THE MORE TIRED I AM THE MORE I WANT TO WORK!

Very often while conducting tournaments - I develop my lower back-ache; this in turn sends signals to my brain that I AM TIRED. I start feeling that I am over-working myself. But a day later - I start looking at FRIDAY - SATURDAY & SUNDAY : I start thinking of what I shall be doing - Camp for Vth standard children - All girls' camp - Visit to which JNV - which cup SUMPOORNA - SARGANTINE - REGENCY etc. etc.

My tiredness flies out of the window and I start to plan and execute whatever I have decided on. The greater the tiredness - the greater the urge to work. BECAUSE

Wordsworth? The woods are dark, lovely and deep
But I have many promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep

I WANT TO PLAY! YOU SHALL SAYS 7/3 - I SHALL FIGHT THIS BATTLE UNTO MY DEATH.

All children want to play. This fundamental right of the child is enshrined in principle 7 para 3 - for us 7/3. Others will talk of 26/11 or 9/11 - now we have 7/3. PLEASE PLEASE FOR GOD SAKE - read it!

The voiceless children have been given this right in 7/3. Slavery has been abolished long back - except child slavery which continues to flourish for various reasons. AND WHEN THIS EXISTS even in middle class and rich homes then what can we say of the poor. Financial reasons make parents treat their children as ACADEMIC SLAVES - they must get their degrees with certain percentage of marks - get certain type of college admissions and then land certain type of jobs - not to get ECONOMIC INDEPENDCE but ECONOMIC SLAVERY of credit cards and EMIs. These children hate themselves - hate their jobs and they have no love lost for their children who must do the same.

THE RIGHT TO BE A CHILD is now being deprived even to a two or three year old. He must learn his As and 1s because the neighbour's child has learnt it.

ARYAN, my grandson of seven months - has started getting his share of `rote chanting' [I hope my son and daughter-in-law don't read this blog - and if they do then I apologise to them]. BUT I WANT FREEDOM FOR MY ARYAN AND ALSO THOSE BILLIONS OF ARYANS OF THE WORLD.

ARYAN SAYS - I WANT TO PLAY. YOU SHALL - says 7/3 - says his grandfather. I shall fight this battle unto to my death.

I CAN'T WAIT - I WILL DO IT NOW!

When I was a child - I was often told that certain things I could do only after I grew up. AND there were others who also told the same thing - in many different ways. For a time I accepted their verdict but as I grew up I saw the `bluff'. I started seeing people who had not accepted this verdict and gone ahead and did what they wanted to do.

Slowly and steadily I made my own rules. Roads go up the hill and a bus can take you there. But I preferred to climb the hills through my own way. The more difficult the way the tastier the climb. It became a habit. Climbing tall buildings via staircase.
Doing things I wanted to do - when I wanted to do. The non-conformist in me became more and more focussed. What others did - I refused to do - I made my own DO IT list and that included a clause `DONOT DO WHAT OTHERS DO'.

I wanted to write this - I COULDNOT WAIT - I WROTE IT NOW!

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.