Saturday, 4 November 2023

Forgiveness - Tenzin Jambey

In the journey of our lives, we come across many situations that result in the destruction of our peace of mind. Sometimes, we mistakenly hurt someone. It really feels bad when others don't accept your apology and when you are not forgiven for the mistake you made.

We humans are not perfect; we make mistakes as we take every step in our lives. Sometimes, our actions hurt the sentiments of others, which results in the birth of hate in others for us. When we ask for forgiveness from others, some accept it, but some people don't forgive the mistakes made by children. A few days ago, my football went on the roof of the neighbour's house. I went to get it and called out the uncle. He came outside, and I quickly greeted him and said sorry in a polite manner. Still, I ended up getting terribly scolded by him. If I look from one side, what he did was right, as I should have cared for him while playing, as it could have broken the things in his house, but if I were in his place, I would have given the child advice rather than scolding him. When we get scolding from others, it makes us feel a bit restricted, and from now on, we feel a bit scared and down to do things again, like playing. If we don't forgive the mistakes of the younger ones, they will never be able to enjoy their childhood, and they will feel that they have made the biggest mistake, which will affect their minds.
 
Forgiveness is essential, especially when it comes to children. Through this reflection, we are smart enough to know when to forgive and when not. Forgiveness depends on the situation and dimensions. We know which things should be ignored and which are to be punished. Even though forgiveness stands higher than punishment, humans still follow this practice as we don't have any options, and there are no such questions for forgiveness for the people who willingly indulge in activities like crimes, murders, and rape. Therefore, forgiveness is essential, depending on the situation and people's actions. We should know when and where to forgive and when not.
 
In the case of children, we must forgive as they will make thousands of mistakes, and they will not do what is right and wrong. They like a mountain lake that is pure and calm, but sometimes, they take the form of hurricanes and irritate others a lot. But this act of theirs makes us feel happy and reminds us of our old days in the future. Someday, forgiveness binds us together. Suppose the neighbour's uncle forgives the kid who broke his window twice or three times and still possesses a sense of forgiveness. In that case, it makes the uncle a hero in the eyes of the kid, and who knows, in the future, the kid will become a famous person and come to visit you with gifts and old-time memories.
 
The art of forgiveness works differently for different ages of people. The easiest, simplest, and most effective one is forgiving children. I still remember the uncle who returned my football whenever it went into his house. He never got angry, and he did forgive me when I broke his house's window. He used to give me advice, "Child, this is the right time to enjoy and create trouble for others, as in the future you will never get to experience it." His words really reflected upon me. As I take each step daily, I am expected to do well and make the fewest mistakes.

Tenzin Jambey
Pestallozi Children's Village Society
Image Courtesy- Dreamstime

Why forgiveness is important? - Tulsi Karki

Forgiveness is part of healing and letting go of the past. Holding on to negative emotions may cause too much burden on our minds. Forgiveness is not for others but for us. For example, when a teacher is angry over something, a student asks some questions. He/she gets severe scolding from the teacher. The student feels bad and talks negatively about that very teacher. But later, if the same student finds difficulties in understanding any chapter and has to learn from the same teacher. That student won't feel uncomfortable asking for help because he or she has forgiven that teacher. Here, the student gets the benefit and gets to learn many things. If that student held grudges towards the teacher, would he or she ever get to know that chapter? No, because holding grudges and never forgiving teachers would not help the student.

Forgiveness can lead to healthier relationships. It shows how much strength we have and how we manage to pull through the hard times. 

Tulsi Karki
Pestallozi Children's Village Society
Image courtesy- Experience life- lifetime

Thinking for oneself - Nishan Karki

Thinking for oneself

"Its starting point has always been a willingness to think for oneself, a feeling of respect and concern for our fellow creatures, and a refusal to be complicit in abuse, and people of such conviction come from everywhere." —Matthew Scully
 
Thinking for oneself is one of the most important parts of life. It plays a crucial role in one's life. One should also think about his own motives instead of those of others. Well, it is also important to think for others, but before that, thinking for oneself is more crucial.
 
Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher, said that:
 
A library may be very large, but if it is in disorder, it is less useful than one that is small but well-arranged. In the same way, a man may have a great mass of knowledge, but if he has yet to work it up by thinking it over for himself, it has much less value than a far smaller amount that he has thoroughly pondered.

So, one may have a great deal of knowledge, but if he does not use it wisely and in a fruitful manner by thinking it over for himself, his knowledge is worthless. He should utilize his knowledge to do good for himself and, thus, for others. He should not let it go to waste and always try to gain from it. If only he gains from his knowledge by thinking it over for himself, his knowledge will be valuable.

Nishan Karki
Class 10
Pestalozzi Children's Village Society
Image Courtesy- wikiHow