Happiness permeates faster and better

If you sit back and recall childhood memories, I am sure you will remember that, as children we all enjoyed and looked out for a smiling face or a friendlier person to play with. Probably because as children we are more friendlier to people who smile than with someone with a serious face.  I remember my kindergarten teacher Miss Shamim, who was always smiling and taught me how to fold a handkerchief. It is another matter that I never managed to learn anything else she taught in the class, which is why my mother always frowned at my report card. Those were days I preferred my teacher’s company, which was the only reason I went to school.  Thank you teacher. 

Positive emotions spread easily and, faster and it is more natural for human beings to adapt. That is probably the reason why we smile when someone compliments us and get upset if someone is upset with us. It is not rocket science and we don’t have to be a psychology major to prove this.

Similarly, positive and good ideas have a strange way to permeate into minds than the negative ones.  The more positive they get, the better they are accepted. At times when I crib about how messed up my day was, Mom always reminds me of a story from Mahabharata about Yudhishtir and Duryodhana. Yudhishtir was unsuccessful in finding a bad person in the kingdom and Duryodhana couldn’t find a good one, after searching the entire Hasthinapura. That story was a simple one yet held profound meaning in our family. Mom always gave us to choose who we want to be – Yudhishtir or Duryodhana. But then mom is optimistic about everything.

But as we grew up to be adults, we forgot the story and the choices in the drudgery of daily life, and often turned out to be skeptical about a lot of things. My mother is an avid follower of politics she insisted that I took her to Aam Aadmi Party’s office so she can meet the team she admired. I was extremely skeptical and thought them to be a bunch of very enthusiastic people who were after a mirage. I thought Mom should rather sit back and enjoy her life now rather than running around meeting activists. I had only two reasons to go there – first one is Mom and second is to say hello to my mentor Mr. Venkat Reddy who is active in AAP activities in the state. He was my mentor and guide at MV Foundation and made me think correctly about Child Rights. Thank you Venkat Reddy garu.

So, the trip to AAP office, resulted in changing my mind totally, about my own mother and the team behind the much talked about political party in India. As I was introduced around to the team by Venkat Reddy garu, I came to know that none of the volunteers got paid for the work they are doing there. People who left their well paying jobs and comforts of their life and came there to work for nothing, not even name or fame. There were people who were much younger than me and a lot older than me driven by a single motto, to do something positive, not for their selfish benefits but a collective and nobler motive – to build a better nation. I noticed that the entire team was smiling and had a strange radiance kind of “Brahma Tejassu” on their faces. I could see this in Mr. Venkat Reddy himself was touring around rural villages in Adilabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, Rangareddy , Mahboobnagar for the past 6 weeks preparing reports collecting information at the grassroots level and he did not even own a car. Trust me that was back-breaking work. I did not see him as a tired person or a tanned man for his age. Instead he appeared to be more energetic and happier brimming with enthusiasm. The same is the case with rest of the team.

Apart from being happy and smiling, they were actually brainstorming, discussing and debating passionately about the core issues that need to be addressed. They were preparing strategic plans and road maps for achieving their goal, based on the real numbers from the ground team who were compiling data. I managed to peek at the notes on their desks. In the 20 minutes I spent there, apart from the strategic planners and think tanks in the team (I was fortunate enough to meet some of them too), I saw a  lady volunteer preparing a list of to-do things for each member, a man probably in his 30s sharing his notes with a team,  listing out priorities for a particular village he recently visited, another man translating something from English to Telugu preparing campaign material, someone was updating the social media pages, another volunteer making serving tea for everyone, a lady training new volunteers and updating them that they don’t derive any financial or any other benefits for working for AAP and sternly adding that they can leave if they were expecting any benefits in cash or kind…

The first minute in the office was chaos, but as I started observing what was going on, I knew everyone was actually doing something constructive as per their abilities and appeared very happy doing it. Even difference of opinions were considered and points noted without any prejudice. This team had no selfish motives, no recognition, no personal benefits, and not even proper furniture or air-conditioning.  Yet each member was brimming with positive ideas and enthusiasm and are willing to share with others to rebuild the nation. They don’t seem to care about the outcome of the general election which is perceived as an impending thing according to media. They are already visualising a positive future for the nation and are working happily towards achieving it.  I realized why my mother was so bent upon visiting Aam Aadmi Party office. I was mistaken that she was suffering with ‘Kejriwala syndrome’. (That’s how she prefers to call him with an extra a added to his name)   This infectious enthusiasm is what Mom noticed and insisted that we should go there.

Mom gave me a choice of sitting in the living room and whine about how selfish everyone is are and how difficult it is to change things in India or to do my bit and be a part of the positive change my country is about to encounter soon.  The choice she gave me was whether to be a part of it or not.  Thank you Mom and Aam Aadmi Party for giving me the much needed direction. I sincerely hope your positive attitude permeates and reflects among the entire nation.

I recall one of my favourite quote from Yuva Bharati meeting which is on the same lines… ‘Instead of cursing the darkness, it is better to light a candle, no matter how small it is’.

చుట్టూరా ఆవరించుకొని ఉన్న చీకటిని

తిట్టుకుంటూ కూర్చోవడం కంటే ప్రయత్నించి

ఎంత చిన్న దీపాన్నైనా వెలిగించటం మంచిది.