There are days when a simple smile can amaze you. A simple hug can rejuvenate every cell of your body. Such days make you think. They make you think things which though very important but are always forgotten. These days get permanently sketched in your memory.
I am a nineteen year old average guy completing his graduation. For last sixteen years, I haven’t changed my profession. I have been a student all these years, and I will be in the same field for next two years. Like every guy on the planet I love checking out girls, hanging out with friends, enjoy playing sports and simply love my bike rides. Basically, to sum it all up, I love spending my parents’ money. Being a teenager, I feel, it’s my responsibility to do so. I never cared for anyone except my friends and family. But one day, everything changed.
A friend of mine used to go to a school to spend some time with kids over there. Stupid! Mere wastage of time was my initial reactions! She asked me to accompany her not once but many times. I always turned down her offer. I knew I was going to get bored to death in the school. I had the worst impression of the place in my head.
One day I lost a simple bet with her. Result- I visited the school next time she went there. I was wrong! Hell, I was! I thought it was going to be the worst experience ever! I even carried my i-pod as a source of entertainment. But the gadget remained untouched.
As soon as we entered the class, all the kids came and encircled us. Everyone was busy updating us with whatever new happened in his or her life. Their innocence touched me. Deeply. They all love us, especially my friend, who had till now a kid on her lap and another on her shoulder. She then introduced me to them. I was bombarded with questions like-‘What you do?’ ‘Where do you stay?’etc. every kid meant every word he asked. It wasn’t like a mere formality we go through on meeting a new person. Then they all showed us the new dance they had learned. It was the best dance I had ever seen till date!
We stayed there for an hour and then we decided to leave. We had no other option left actually, their English class was about to begin and we didn’t want to disturb it. I just couldn’t take my eyes of them! It was the first time I handled little kids and the experience made me more than happy. I just couldn’t take my eyes off them! They were simply adorable! I waited outside the class door for five minutes after their class began. What I saw was shocking!
There were just 3 books in a class of 20 students, yet all of them were happy with whatever they had. The teacher inside was younger than me. I raised my doubt about the books and teacher to my friend. Her reply was the most unexpected one!
The kids inside, were from various backgrounds. Some of them were wards of sex workers; some were orphans, while some were abandoned street kids. The teacher was a volunteer from an organization named ‘Make a Difference’. The organization was popularly called as ‘MAD’.
The reality killed me. It ashamed me. I initially felt sorry for kids, but my view changed immediately. They were no different from what I am. In fact most of them were far more talented and far more intelligent than me. All they needed was a fair chance!
It’s a very fast world we live in! a train never waits for a late passenger. It doesn’t care if passenger didn’t have the knowledge of departure time. The train leaves when its suppose to leave. No one can make it wait, but we can always inform the passenger. Thus providing him a fair chance to board the train. I decided to act.
It was then I decided to join mad. I wanted to make a difference. I felt every kid deserves a fair chance. An opportunity to showcase his or her talent. I wanted to provide them with one. No one can change the world on his own. If millions worship a piece of stone, it becomes god. It doesn’t matter if you believe god’s existence in that stone or not. One can spend his entire life opposing the fact. In the end two or may be even three people may join him. But if he decides to join the millions, and spreads god’s message- love and humanity, not one but hundreds will join him. By joining MAD I feel I joined a religion.
It’s a place where every kid is god. And every kid is special. We care for them. Nurture them. We teach them everything we have learned. All for one solitaire goal- when the kid walks out as an adult in the real world, he must get an equal opportunity as I do. Past is something we cannot change. But by doing what’s right in present, we can certainly hope for a better future. Hope this note inspires others to do what is supposed to be done.
You don’t need to be a volunteer to help these kids. A tiny amount out of your pocket money can buy someone a book. You can donate your unused clothes and can create some one’s new wardrobe. The joy you will get by doing so, is something, which no words can describe. All I can say is- its something out of this world!
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