Imagine this-You are walking on the road or sitting in a metro or stuck in traffic – maybe the day is mundane, maybe it is good or bad – suddenly you see a child jumping enthusiastically. They then look at you and smile. You don’t know who they are or why they are so happy but when they smile at you, you smile back. Suddenly in that brief moment, nothing feels more beautiful and everything is okay.
My first visit to Modi Mills was on the 23rd of April. I am fortunate when I say that my visit was marked with a feeling of beauty and contentment. Modi Mills is a daycare centre under the Street to School Programme of Wishes and Blessings. Under this programme, education is made accessible to underprivileged and slum children. Teachings and learnings are provided to make them school ready. I went there with my colleagues Barkha and Sagar.
The visit was the courtesy of Ms Pragya who wanted to host a special treat in the memory of her late father Mr Rakesh Mittal. There are so many ways to celebrate the memory of a loved one and sharing it with others often escalates the joy. Pragya in collaboration with Wishes and Blessings held a scrumptious feast of Chana Chawal and Halwa for the kids at Modi Mills. The food was prepared in the kitchen of Wishes and Blessings with concern and then served to the children.
Sagar and I served the food to the kids and it was a very fulfilling experience. They were so grateful for the food on their plates. I could never imagine that a simple plate of Chana Chawal could bring so much happiness to someone. I realized a lot of things while spending time with those children. I realized how most of us are unaware of the privileges we have. We might acknowledge what we have but we are rarely grateful for that. The ‘small things’ we have can mean so much to someone, especially to the lesser fortunate. So, I am learning every day to be grateful more often.
The children I met there were so full of enthusiasm and love for life. I felt overwhelmed with joy and happiness meeting them. I remember being so amused when some of these children who were of the same height as me came up to me and called me didi. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved the time I spent with them because it filled me with a deep sense of gratitude. Truly, there’s nothing as limitless as a child’s mind.
“Bringing a smile on a child’s face gives a deep satisfaction, which cannot be expressed in words, only experienced.”
My work here is giving me a clearer understanding of a child’s perspective, thinking and wishes. The innocence of a child often compels you to revoke the innocence within you and that’s what happened with me as I found myself reliving my younger years all over again.
Every day is a learning experience with the children here. I am reminded of the importance of life’s little things, those that we take for granted and I also learned what it means to be happy. Whenever I receive a smile from these children, it fills my heart with overwhelming happiness. This experience has made me realize the meaning of the old saying, “Children are a gift from God”. Being in their service gave me so much happiness and contentment that this place now feels like a service to god.
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