The long absence from blogging was bcos of all the running around for my soon-to-take-place exodus. But more abt it later. Today's topic name might sound like sumthing out of a high school essay book bt its actually much more than that.
I've always wanted to be involved in some concrete social service of the kind they always talk abt in moral science books. On one such afternoon two days back while idling around on the net I came across this site www.karmayog.org where I registered myself as a volunteer for NGOs. Soon mails started coming in asking me to join their organisation. One of those which caught my attention was Mobile Creches. For more info on the name and the concept log on to their website.
So here I was on Children's Day in one of their centres at Bhoomi Park construction site. Greeted by a joyous Namaste from all the children at the behest of their teacher. Enjoyed watching an engaging session where they were learning a song together all replete with innocent enthusiasm! Even as I regretted not bringing anything along to give to them, I remembered all the countless birthdays in school where I distributed chocolates, erasers, stylish pencils, glossy geometry boxes, etc. to friends in school who immediately tossed them aside for they had more than enuf of those always! Had I been a 10 yr old today, I'd hav chosen to give those same things to the children in Mobile Creches instead.
Clapping hands with all the kids brought back memories of those Children's days in school where we dressed to the hilt in fancy attire and watched magic shows and ate huge cups of icecreams. For these children, their parents bringing back a day's bread was reason enough to celebrate.
Looking down that list of questions that my counsellor had given me that day to prepare for Visa Interview, one had puzzled me a lot. "Why do you think you will come back to India?". Today I found an answer to it, "So that some more Indian children can have a happier Children's Day" - an answer that unfortunately and ironically will withstand a visa interview!
Will be visiting them again tomorrow laden with gifts this time...a small compensation for big guilt.
