SWEATING IT OUT FOR OUR OWN DREAMS










Every generation tries to provide the very best for the next!


I remember my grandfather… His world was revolved around our village paddy-fields, plows and oxen in the shed. Still, when it came to his eight children, he worked hard to provide them a better condition in life. So, my father was placed in a better position compared to my grandfather… Then, came the turn of my father to provide even better things to his own five sons, which, to the best of his capacities – and wisdom – he did. So, I was placed at a much better station in life compared to my own father. The baton was handed over to me to do the same for my only son. I am proud that I have placed him at even more privileged position compared to his own dad!


That’s how Life has been, all through the ages… Every generation trying to provide the very best to the next!


But, one thing would never change, no matter how many generations have come and gone, and how many more will come and go... And, that’s what God had commanded when He had sent, forever, Adam and Eve out of Eden Garden, the Paradise on Earth: “By the sweat of your brow, you will have food to eat until you return to the ground…”


Till that moment, everything was ‘provided’ ready on a platter to Man and Woman. Food came on the plate on its own… No worries about a tomorrow… about the next meal or about the next desert. Life was in a Paradise… It was an endless feast!


All this changed when God’s maiden children disobeyed. The Holy Book says that God was enraged and was compelled to throw Man and Woman out of the Paradise… “Go, and earn your daily food by the sweat of your brow… Yes, by slogging very, very hard… and, do it until you die!”


So, this is what, I say, has never changed and will never change…


No more Paradise for our children… No more worry-free tomorrows!




Man and Woman have to sweat it out… 

They have to worry about their tomorrow, 

their next meal!




Well, even though it is so, we coolly forget it… and, try to provide to our children their Eden Gardens: from the best Play Schools to the best Management Schools, from best toys and gadgets to the best cars and mansions, from the best spouses to the best Honeymoons… We yearn to provide them all, so that they can be happy and proud, and we, too, can be!


The 24-year-old Prema Jayakumar, who hails from our Mumbai suburbs, is suddenly in news… and, for a happy-good reason: She is the All-India topper in CA-finals-2012. And, to add some icing on this cake, her 22-year-old brother, too, has passed the same exam, together. The story is told by every Newspaper, TV channel, Social media… and, why not? She deserves every bit of it... perhaps, with a 21-Gun Salute!


Yes, an auto-rikshaw driver’s children are these two…raised in a 300-s.ft tenement! He provided them with best he could… But, in my view, the ‘best things’ he must have provided to them must be: ‘Self-belief’… and the ‘Value of dreaming and sweating it out to realize them’! 


Today, when we are so obsessed with sending our children to the best of the best Schools, Activity classes, Coaching classes, Gyms and Gymkhanas… Sports, Singing, Dancing, Acting, Modeling, Exchange Programmes, Foreign tours… and, yes, an air-conditioned personal-room for each one of them at home… a private tutor, a Governess… and, the latest of the latest gadgets and gizmos… all in the name of providing the ‘best’ to our Next-Gen… and, all in the name of love, care and concern… we need to think hard, and, now:


Do we remind our children enough about the value of dreaming and sweating it out to realize them?


Do we remind them enough about the importance and the power of ‘Self-belief’?


And, this: Do we need to raise them in a Paradise… or, teach them to raise one on their own?







Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand up for the two, who weren’t raised in a Paradise, and, yet, have raised their own!


Here go the Guns!


GERALD D’CUNHA


Pics.: Manoj Nair


Comments

Mahesh Pai said…
Completely agree. Our children have to sweat it out. Mahesh Pai
Rajesh Mistry said…
The story of these two young-ones is enough reason why we should believe in our dreams, and why in working hard to realize them! Rajesh
Usha Suvarna said…
Having it all ready spoils. Usha
Navin Patil said…
Inspiring post. A must read for every one! Keep it up!
- Navin
Unknown said…
very very true sir.
Vikas Prajapati said…
Hie,

Very Very inspiring post for me.
.
Thanks for sharing with us.

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