THE MOSAIC OF MEDIOCRITY

As I search avenues to create excellence in children - the very people who are supposed to mentor them have a mosaic of mediocrity. They see a child - a nobody - a thrusted unwanted responsibility.

I see the same child having the potential to make this world into a heaven or a hell. I see of what is possible - A BUDHA - A GANDHI and that creates in me revulsion for these mediocrities. How can they treat the `future Budhas' like this.

I am no `god creater' - the only action I can take is to `motivate' - surely a time will come in these young ones when the `seeds sown today' would sprout into giant ideas. That is the least I can do. AND FOR THIS, if I have to act out as a role model SO BE IT!

The perfection I have sought in my life - let it `motivate' nay let it `hibernate' in these young bodies and minds till the veil of `mediocrity' is thrown off and excellence shines through like a throbbing sun.

THE NO-ONE

We all want to be someone - known, admired and loved. But as I grow I want to be a no-one. By being nothing, my soul seeks detachment - freedom from pitiable desires.

But the fact of matter is that as I seek detachment - people around me want to attach themselves to me. What I sought in my childhood and youth and didn't get - in my middle ages I get it but am not wanting it.

The knowing that inspite of being a `no-one' - when I am treated as a someone - I `act' the someoneness to help the people around me.

The day I am totally no-one - I AWAIT! Isn't it foolish to WANT to be NO-ONE, when you are already no-one.

WHAT HAPPENED?

It all started as a game. You sleep here - I will sleep here. No I will come and sleep next to you. Then your arm on my chest - did I catch hold of it and pull it or did you put it yourself.

Then what happened is all a blank - a stupor - a non-realisation! There were no embers, no desires - nothing happened. But you say - something happened.

OK go and hang me! Anyway what does it matter - if you say so its' ok with me. Now fix the punishment too!

When I say that you come asking WHAT HAPPENED?

THE LURE OF SIDDARBETTA

On 31st May, 2009 we set out for Siddarbetta from SUMPOORNA campus. Eleven of us climbed the hill within an hour. The summit of Siddarbetta is awesome. You are on top of the world. The newly painted Anjaneya temple in the sumpoorna campus was clearly visible. Rehan climbed a boulder and challenged me to do it. OF COURSE, I made a fool of myself - I couldn't.

We had a small meditational experience near a lake. We called the place as CITY OF BIRDS - so many of them; quarreling with each other - the way children and people in cities do. The difference, however, was the sweet chirping sounds. The advantage of working with younger children is - YOU CAN GET THEM TO DO THINGS TOGETHER. Among senior children there is always a `peer group' creating small irritants.

After lunch, no one was in a hurry to get to home. But we finally left at 2-45p.m. and I made a resolve that one day in the near future we should stay the night on top of Siddarbetta. Didn't I make the same resolve for Makalidurga a month ago? Did I not make the same resolve twenty years ago for Savandurga. I THINK ITS' TIME TO DO IT.