Jaideep 2.0 : The Next Big Thing Starts With Many Small Stories
When my friends ask me what the next big thing for KnowYourStar is, I respond to them with tales of many, many small things that are making our journey so incredible! We really believe in doing small things with great love because they are beautiful, connected, effective, kind and transformative.
In that context, I want to tell you four small stories, which have personally made me wiser.
Like Kabir says-
Pothi Padh Padh Kar Jag Mua, Pandit Bhayo Na Koye
Dhai Aakhar Prem Ke, Jo Padhe so Pandit Hoye
Reading books everyone died, none became any wiser.
One who reads the word of Love can only become wise.
Small Story – 1
As part of our Mentor India program, we have adopted the Brindavan Tent School. During our first session, we asked our students to draw a picture of their house along with their family members in it, so we could understand them better. After an hour, Parvathi of Class 3 came to me and showed me her drawing- a small shed. I was curious to know about the family members she had drawn. She went on to say- “He is my dad, he is my brother, she is my sister, this is my dog!”
I could see that she hadn’t drawn her mother and was a bit concerned. I took some courage and asked her about her mother. She looked at me, puzzled, and said, “How can I draw her in front of my home. She’s inside the home- cooking for all of us!” Not to stereotype the female role in our homes, but that moment for me was very profound. I was amazed by Parvathi’s presence of mind, and it was also a reminder for me to be like Parvathi’s mother – an invisible serving hand!
Small Story – 2
While at Seva Cafe, Madan Padaki, a serial entrepreneur and my dear friend and guide, had picked up 50 Rupees from the well there, thinking he would pay it forward in Bangalore. It so happened that he gave it to a bunch of young girls in his apartment and asked them to utilise it to do good acts. He also told them that if they ended up multiplying it into any form of capital, they could then pay it forward to Ramana Maharshi School for the blind.
These young girls, making most of the hot April weather, bought lemons, made juice, and set up a lemonade stall for the day. They ended up making 500 Rupees in total and happily handed it over to Madan. Madan was quite elated by the effort that these young girls had put into this task, and was also very happy that the money would help the blind school in some way.
The story doesn’t end here! 🙂
The same night- a bunch of young boys from the apartment knocked on Madan’s door. Instead of seeking money, they ended up giving him 1000 Rupees. Madan was taken aback! The entrepreneurial kindness started by the girls had inspired the young boys, and they had pooled their money to set up their own stall in the neighbouring road.
With the money that they put together, they were now able to sponsor a one-day meal at the school and all these entrepreneurial kids went to serve the meals. This story is a perfect testimony for what young minds Can Do!
Small Story – 3
I was travelling from BTM Layout to my CA’s office on a BMTC bus. These days I primarily commute via public transport just to be more kind towards our city. On this particular bus ride, I happened to sit next to this gentleman, Selva, who is a Process Associate at Practo. We started conversing about various things.
We got down at a signal to change buses and ended up walking 600m to the next bus stop – where we hopped onto a new bus. Selva, in fact, changes 3 local buses every day and commutes all by himself from his PG for 2 hours, and he is visually impaired. He genuinely embodied the spirit of Surrender and trusted everyone around him to enable him in any situation – while keeping a constant smile on his face! I was so delighted to meet him and learn his story. 🙂
Small Story – 4
This happened a year ago. My bike ran out of petrol while I was on the road and the nearest fuel station was at least 3 km away. I started to drag my heavy bike. Just 10 steps later, a stranger on a bike stopped next to me and offered to help! I had my first experience of getting towed. It was such a great experience! I sat on my bike while the stranger stayed on his and stretched his leg out to push my bike while slowly accelerating his! We reached the destination and I gave him a hug filled with gratitude. This incident is a perfect example of the Jugaad innovation and how smart a common man is!
The moral I took back: If the Almighty puts you in a helpless situation, He also probably has a Plan B ready for you!
Enjoyed reading about this? Then you might like to read Jaideep 2.0 : Innernet Stories From My BIG Family
If there’s a story that needs to be told, we are ready to tell it. Write to us at contact@knowyourstar.com with your story lead, or contact us on Facebook or Twitter.
