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As a child, I wondered why my mother's friend, with a Bachelor's in Education and at the age of 55, had so much enthusiasm for teaching while many others had given up.
I remember one of my mother’s friends, who at the ripe age of fifty-five, had gone ahead and completed not only her graduation in Law but also a Bachelor’s in Education. Even as a kid at that time, I wondered what it was that gave her so much enthusiasm when almost everyone gave up! I could not find an answer at that time, but now I think that I can comprehend it and appreciate it. Kudos to her!
Life is indeed a big journey. We have to pass through many ups and downs on this voyage, especially women. We have so many things to cater to, so many social traditions to follow, so many compromises to be made, and so many people for whom we have to think and adjust.
While caring and considering everyone and their desires, careers, and social responsibilities, women often forget what they wanted, what they yearned and longed for. Their desires frequently get crumpled under the weight of everything else.
Yes, it is true that when children are small, they need a lot of attention, care, and time. Mostly, the careers of ladies are sacrificed because of that. However, when the children get slightly older, there is suddenly so much time available. At that point, I have seen so many of my friends wondering what to do. Most of them feel that it is too late for a career.
And then, most of the time is spent watching television, attending kitty parties, or in dejection and cribbing, which is the worst. I don’t say that watching television or attending kitty parties once in a while is bad. It is indeed a great occasion to mix and exchange views and ideas.
But, certainly, not all the time. Especially when that time could be better utilized.
Wondering what can be done? Well, there are thousands of paths available. Just let your hair down and let your thoughts flow. What was it that always excited you? Did you have a passion that you could not pursue? Did you desire to follow a career? Does the condition of the country upset you, and do you feel that you have ideas for improvement in your way? Does it hurt you when you see someone hungry?
Just think about what you want to do. If there is more than one idea, concentrate on the one which seems to touch you the most.
The winner is obviously the mind, which finds peace.
Was there always a desire or pursue a professional degree that you could not do at that time? Why not do it now? Yes, now is the moment. Do not feel shy to share the classroom space with youngsters. If one wishes to learn, age just does not matter. Quest, hard work, and perseverance do.
Teaching is one of the noblest jobs. With so many other options available, good students hardly enter this field these days, least understanding how much good one can do for society by moulding young brains in a proper direction.
Ask anyone, including yourselves. No one forgets the good teachers who taught you in school. The respect for such teachers always remains, whatever one may become. Teachers not only carve the brains, they carve the entire nation.
Was there a passion such as painting, writing, singing, dancing, candle making, or acting that always made you go crazy? Now is the time to follow it to a rightful end. With time, experience builds up, giving the above forms of art a new dimension.
One of my friends, although an engineer by profession, decided to follow her heart and pursue silver jewellery design. She started in a very small way, but her business is growing by leaps and bounds, simply because she works more for passion than for money.
Another friend restarted painting after a long gap. However, she soon had her exhibition which was well appreciated and is now deep down into it, having carved out her niche in the field. There are so many avenues available – I feel there is no end for someone with desire.
Do you feel that you can contribute a little to make society a better place to live in? Yes, of course, you can! There are ways and ways available. Someone with acute desire can join politics. Or, if you do not like working with politicians, you can start an NGO for issues such as child education, girl children, street children, orphanages, old age homes, etc. And no, even starting an NGO is not a necessity.
One can always work with the already known good NGOs. All NGOs require a variety of people – accountants, marketing people, liaison personnel, good organizers, cooks, and those having computer experience – the list is quite long indeed.
Do you love things such as cooking, stitching, embroidering, knitting, etc. which are normally the high points of all ladies in general?
If you do not wish to go a big way about anything – just start in a small way by coaching small students around for an hour or two. The time demanded for this is quite less and the satisfaction enormous. And it can be done sitting at home.
The rate of illiteracy in our country is so high that wherever you go, you will find so many people eager to learn, but who cannot due to the dearth of time or lack of money. Your maid, your milkman, your child’s rickshaw Walla, your dhobi – so many people around you belong to this category.
Why not teach them simple reading and writing?
I have just listed a few things that can be done to keep oneself occupied and busy, and also earn a little in the process. Of course, in reality, the list is much larger than that listed above.
Following a passion gives a lot of satisfaction to an individual, and a satisfied individual is certainly a better individual, spreading cheerfulness and gaiety all around. It is also a means to streamline the negative thoughts that often occupy the brains like a parasite, destroying everything around them.
An optimistic person is an asset not only to the family but to the entire society, for the individual radiates positivity, making the world a better place to live in.
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Image source: by xavierarnau from Getty Images Signature Free for Canva Pro
Neelam Saxena Chandra is an Engineering graduate from VNIT and has done her Post Graduation Diploma in IM&HRD and also in Finance. She has completed a summer course in Finance from London School of read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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