. Some of these kids and their determination to reach a certain position kind of amazed me.
In retrospect did I ever think what I wanted to be when I grow up? I had a few things in my mind. Foremost was that I wanted to be an astronaut!! I had also designed my robot in my diary and had also drawn the remote to control it (Well I was smart enough to know that I had to control my not-so-smart robot :P). I had also written the stories of my voyage to other planets with my robo (James Cameroon in the making, eh?) When I looked at those pages the last time I had been home, my robot looked like android logo (Plagiarist Google!!) and the remote control appeared like an Excel sheet with 10x10 table. How the times have changed!!
I also wanted to be a singer but my voice cracked in my teens and so did my dream! As I grew up, I became more common, found a cozy place in my comfort zone and did follow the herd and here I am today as an embedded software engineer! Not that it is bad but I know it’s not the best I wanted to be. I have reached ‘a’ destination but not ‘the’ destination. Do I have to loathe myself for not being what I wanted to be at certain point of time? Nah!!
The point here is so many of us have so many dreams at any instant of time and some of which we regard as the sole purpose of our life. But again, as I always believe, the sole purpose of life need not be a sole purpose. Times change and so does a hell lot of things around and within us. Those who continue to work seriously on their childhood dreams and achieve them are no doubt maverick but at the same time those who could not do so will get those umpteen opportunities that life throws at us and who knows we might be destined for something better in one of those opportunities.
Going back to the playground, when those kids made us aware of their current dreams, I could not avoid this possibility of many of them not actually being what they, now, want to be. But at the same time it gives this hope that as long as the intentions are honest and the urge is incessant some of them might actually be destined for something better if the efforts are channelized properly.
I'd be happy if this kid from Lingasur becomes a teacher but I'd be happier if he achieves the underlying urge to uplift his village, may be as a teacher or donning any other role. it doesn't really matter as long as the purpose is served. He wants to reach a destination which is better than what he currently is in. He needs to find a right train, board it, identify himself with it, and travel the full length with patience without de-boarding midway unintentionally or worse with half intentions.
In this age where being a member of a NGO or participating in CSR has become a status symbol similar to a 100 likes on Facebook, I feel happy to be a part of this small group with no name but with ideas and ideals to stir up some lives!!
PS: I thank that kid for sending me a decade back.
