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I like the topic of discussion today – A moment of Hope and Optimism of future! I am glad that such a lovely topic was offered And I wonder which memory I should be delving into to write about this. And then when I read the next statement, it became quite evident to me as to what I should write about. The statement said – “As elusive as it may seem, optimism can be found all around – in the laughter of children, in the excitement on your pet’s face…..” And it went on. But I think I was sold in the first part of the sentence.

This experience dates back to about 5-6 years when I was working with and NGO – Divya Deepa trust which focuses on alternative education to students from underprivileged background who find schooling difficult and mostly do not have access to schools. I really liked the environment there since it brought out such a great vibe and I also realized that it sensed a bit on the good side of me. I am not someone who is on a crusade for society and development, I am not an activist nor do I claim to be someone who does something for the society. The only reason I went there was that it made me smile and it did that very often.

I remember telling my friend – “I don’t think I can get this smile from me even if I am hosted on the best dinner of my life” – Being a foodie that really meant a lot coming from me :D . But it really was that beautiful to see such innocent smiles. The incident I remember is of independence day and I was wondering what these students would perform. Something that really caught my eye was a speech by a young kid – aged about 12 or so. These kids usually come from a  rural background, so you can imagine the quality of education they are exposed to at the government schools.

So naturally I expected an introductory speech in the local language and maybe some stammering in between – Gee I sound so brutal and judgemental when I say this. But somehow what came next completely stunned me. The boy got up on the stage, took out a piece of paper, and then I don’t know what happened, he put it back in his pocket and started talking. The next 15 minutes were perhaps the best speech I have heard in English so far. The language was flawless, the boy was radiant and I was completely mesmerized.

It was an experience which I hadn’t really expected. I mean a government school kid with such brilliant stage presence and the confidence in his gait, the spark in his eyes, phew even to this day, I feel electrified when I think about it. Whenever I talk about optimism on this site, I have always restricted myself to find the best in the situation and how we could use it to our advantage. But this time, the optimism was different, the optimism was of hope, of respect to the school and the boy, a glimpse of what future can be for this guy and above all for me.

I reflected on all those times I blamed someone for not having something in my life and I realize how many opportunities I was blessed with. A lot many of them which went unnoticed and a lot of them which even went on the back burner cos my expectations were too much. I realize true optimism is not just sitting on an armchair and appreciating the sunset. It is more than that and this boy had really shown me what the optimism of hope can be. So all I can say to myself is just this – Quit Complaining, there is a lot more in the store of life.

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