FACE BOOK, YOU AND ME

Ask any youngster “Do you have a Facebook account?”, the chance of getting a negative reply is infinitesimally small. Facebook is a synonym of youth, youth never remain calm, it is always up to something. People on face book expose and express things that shouldn't be exposed and things shouldn't be expressed in open.

I do understand their feeling but if ever they want to do it, there should be a limit to it. If you cross your limit someone can take you for a ride than it is for the person on the ride to decide whether the ride is joyous or sorrowful but that is Facebook. Every time I open my Facebook account, ever-fresh updates are sure to be there. Generally someone brushes up acquaintances with someone, someone befriends someone, someone praises someone’s beauty and so on and so forth. The most common and highest ranking comment is “LIKE IT”. It is so easy and so handy.

A friend of mine told me a story: Once a thief in high spirit was enjoying his success of having stolen a hefty booty, lost in his thought of not having to steal for months. A ring of the door-bell brought about a dramatic change of his scene and mood. As he crack-opened the door to see who it was; a strong hand held him by the collar and within minutes he was in front of an interrogation team within a jail. He confessed of having committed the robbery and regretted being addicted to the Facebook especially posting pictures on it. unfortunately he posted the picture of his booty too.

How strange, not only decent people but, gangster, thieves, criminals and many others use Facebook. Criminals and police are like wife and husband. Where ever the wife goes the husband just follows. So the police too are on the Facebook and believe me if there was a certification being done. They would get distinction.

How can we forget ladies. When a dish is ready to be served there is a formality to be completed. It has to be pictured and posted on the Facebook. And the rest is to be done by public, but the sad part is, they have to comment on it, only by looking at it; tasting is not within their reach.

Updating a profile photo is a very common feature of Facebook operation. Youngster often do that. One day I thought let me try it, with any delay I updated my profile photo. The photo exhibited me in an impressively dressed formal attire hugging a four to five month chubby baby. Her sparkling white eyes with contrasting black cornea were spelling magic. She was staring at me right into my face.

Minutes later there was a flood of comments; one of the comments went to the extents of asking what is this? Whose is this? Did you get married for the second time?

I told him in Saudi Arabia there is no reason and there is no season; and it is official to get married four times. But tell me why are you so much worried?

He didn’t comment further but I continued. The same thing I can do it when I come to your home. Share it with your wife. Your younger daughter is expecting, isn’t it? When she is blessed with a baby. Arrange a photo shoot, I will come smartly dressed and no sooner do you take our photo, immediately, I will update my profile photo. Ha, Ha, Ha,

Long live Facebook

THE STORY OF HEMA HAREESH

Giving surprises and getting surprised is predominantly the area of today’s youth. But it doesn't leave the elder generation away, they too have their share. My daughter loves to give me surprises. When my wife travels to Saudi Arabia, my daughter would send something with her and till the time my wife joins me in Jubail, she would keep me guessing. Some surprises emerge all of a sudden without a prior notice; some emerge with a notification and keep you guessing for a period of time. The curiosity ends when the surprise gets exposed. There is yet another type of surprise that happens and catches you unaware. The peculiarity is the curiosity doesn't end days, weeks and months after it’s exposed. One is just left to think, rethink, introspect and question oneself.

One fine morning during the week-end I received a call from Hareesh. He was asking me to join him for a cup of tea that afternoon. I asked him if there was anything special about the tea meeting. He denied.

Later in the afternoon I was at his place, received with a warm welcome. As we settled down in the sofa the children after sometime left for their room. Me and Hareesh were busy with casual talk while Hema was busy preparing the tea and snacks. She joined us few minutes later. It was a general talk and one of the subjects was Toastmasters. It was first time and quality time with Hareesh and his family. I do not remember much, having said something specific or having emphasized a point or two.

Few days later, Hareesh gave me a call asking me “How could you manage to convince her?” I asked “whom?” Of course, “Hema”. I again asked “Regarding what?” He said “About Joining Toastmasters”. I have been trying it since two to three months but was never successful and you did it effortlessly over a cup of tea. I am really surprised.

It was not only a surprise for him, it was a surprise for me too. Sometime in nature and society there are undercurrent, things and matter come together and start brewing, they continue to brew, waiting for a person or an event to culminate the entire thing or the process to a desired end. People say “You came and things happened” but the person in the scene has only one thing to say “To accept that, yes it happened”.

I unknowingly became her mentor; she would complete her project and send it to me for review.  I found her to be a good writer especially when it came to describing a place or an event. There used to be liveliness in it. She steadily marched on doing her competent communication projects. She also took up the assignment of being a target speaker on two occasions. I loved her sincerity. She was a very good listener. She would speak less and listen more. I am not aware if Hareesh has the same view. (Ha, ha, ha,) 

The toughest part for a mentor is to understand what his or her mentee expects from him or her. All mentees do not say it openly or may not be able to express it clearly.

She would do it the way she had written the speech. I did not understand than why she kept on sending me the speeches for reviewing. Recently I received a mail from Hareesh mentioning that she has taken up a job back home in India. and my mentoring clearly reflects in her day to day activity. I do not understand and I do not know in what way did I touch her? The more I try to understand mentoring, there remains still more to be understood abut it. Next time I will be there with the story of Youth Leader Amatul Safi.

IN SEARCH OF ONE, WHO…

How much is a + a? Asked my mathematics teacher. For a while I thought what kind of question is this? I thought is she OK?  Then I thought she might be joking. Few week later as the algebra class advanced, things turned from bad to worse. The other students in the class were quick on the answer generating waves of smiles on the teacher’s face but when it was my turn I generated waves of frowns on her faces. I was humiliated badly in front of the class.

I was lost in my own world badly wanting a savior, a savior who would make things easy for me, make things understandable for me. At times, I felt the world moving ahead of me and I was the only person left behind. Who would care for me? Who would share for me? I felt everybody had his own race to run. Why would somebody care for me? Why would somebody share with me?

Few persons who empathized did not know Algebra. But one of them said “After every night there is a sunrise” He was more confusing than the mathematics teacher.  My little mind could not understand as to why is this man talking about the sunrise when I want to know something about Algebra.

It was when an elderly person made it clear, I came to know that things would be solved and difficult times would not last long. Yes, it did happen, the school were about to close and the good news was my uncle staying in Mumbai was going to come and stay with us. It was a joyous reunion after a long lapse of time. Once I expressed my worry related to Algebra. He with a  smile said “It will be taken care of” That evening we set together. He started with simpler and easy things. The basic rules, the focus required when solving problems. Then slowly he would raise the level of difficulty in pace with the rise of my understanding. Days changed, difficulties changed and with it changed the insight. I started loving Algebra.

It doesn't only happen in school days, or it doesn't only happen in college days; it happens in later life too, it may happen when you take up an assignment, it is only after taking it up, you find that it is not your cup of tea. A thought may flash in your mind “Why did I take it?” You may at times even think of giving it up. This phase is a crucial and critical one which decides the fate of your success, the fate of your destiny.

All persons are not able to mend their ways through such difficult and troubling times and there rises a need of a mentor. A person knowledgeable enough, a person matured enough, a person with enough patience, a person with understanding and a person whose sole focus is to get you out of that situation in a way such that, thereafter you are able to walk on your own and work on your own.

Observation and experience of years reveals that everyone is in search of one, who… This label "Mentoring" is a series of experiences being a mentee and then a mentor, I hope it makes good reading.

See you next time with the story of Madhu Suraiya-1