Savera - A new morning

When I first joined Savera, a school for kids with special needs, it was with zeal to do something for these kids. To help make their lives easier in one way or the other, probably by serving them. I had absolutely no idea of what I’d be doing, seeing or learning there. So I joined the school with no presumptions and this helped me to not only give and serve the little ones better but also to receive so much more from each child, more than I could possibly have imagined. Each child was special in his/her own way. Each child was; is a bundle of love.

The first day kicked off with introductions. Mam introduced me to all the kids and half a minute for each kid was about all that it took to establish that initial bond of love between souls, whose bodies may be maimed but their souls are whole.

The next few days are now some of my most treasured memories of life. Though now I am back in Amritsar, there are times when the faces of these children flash in my mind, each one trying to grab my attention. Each one expressing love in her/his own special way.

It was during my time in Savera that I asked a friend, “How would you define God’s creation?” He replied,” Everything that is unscientific and illogical is God’s creation.” In keeping up with all that I have learnt during my school years, I said,” How about the Universe, the Sun, the human body…..all these are God’s creations but we study them under science.” And he said,” Science is man’s perspective of looking at God’s creations.” What he said struck a positive note with me but the enormity and the terrible beauty of his words actually sunk in with an experience I had in Savera.

One afternoon after school was over and the curtains separating the two groups of students were drawn apart, Ayushi called me from the other end of the room. A young girl of, I guess, 10years, Ayushi suffers from Ataxia and needs help moving around.

For her, speaking every word is a challenge in itself. Unable to get out of her chair due to being ridden to it for life, she looked at me from across the room, gave me a beautiful, warm smile and using her eyes called me to her. Once with her, she uttered,”baithjao (please sit).”

That day Ayushi, with her silent gestures, taught and showed me what no other, with their bodies whole and unharmed, could ever teach me. The power of love, love as God meant it to be. Sheer, unadulterated love.

Science is man’s perspective of God’s creations but Love is God’s perspective of what he created. We teach these children how to survive in society but they taught me how to live.

Earth Hour 2009

 With the advent of Earth Hour, as my cousin and I switched off the lights and electrical appliances of our home and moved out into the verandah, we set the natural electrical signals in our gray matter clicking to think of an activity for the next one hour. However, the moment we stepped out of the door we realized that we didn't have to try too hard to find something to do, nature had already taken care of it and with a carefree mind unhampered by worries, the two of us listened to the dance of the white fairy god mothers, grayed with the weight of vapour, as they danced chaotically keeping in tune with the rhythm of Nature. Nothing seemed more pleasing to our eyes than the music of this blissful celebration of the ladies draped in white and gray, the music of those tiny droplets that gradually filled out into hearty drops of water. Unable to hold ourselves back any longer Maneet and I joined in the festivities and danced to the rhythm of the rainfall.

And as I sang songs that I had learned in my choir, the silence of the human world made more beautiful by the darkness and the pitter patter of nature's feet, made the music sound eerily beautiful. Nothing else but a graciously proper combination of Nature's elements could have made my cousin (used to listening to blaring Punjabi songs) sit through a soprano's high pitched performance.

After accepting his kind compliments, we looked around us at our neighbours' houses, curious to know if they too were being a part of this exhilarating movement by switching off their lights. We realized that though there were many who knew about the Earth hour, there were still a few people who had not turned off their lights. My cousin and I looked at each other and without further hesitation rushed out of the gate to bring out our next door neighbours. As aunty came to answer our call we politely explained to her the importance of the hour and how she too could be a proud participant by switching off the lights in her house. My neighbour is a nice lady and she willingly became "member number NEXT" of the Earth Hour. Encouraged by our success we rushed to three other houses in our lane and convinced the owners to turn off the maximum number of lights in their homes. As we walked back to our house, the rain complimented by a cool breeze played around our feet, patted our backs and splashed freshness on our faces. With joy in our hearts and peace around us, Maneet and I hopped back to our home to make the most of the last ten minutes of a beautiful hour.