by Usha Menon

The Wind caresses the Leaves,

The Flowers gleefully greet the Bees,

In Nature, compassion in abundance, she sees,

Plants as Givers,The Universe -Protectors,

The Elements -Carers.

She imbibes the nature of Nature,

Empathy is in her blood ,Sympathy her strength,

Kindness and compassion her pride.

Yet ,along life’s journey

Her innate nature she discards

Sometimes in her haste,

Sometimes in distrust ,disbelief,disenchantment 

Of the world and her fellow beings.

To do good she fears..

Alone one night,a young girl seeks her help.

In the young girl she sees a daughter,a friend,sister..

She holds out her hand ….But soon withdraws the hand she extends to help,

Her heart says “Help”

Head says “Beware”… of the Unknown

She stifles a sob

And grapples along 

With an aching loss, 

But some day she will rise,

Like the Phoenix from the ashes,

Her true self no longer in disguise,

In this our Hope lies.

Article

“It is the best of times,it is the worst of times”-Charles Dickens is right in today’s context too. Our growth in terms of our Economy or Technology has been phenomenal.We are at the pinnacle of our glory.We live a digitized life -an easier,smoother,comfortable life. Yet ,as we make such remarkable progress,we notice a deep lacuna,a gradual emotional depletion in mankind.

We lead such a hectic lifestyle that we often lose touch with our own emotions.Driven solely by a desire for fame,money and material comforts,we are slowly being devoid of emotions.Empty, discontented, disconnected ,disenchanted ,we live on… But are we truly happy? Happiness lies in feeling fulfilled emotionally .And this only comes if we consciously develop our Emotional Quotient which is essentially the ability to recognize ,understand and manage emotions in oneself and in others.It encompasses Self awareness and Empathy and social skills leading to healthy relationships.

The practice of Mediation and Mindfulness help in Self awareness.Pressing the pause button during our hectic schedules and taking time out to reflect and contemplate would be a great way to reset ourselves.A timer can be set for reminders.The world needs Creativity. Technology does not innovate itself. Books and Artworks don’t happen by themselves. Mans inherent creative nature needs to be kept alive.Meditation plays a role in this.

The world desperately needs people with Empathy- people who understand others emotion,who are aware of the impact of their actions on others.The rising acts of crime and violence we see around us is a direct consequence of lack of sympathy.Empathy is the basis of relationship building.Empathy can be nurtured by ‘listening’ to people around us,allowing them to talk without interruptions, understanding their situations and putting yourself in their shoes.Stepping out of one’s comfort zone and interacting with people outside of one’s social circle without fearing the unknown and understanding different opinions and views help develop empathy.

During your student life,while hankering for those grades that get you into a coveted University,pause for a moment and indulge in little acts of kindness-like helping out your peers who may have some academic challenges.While your results make you proud,your friend’s results leave you with a sense of contentment ,true happiness and a lifelong friend!At the work-place,be a team player,collaborating with your peers for the growth of the organization you are working for rather than for individual accolades and promotions.In our daily lives,we have ample opportunities to bring out the best in us.Let us not hold ourselves back to help people around us.If all of us develop a will-power to be helpful.and make a habit out of it.the dream of a better tomorrow will be a reality.We could also adopt a single good practice and stick to it to bring about a change in whatever little way we can and make our lives more meaningful. Karna the Mahabharat hero,embraced generosity and charity which made him stand apart from the evil around him.

An ideal world where economic growth goes hand in hand with social consciousness and sensitivity can be a realistic goal.We can make it happen.”We can be the change we wish to see in the world.”