By Volunteer Selvalakshmi Arullselvam, FHI Pondicherry
When I walked into FHI, I thought I walked into something ‘to add value to a child’s life through activity based learning programs’, as per their Instagram bio. Albeit, rightly to say; it just adds value to lives, to all lives interacting, regardless.
I would call my experiences with FHI, quite the epiphanies of my recent times. Every time I head home after the events, I undergo mixed feelings – quite a melancholy that lingers for a long time. I ponder over the gestures I made, dissecting every move and the aftermath of each of those, often realizing that I could always be a tad bit better.
After the events get over, I mostly find myself sponging up more goodness than I had to offer. I very distinctly remember how I felt post every event, hopeful and thankful.
The kids that we get to meet are very often the victims of hard luck. But that didn’t stop them from giving that extra hug or flashing those bright smiles or sharing the love that they yearn for. They see the light at the end of the tunnel and manage to dance their way to it. That pure joy in life itself, for whatever way it is, is something that I am trying to imbibe in myself as well.
Quoting Emilia Clarke, “I was never raised to say, ‘It’s not fair’. I was taught to remember that there is always someone who is worse off than you.”
These words pretty much sum up my journey with FHI till now. I’ve learnt to appreciate more, fret lesser and smile even on the face of adversities. The kids added richness to my life more than I could do to theirs in a billion years. What a beautiful plot twist, don’t you agree?
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