Finding Balance in Purpose

In my childhood days, I always looked forward for our annual sports day. The event I liked most was a balance race. Balancing a boiled egg on a spoon held between the teeth, we had to run. Of course if you used your hands to adjust it, you’d be disqualified. It was good fun but required perfect balance, alertness and focused mind, steady steps and confidence. Later in life, I realized those qualities which were required to succeed at the balance race were also required to bring success in life. A focused mind with steady steps and confidence are required to reach any goal. The Indian Gurukul system of education imparted knowledge in much the same way. Children grew up in close proximity to the teachers, learnt to love and care for nature, developed ethical values to respect elders, extended helping hands towards families and others in need, learnt to bring peace and harmony all around. Great Gurukul institutions, like Nalanda, Taxila gave world famous scholars. The aim of education was to bring harmony, peace and well-being to all, and never aimed to attain personal fame or fortune. Pleasant or unpleasant things which came in life were accepted as blessings of God, and to clear karmic accounts. Today information is universal, and easily available through technology. Information alone does not teach us to be a better human being. Though we can send our thoughts to any part of the world in a second, we have forgotten the art of establishing loving communication even with our near and dear ones. Tender minds are receptive - if seeds of good values are planted in young minds through right education, then they can bring heaven on earth – otherwise, as an intellectual giant C.S.Lewis said, “ education without values can make a man a clever devil.” The truth of his predictions are coming true and are seen all around us in the world today. The time has come to bring a change in our approach to education – perhaps a better balance between gaining information and learning through play. Life is well lived if we learn to walk our path as if we were balancing an egg on a spoon clenched between our teeth. Balance and purpose.