By Volunteer Lathika Jain, FHI Chennai
I’ve been a part of the FHI family for two of their events. By just attending the two of them I have learnt so much! Things that not only apply to me, but to everyone. In one of the events, we had distributed water bottles to the kids. Looking at their happiness took me back to my school days before the end of every summer vacation. We used to go for back-to-school shopping and get all the necessary as well as fancy items which weren’t a requirement. It made me realize how privileged I was. Not all have the luxury I was brought up with and yet my wants and desires are seemingly never ending. I, therefore, learnt to limit my wants and desires by only buying what we need, because once wants are fulfilled, they lose their novelty and become valueless.
One thing that I would try to follow in my life is that we should always look downward during our happiness and upwards during our pain, i.e, when you’re happy, see the ones who aren’t as happy as you and appreciate your position, and when you’re in pain, see the ones who are bearing more pain than you. Learn to appreciate what you have in life and this will curb your persistent complaints and unhappiness with life.
Those kids may also have different desires and are still happy with whatever they have and yet, we as privileged people, keep complaining. Never compare your desires with others as it will always keep you dissatisfied, greedy and ungrateful for what we already have. Another thing we can learn from them is their innocence. The innocence in kids truly cannot be compared to anything. Life can be so much easier if we treat it with the simplicity and innocence that children do, a much needed respite from the ever increasing cruelty in this world.
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