The Guilty Dogs -Saksham Agrawal

The Guilty Dogs' story reflects that you should not follow four evil practices-  Partiality, Ignorance, Anger, and Disliking others. You should stand for injustice, not easily pass judgment, and think you are always right. You should listen to everyone.

Dogs were far better than humans in the story we can reflect that dogs were behaving very rationally and did not react very easily and fast. They did not bite the king even after the king behaved very bad.

-Saksham Agrawal IX 

Sunbeam Hostel, Lahartara

My Contribution To Change The World - Tenzin Jambey

What will be my contribution to making the world a better place?

One person can not change the whole world, but we must understand that to bring peace, we all must contribute our efforts together. 

Every person can not reach out to the whole world; some people who are illiterate, uneducated and poor don't have access to the other side of the world. But, yes! There is a world for simple people, even if they don't know how the world looks outside their village and town.

One day, my grandmother asked me where this place called Dehradun actually lies because she had never stepped out of the village. Like my grandmother, people in the town know nothing about the states, countries, continents, world and planets. 

This is how life looks without education; without education, we cannot see the world beyond our surroundings. 

Still, even though the world of the illiterate people is limited, there is a world for them: their surroundings, where they live with their family, community and the different forms of life like animals and birds. 

Some people think that illiterate people are fools and dummies like zombies who can't feel, but no, they are wrong. As I have lived among educated and uneducated people, I know how different people think and live. 

Some people do very well in education and technology but use those skills badly. Hackers, people who indulge in cybercrime, corrupted ministers, and many more can be mentioned. Some uneducated people are pure from their hearts; they know nothing about the bad stuff, and the educated people always exploit them.

The world of uneducated and poor people is brutal to live in; they don't get food to eat, but some rich people spend a lot of money on ordering varieties of food, but all of it goes wasted! Well, to make the world a better place, both the educated and uneducated people must connect with each other. Every individual must give their best in all ways they can to make a sustainable future and a peaceful world.

I will always respect all the people of different castes and religions, and I will always try to be polite to others and keep my environment healthy. I will help the people who are in need. I will utilise education correctly and avoid the bad stuff that would hurt the sentiments and interests of people around me. 

 

I will think beyond the looks and try to reflect and understand as much as possible. I will always accept others and their opinion, thoughts and ideas. 

If everyone follows the good path, then our efforts will undoubtedly result in overcoming unwanted activities and things like illiteracy, poverty, pollution, exploitation, global warming, food wastage, tribal clash, discrimination, racism, crimes, murders, rapes, child labour and many more activities that harm the interest of the people.

Lastly, we are the ones who create trouble for ourselves, and we get disturbed by it. Some of our actions are the outcome of sadness & depression, which come when our happiness dies. Therefore, we must be happy and have peace of mind. Sadness and depression result in unwanted activities and things that I mentioned earlier. That's why happiness should be our priority- it will serve as a pillar in changing the world.

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

One kind word can warm three winter months - Tenzin Jambey

Picture Courtesy: https://pepperdine-graphic.com/opinion-give-kindness-more-often/

The proverb- 'One kind word can warm three winter months' means that one kind word can make people feel good in their sufferings. In other words, our kind words and works have had a good effect on people for a very long time.

Doing kind work is neither easy nor difficult. It's just a simple act everyone must practice to promote peace among the living beings on earth. All people have their definition of the word - 'kindness', and therefore I have my definition of it too.

According to me, 'Kindness doesn't mean donating and helping poor and needy people'. If this act was to be called an act of kindness, then some people do these things to win the vote during the election. And after being elected, their words, kind work and promises to vanish into the air like the air itself. 

I also want to bring up the act of some rich people who donate money to charity unwillingly to reduce the tax from the government. Therefore, I believe that the act of kindness must come, and it must come from deep within your heart by forgetting about your wealth and asset.

I remember a line in the poem, 'The Heart Of Tree', where it tells that a kind man plants a tree to serve future generations. He knows that he won't be able to enjoy the fruits of that tree, but still, he will have the satisfaction - that someday this tree will be helping people improve fresh air to breathe.

Many people speak about peace and kindness, but a few follow it. And I agree that only speaking is not enough. We must act upon our saying as we all know that - 'Action speaks louder than words'.

Some people don't understand the words of love to whom we refer as 'Rod is the only logic of fools'. If all the people were to follow the saying, there would have been no jail or prison. It indicates that saying alone is not stable enough to bring up a change. 

It's the truth, which I will highlight since now we remember the people who speak well about us and praise us only for a few days. But the people who show their kindness and help us to make our life better and more peaceful are remembered for years and years. It's so true that the praise and lovely, heartful words vanish into the air like changing seasons, but the kind act shows its effect for a very long time, like the climate.

Most people forget kind words, but kind work can last for years. And people remember you for your contribution like we remember Mahatma Gandhi for his act of promoting peace. We Pestalozzians remember Sir Johan Henrich Pestalozzi every year for his kindness and loving act that he practised till his last breath.

'A kind word can warm three winter months, but an act of kindness can give warmth for centuries'.

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Change I have seen from my recent past - Tenzin Jambey

Time goes on. We become old, much more experienced as the year passes (like a changing season). Reflection on things and my surroundings has become a part of my life. And from them, I get life lessons. This summer vacation was full of learning and knowledge, indeed. Knowledge is something other than what you get by opening books. 

Sometimes life and time teach you the best and most unforgettable teachings. So this vacation, I worked as a labour. Working under the orders of our boss was a different story. Well, for me, it was a lesson I learned that- life is not easy. For every human being, from poor to rich; and businessman to doctor, life is tough, and it is up to us- how we deal with it. The poor people think living a luxurious life is best and that money is everything. 

We chase money like a donkey chasing a carrot tied with a rope to a stick, while the master controlling the carrot takes the donkey where he wants. It's just an illusion a donkey sees. And the same case is with us people running behind an earthly thing like money. But if we think deeper, then we realise that money is an important asset to earn a living today and the same case for the donkey who runs behind a carrot to overcome hunger. 

There is a saying that "Too many cooks spoil the broth". Similarly, more money would not solve the problem but could lead to problems like - greed, desires, etc. And the conclusion for this will be that - 'For every problem, there is a solution'. And behind every solution, there is a problem. Recently, I have seen myself developing and becoming an idol for my juniors and even becoming a favourite of my house mother due to my efforts. Even in my village, I have a good image among everyone because I push myself to do better every time. 

Whenever I see any person older than me, I talk with them in a very respectful and comfortable way. They always give me a big smile when I meet them. If you work hard with your soul, life will pay you for that. When we push ourselves harder by getting out of our comfort zone, life teaches us lessons. And we are rewarded for the same accordingly. "That's the change that I have seen in my recent past".

Tenzin Jambey, Pestalozzi Children's Villiage India

All Lives Have Equal Value -Tenzin Jambey

Inspired by reading the book at our Sunday School.

Shouldn't we treat all living beings equally? Don't you agree that animals, plants and insects deserve respect?

If you think that they should not, then tell me the reason for that. We, humans, are exploiting wildlife, hunting and poaching animals and trading their body and their body illegally for the sake of earthly things called "money". What harm have they done to us? For what reason are we hurting them? Shouldn't we care for the cow which gives us milk? Shouldn't we care and protect the forest that provides us with a source of living?

Plants, flowers, trees and grasses all have equal value in life. If we pluck or take them, they will die like us. We pluck their leaves, and they will get hurt like we get. If we love and care for them, they will grow like healthy human beings. 

We don't like plants and animals. And we feel like they shouldn't exist in this world. For example- Mosquitoes and weeds. Similarly, now place yourself in an animal or a plant like a goat and Sundari tree and ask yourself- 'Would you let a human live who is exploiting you for their means and for earning money? Ask this yourself twice, thrice and thousands of times. And you'll get the answer by yourself. Next time, before killing an insect or before harming a plant, you will think thrice.

At last, life is tough for everyone, whether rich or poor, animal or human. Sometimes we feel like becoming a bird or sometimes a butterfly. But they have their life challenges. 

If poor people think rich men live a luxurious life, he is wrong. It's the rich man's hard work day and night that the poor man didn't do, but we cannot blame the poor people for being poor. As I have told you before, life is tough for everyone. There can be many causes that led him to poverty.

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

"All people have equal value" - Nishan Karki

                                 

Reflection from Sunday School

 

All lives have equal value. And so you say, 'Why do poor children die when other children don't? Why do some people have enough nutrition or reasonable toilets and other people don't?' So those basic needs that, through innovation, actually it's very affordable to bring them...to everyone.

~Bill Gates

Everyone in the world possesses many values. We, people, are the most intelligent beings created by God. God created us as social beings who can communicate, think, walk, eat, play and work by ourselves. God has provided us with many qualities like humanity, loyalty, kindness, honesty, compassion etc. We can look out for ourselves, do our work independently and do many more things. These qualities that we possess, make us unique, unlike animals and other creatures. They may possess some qualities, but not as many as we possess. Despite differences in region, birthplace, class, financial position, gender, age, caste, language and custom, people have equal values.

We may be rich, middle class or poor, but the value we possess are the same. We should use and show our values at the right time, place and situation. I have an example for this context- "There is a homeless guy, sitting on the side of a street. Two men were walking down the street, one poor and one wealthy. Despite being a wealthy man, he is rude and hard-hearted, unlike the poor, who is kind and generous. The rich man did not give attention to the homeless and walked away. But the poor man, in an instant, saw him and decided to help him. He went to a nearby shop and bought some food. He gave him food and a little money and spent time with him. The homeless guy thanked him. His eyes were all filled with tears."

This example shows that the poor guy has shown his value as a person and helped the homeless guy with some food and money. Thus we should use our values at the right time, place and situation. We should not hesitate to help someone in distress and difficulties because even a small help can change someone's life.

I believe that all lives have equal value. That all men and women are created equal. That everyone belongs. That everyone has rights, and everyone has the right to flourish. I believe that when people who are bound by the rules have no role in shaping the rules, moral blind spots become law, and the powerless bear the burden. ... I believe that entrenched social norms that shift society’s benefits to the powerful and its burdens to the powerless not only hurt the people pushed out but also always hurt the whole.

~Melinda Gates

 

Nishan Karki

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India

Friendship - Arnav Chawla

Once I was walking on the road, I saw a beggar. Out of curiosity, I started noticing his lifestyle. He slept on cardboard, he didn’t have many clothes, and I could feel his loneliness. I asked him if he had any friends or relatives to talk to. Surprisingly, he didn’t know the meaning of friendship! I told him that the importance of this term is a friendly relationship where people are friendly and care for each other. He happily agreed to be my friend. After that, we both used to talk. I managed to give him a job in my office as an assistant, and a year later he became the manager! We are still friends and shall always be.

Never see how rich or poor a person is; see their heart. They may also think that I should have someone to talk to, play with, and share my feelings. Just like that beggar, oh sorry, the manager needed a friend. 

Arnav Chawla 

Grade V

Gyanshree School