THE UPSIDE-DOWN BOTTLE...

Sagar* sent a message, this morning: “Sir, I am at Siddhivinayak temple… So, can’t come for the PD class.”

I said in my mind, “May Lord Ganesh bless you.”

Actually, I meant: “Lord Ganesh alone can save you, dear!”

Yes, I am a mortal… I can’t!

I have tried… tried hard and long… I can’t.

Why? Why do I say, “I can’t?”

Well, Lord Ganesh knows it pretty well. I hoped, this morning, that He would send my student, Sagar, back putting some sense into his thick skull.

Two days back: “Sir, my best friend’s mom is in ICU… I have come to be with my friend. Sorry, I can’t attend today.”

A day before that: “Sir, I am out on some urgent ‘personal’ work… Don’t think I can make to the class. Sorry.”

Go another two days back: “Sir, I am really not well. Excuse me. I will attend regularly from next class.”

Like this, almost, ninety percent of the course has gone for a toss. Only ten percent is now left. Of this, I am sure, ninety percent will go for a toss, as well... Unless, the Lord of Siddhivinayak intervenes, and fast!

I hear the little mouse at Lord’s feet protesting: “Sorry, Lord helps only those who help themselves!”

Oh no!

How can I help Sagar? How can I motivate him?

Manjeet, my friend, had come to help me during the PD session, today. He was watching the proceedings. Another young man was on stage. After almost one-and-a-half months of marathon sessions, this young man – a graduate – still sounded lifeless. There was no involvement in what he was saying… No passion. He was asked to share: "At least two things I have learnt from this course." He opened, and before we could sit with our backs erect, his two things were over!

“Speak loudly, beta, speak clearly… and, speak from your heart.” I urged with all my passion.

No, his two things were in one place and he was in another!

“Dear, do you really think this course has helped you?” I asked.

“Yes,” he mumbled.

“Is it ‘yes’ or is it ‘YESSSS’?” I prodded.

“Yess,” it was slightly better, this time.

“Really?”

“YESSS sir,” he was quick.

The class applauded.

The world always applauds when you raise your fist and declare: “YESSS”!

The next few lines were how I wanted them to be: from the heart… with passion.

After that, the session took a new turn. I asked the question, a hundredth time, perhaps: 

“Friends, from where does motivation come?”

They all contributed to the discussion. 

Manjeet came to the stage to say something on the subject. He spoke about two kinds of motivation: the motivation that comes from ‘outside’… and, the motivation that comes from ‘inside’. “My young friends, this course is an ‘outside’ motivation... Your dad, mom, teachers, books, CD’s… even God are all ‘outside’ motivations,” he explained to our students, “But, they can help you only when you are ‘available’… Your switch has to be on… so that the power can reach the bulb… and it glows.” He asked, “How can the bulb glow if the switch is off?”

The young ones were glued. “Yes, how can the bulb glow… even with the high voltage power running through the cables unless your switch is kept on?”

Perhaps, some simple examples are missed all the time. I had missed this all through my years and years of teaching experience.

Then, Manjeet ended what he wanted to say with one more example: “You have come to the flowing river with a bottle in your hand… Yes, you want water from this rich river,” he reminded them, “But, my dear young friends, if you want to fill your bottle, please don’t place your bottle ‘upside down’!”

The class applauded, again.

Even to receive ‘Prasad’ 

at the revered Siddhivinayak temple, 

you need to stretch your open palms… 

You need to bow your head and ‘yearn’.

The river of Life fills every heart… The heart only needs to be ‘yearning’. That’s all!

Yes, that's all, Sagar!

 * The name is changed

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.:Sandeep Nair