KID'S BANDWAGON

Last afternoon, Anupam, a very dear ex-student of DAWN CLUB, called me. He wanted me to take the concluding session for the batch of young BMS-students at a Mumbai college.That is, today morning!

Even before I I could ask the other details such as the topic, the duration,, the venue etc., I had promised Anupam - 'I Do'.

Anupam is my good friend Uday's nephew. Way back in 1989, when I had just started THE DAWN CLUB, I had started it not because I knew how to carry out all those activities on personal growth, but because, my heart was propelling me to do so. I did not know how to go about it... Still, I had started it. Hundreds of students had come around me to cheer me up... and, that was my greatest strength. But then, that could have been my potential doom-device too! I could easily succumb to the pressure of expectations from all my well-wishers!

No, it was not supposed to be so. If your intentions are right, God shows the way. I knew, and I would tell it loudly to everyone around: "I am sure, God will send to me wonderful people to help me out."

And, God did. Within months, these wonderful people started coming into my life, all on their own... Believe me, without any effort from my end!

Shri Uday Acharya - just Uday, to me - was one of them!

Those days, like me, Uday too had just started his Vedanta classes in the city after completing his learning in his teacher's Ashram. He had heard about me from one of my students and, along with Shri. Ram Mohan, his batch mate and pal, come to see me.

When I look back on this, I, sometimes, wonder: "How innocent trust can be!"

I was just a 'kid' in these matters... and people like Uday, Ram Mohan sir and  many others just joined this 'kid's Bandwagon' called - THE DAWN CLUB!

Over the years, all these wonderful, talented souls stood by me and helped me carry out my vision. They did not bother about what they would get in return; they did not bother about anything else. Just one call: "We shall help Gerry!" That must be the reason for standing by me for over twenty-two long years!

We have nothing in writing... No obligation to each other, whatsoever. Still, we have this innate comfort-level of picking up the phone - even at 4 a.m. as they say - and say,  "Can you come when the Sun goes up, this morning?"

I learnt, early in life, 

to put loyalty 

to people and friends

 on the top of my Values-list.

Today, Anupam, who I call as a proud DAWN CLUB product - is exactly doing what I was doing in those stars-in-my-eyes days! And, he, I am more than sure, has the same trust in the Existence... that, he would find   wonderful souls to help him out!

"What goes around, comes around." Well, Anupam, your uncle, my friend, Uday,  has not taught this to the world - for all these twenty-two years - for nothing!

Good luck, my boy. I shall be there, this morning...   Yes, to join your Bandwagon.

The 'Kid's  Bandwagon'!

GERALD D'CUNHA

Pic.: Vivek D'Cunha