Being always grateful is what Gratitude means - Tenzin Jambey

Gautam Buddha was born into a royal family, but unlike other princes, he didn't like being a prince or wanting to become a king or rule a kingdom. He was greatly affected and unfortunate after finding out that human life is a misery; therefore, he attained "Nirvana" after meditating for years to free himself from the world of sorrow and sadness. Sometimes, religious texts and stories make me wonder whether they occurred in reality.

The flying chariot of Ravana, the superpower monkey God like Hanumanji, etc., are all myths that few people in the world don't believe, and some people like me are in a dilemma. Some people believe that praying to God and offering sacrifices brings peace into one's life, but we must understand that we bring happiness and sadness to ourselves.

Now, the question arises: What does gratitude do with all this?

Gratitude is an art that can bring about a significant change in our lives. When gratitude becomes part of our lives, we stop blaming gods for our sadness and sorrow. First, we must understand that it is a natural process that, after giving birth, everyone has to die. A flower that is blooming today won't stay blooming forever. At the same time, we have to learn to accept sadness, sorrow, failure, hate, death, and misery. Because of all such emotions, we know what happiness, joy, birth, and pleasure feel like.

"Every action has an opposite reaction and an equal reaction." Newton's law is implied in everything around us, even our emotions. Now that we know that sadness and sorrow will come into our lives, why mourn for a long time? Why do you have to cry and shed tears for the sad moment that happened years ago when you didn't laugh at the joke from last year?

People are like a maze, and it's our nature to look for sadness until we change it ourselves. To overcome this, "gratitude" serves as a hearing medicine. We should always accept that whatever happens, it happens for the best. Always be grateful for everything that happens around you. Even if you fail or someone takes away your privilege, be happy and grateful, as there is always a learning part and learning and lessons are far better than winning. "Be grateful for your house," "Be grateful for the food you eat," and "Be grateful for your body organs," as there are some who don't have a home, have body parts, or get one meal a day. A boy was sitting on the bench, and he was barefoot. We wished for a show and became sad, but his desire for a shoe vanished when he saw another guy with no legs. This is how gratitude works.

 

Having gratitude will protect you from being affected by others; feelings of jealousy and hate will never arise if you follow the art of gratitude in your daily life. "BEING ALWAYS GRATEFUL IS WHAT GRATITUDE MEANS."

TENZIN JAMBEY

Pestalozzi Children's Village Society

Major set backs serve as a catalyst - Shambhavi Nautiyal

My opinion implicitly agrees with the title 'major setbacks serve as a catalyst for success'. I come across many such stories embodying the essence of the title every week, thanks to my mom, which are usually about some IAS officers from a grassroots-level background. As vexed as I have grown from reading the headlines of those stories, I set out today on a journey to finding my own inspiration in this concept. 

The first thing that comes to mind (as I can relate the most to it) is my spiritual journey and study patterns. Each day, we are growing and evolving. And learning new things, but what if all you had were hand-me-down textbooks from your elder brother or a library near your house? Then what would you do? Would you lose all hope and lie hopelessly, thinking you will take over your family's profession, or would you employ what you had best instead? People could only choose the second if they were self-motivated due to having a vision or a transitional figure who inspired them to rise above all the odds and fight for what was right. 

When two people are standing in prison, one sees the stars, and the other considers the bars. As humans, those of us who have a Sattvic nature tend to reach for the stars innately, even if maybe in the external, there seems no prospect. But even those who don't have that kind of mindset can still learn to mend their mindset. However, what happens on the inside is what manifests on the outside, which is the reason. Having a vision is so consequential. Not caring about other people's disproof or approval while trying to find our way through that one thing we want to achieve. 

That is the most brilliant thing about human dispositions. It may seem too fanciful at the start or in the middle of the journey, but we must learn how to dream. We must have faith, or we'll all just perish, and it won't mean a thing. Let the people around you head into the darkness, but you must Reach for the stars; you need to try, or else it will all be wasted.

Don't let the people around you DEFINE YOUR MINDSET; DON'T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF.

Imagine your own success story in that place you want to be and keep striving to get there because, in the process, I know you will find your own position. Get in your high vibrational state and decide your future and your vision. The moment you do that, the universe sets the path for you. All you have to do is walk on it. Now that you have backtracked, it makes it all worth it for you to achieve. Have hope and faith that you can make a difference; you do it daily without knowing it. You are worth so much; don't let anything convince you otherwise. I love you, and if you don't, I'll be upset and won't talk to you, so better be careful. Ciao!

Shambhavi Nautiyal
Intern at My Good School

Reflection of the week - 26th November 2023

Live Life In Crescendo

1. Major setbacks can often serve as the catalyst.

2. Our most potent weapon: Books. Why is education important?

3. My experiments with self-awareness 

4. "You see things, and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were, and I say 'Why not?'"

5. Was Malala merely a leader or much more?

From Tata Stories

1. Search up and learn more about the RTI Act ( Right To Information Act)

2. What are relief funds, and how were they used? What were the various relief funds we have?

3. Were there any similarities between Malala Yousafzai and JRD Tata?

4. There is no doubt that vision and purpose, once well defined, constitute the most important North Star in the life of any individual. 

~a helping point~

Your vision statement will include what you're hoping to achieve. Your purpose statement will include your motivations for this. Your mission statement will include your actions to get there.

These are some suggestions you can choose from. I am looking forward to seeing your wonderful and thoughtful reflections!

You can email your reflections to Manisha Ma'am at - SS@learningforward.org.in.

Rishona Chopra
School Captain My Good School?

Gratitude - Tulsi Karki

We all know that being thankful and being ready to show appreciation and return kindness is known as gratitude. Gratitude is when we feel grateful for the good things in our lives. This could be stuff people often take for granted, like having a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eat, clean water to drink, and friends and family.

Having gratitude can bring change to us. If we express our gratitude towards something, we feel positive. It can broaden our outlook, boost our minds, and help us face negative thoughts and challenges. People who purposely acknowledge and express gratitude feel more positive; their emotions are better able to relish good experiences and build stronger relationships.

Tulsi Karki

Pestallozi Children's Village Society

Power of a book in a child's hands - Nishan Karki

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.” ― Walt Disney

The book, one of the sources of knowledge, is of great importance to us. Students need books to learn, teachers need books to teach, and other people need books to acquire information and knowledge. Initially, we all need books to gain knowledge and gather information. A book may be small, but it has the power to change a person. We must never underestimate the power of books.

 

Roald Dahl, one of the most prolific modern writers, in his poem Television, has laid emphasis on the importance of books to children and has gone against devices like television. Following are a few lines that I have extracted from the poem.

"Oh, books, what books they used to know,

Those children living long ago!

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,

Go throw your TV set away,

And in its place you can install

A lovely bookshelf on the wall.

Then fill the shelves with lots of books,

Ignoring all the dirty looks,

The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,

And children hitting you with sticks-

Fear not, because we promise you

That, in about a week or two

Of having nothing else to do,

They'll now begin to feel the need

Of having something to read.

And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!

You watch the slowly growing joy

That fills their hearts."

In this poem, Roald Dahl says that the children living long ago knew about many books. He begs and prays for the parents to throw their TV set away and install a lovely bookshelf on the wall where the TV was kept before. They must fill the shelves with a lot of books, which will make their children ignore the dirty looks of TV. When the TV is removed, the children will scream, yell, bite, kick, and hit their parents with sticks. But the parents need not be afraid because in about one or two weeks, the children will have nothing to do, and then they will feel the need to have something to read. Once they start reading, the slowly growing joy will be seen in the children, which will fill their hearts.

 

So, Roald Dahl has beautifully described the importance and need of books for children. It will help children increase their imagination. It will help to improve their creativity too.

 

"The best addiction is being addicted to books." This addiction will help us gain, not lose. It will prove to be an asset, not a liability. So, all people must read books, whether young or old.

 

Nishan Karki

Pestallozi Children's Village Society

Image courtesy- Canva

Book Review: I Came Upon a Lighthouse - Saikiran Sahu

                                     “I Came Upon a Lighthouse” by Shantanu Naidu

Every person has a bookish soul, some just haven't found their match yet! And the book” I Came Upon a Lighthouse” is the perfect match .

This is a meticulously curated book by Shantanu Naidu and illustrated by Sanjana Desai. It is a short memoir of life with Ratan Tata and is probably the best book written on him yet. This book's title is like a magnet, and I can't help but be drawn to it. It paints Ratan Tata as a lighthouse, shining bright and steady in the midst of stormy seas, offering a glimmer of hope to all those lost in the darkness. It is not much of a biography where there is a description of his milestones or historical events , instead the world finally gets to see Ratan Tata's softer side, revealing the big brother and cool guardian angel within! The colors and shades of his personality shone bright as day, leaving us all giddy with excitement! This book isn't merely a narrative, but a poignant memoir that captures a range of emotions. This memoir delves into a profound friendship that transcends age and it was their shared empathy and mutual compassion for homeless dogs that led to an unexpected bond between them.

In a nutshell, "I Came Upon a Lighthouse" is a refreshing and heartwarming tale about an unlikely friendship between a millennial and an octogenarian that gives glimpses of a beloved Indian legend in a warm light. This book is a feel-good read, one that you didn't realise you needed but will undoubtedly enjoy.

Saikiran Sahu, IX Gyanshree School

Gratitude makes our Attitude - Sunbeam Varuna

Ismat - "If you concentrate on what you have, you'll always have more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never have enough." - Lewis Howes

Astha - Maintaining an attitude of gratitude holds significant importance as it transforms our mindset. By redirecting our attention from ourselves towards appreciating people or things, we open doors to express gratitude for every facet of our lives.

Ismat - Cultivating this attitude involves consciously appreciating both major and minor aspects regularly-be it relationships, health, business, possessions, basic necessities like food and water, or our general sense of wellness.

Astha - Embracing an attitude of gratitude lets us engage from a standpoint of abundance. Nurturing this mindset cultivates greater happiness, positivity, and compassion towards ourselves and those in our circles.

Ismat- Centering on what brings us gratitude helps build stronger habits of appreciating the significant individuals and elements in our lives. Gratitude, fundamentally, involves appreciating what we possess rather than fixating on what we might lack.

This is our maiden effort, we hope you like it.

Brought to you by Sunbeam Varuna School & Hostel Varanasi

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