One kind word can warm three winter months - Tenzin Jambey

Picture Courtesy: https://pepperdine-graphic.com/opinion-give-kindness-more-often/

The proverb- 'One kind word can warm three winter months' means that one kind word can make people feel good in their sufferings. In other words, our kind words and works have had a good effect on people for a very long time.

Doing kind work is neither easy nor difficult. It's just a simple act everyone must practice to promote peace among the living beings on earth. All people have their definition of the word - 'kindness', and therefore I have my definition of it too.

According to me, 'Kindness doesn't mean donating and helping poor and needy people'. If this act was to be called an act of kindness, then some people do these things to win the vote during the election. And after being elected, their words, kind work and promises to vanish into the air like the air itself. 

I also want to bring up the act of some rich people who donate money to charity unwillingly to reduce the tax from the government. Therefore, I believe that the act of kindness must come, and it must come from deep within your heart by forgetting about your wealth and asset.

I remember a line in the poem, 'The Heart Of Tree', where it tells that a kind man plants a tree to serve future generations. He knows that he won't be able to enjoy the fruits of that tree, but still, he will have the satisfaction - that someday this tree will be helping people improve fresh air to breathe.

Many people speak about peace and kindness, but a few follow it. And I agree that only speaking is not enough. We must act upon our saying as we all know that - 'Action speaks louder than words'.

Some people don't understand the words of love to whom we refer as 'Rod is the only logic of fools'. If all the people were to follow the saying, there would have been no jail or prison. It indicates that saying alone is not stable enough to bring up a change. 

It's the truth, which I will highlight since now we remember the people who speak well about us and praise us only for a few days. But the people who show their kindness and help us to make our life better and more peaceful are remembered for years and years. It's so true that the praise and lovely, heartful words vanish into the air like changing seasons, but the kind act shows its effect for a very long time, like the climate.

Most people forget kind words, but kind work can last for years. And people remember you for your contribution like we remember Mahatma Gandhi for his act of promoting peace. We Pestalozzians remember Sir Johan Henrich Pestalozzi every year for his kindness and loving act that he practised till his last breath.

'A kind word can warm three winter months, but an act of kindness can give warmth for centuries'.

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Fall to a new life - Aati Pema Tseagon

Picture Courtesy: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/AauyxzXZpvdywUpwLlxqKvXBDcUltP2AVoiEG2mXDCRrU0Fqif6MyM8/

As I sank, my consciousness was brought by the most suffocating sensation I had ever felt. In a sudden rush to breathe, I took a big gulp of water. My body racked with a cough, but I forced my mouth shut. When I noticed my hands and legs were tied, a surge of fear took over my body. I limped myself to stand upright. My whole body was in torturous pain. My lungs felt as if they were about to implode. 

At that time, a single thought came to me to jump. That was more of an instinct. I gathered all the strength I had and threw myself upwards.

For a moment, my head splashed out. And I noticed the light, but as soon as I was exposed, I lost control over my cough. And now I came raging, not letting me breathe. My many attempts only brought more panic and water. Both of which I did not want. 

I felt that I was sinking, unable to thrust my tied appendages. As a last-ditch effort, I held my breath and laid still. That was all I knew, which thankfully made me afloat and alive. My heart was racing. My lungs were exhausted from holding my breath. I carefully let out my breath and inhaled one in. And finally, I felt some relief. 

I saw that the light I had seen was coming from a wide-open crack which was only a few ways too far from where I was. My hands and legs tired and tied were of no use. But the little movements which I could do were enough to propel myself. The light helped me to see as it reflected against the cement walls of this place.

I noticed a few sticks floating around. Most of them were new and seemed sturdy. I saw one right next to my hand but was unable to grab it. I thought of an idea. And with a bit of insecurity in my plan, I rolled. Sinking my face in the water, I began fumbling with my hand to locate the stick. In a few attempts, I got the wooden stick. I pricked my palm when I did get a good grip, but it was good to feel that it had some edges. 

I began breaking the bonds, string by string. I made progress and finally cut enough to break through the rest. 

As my hands got free, I began breaking the ropes tied to my ankles at once while trying to stay afloat when I remembered that I was not alone. When I lost consciousness, I was with my cousin!...(to be continued...)

Aati Pema Tseagon

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Popular birding destinations in India - Nishan Karki

Picture Courtesy: https://pixabay.com/photos/kingfisher-bird-close-up-perched-2046453/

India is home to different kinds of flora and fauna. The reason - why India has a rich heritage of flora and fauna in India is because of the varied climatic conditions which are present in India, with the presence of a variety of different soils. India has many physiological features - deserts, islands, mountains, coastal areas, and plateaus.

India is home to more than 1300 species of birds. India has many popular birding destinations. A few of them are:-

1. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan:-
Keoladeo Ghana National Park, or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is India's most famous bird-watching site. The small wetland of 29 sq. km is the feeding and nesting ground for over 400 bird species. And it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. Nainital and Pangot, Uttarakhand:-
In the foothills of the West-Central Himalayas lies the Kumaon, made famous in the writing of the legendary Tiger Books of Jim Corbett. The stunning forests in this region provide great bird-watching opportunities with landscapes, rural and wild.

3. Eaglenest Bird Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh:-
Ask any birder in India what their dream destination for bird-watching is, and the answer will be 'Eaglenest'. Approximately 500 species are on paper, and it has been declared an Important Bird Area.

Many birds come to visit India every year. Some of them are:-
1. Siberian Cranes
2. Greater Flamingo
3. Demoiselle Crane
4. Amur Falcon
5. Bluethroat
6. Rosy Starling
7. Ruddy Shelduck
8. Kingfisher 

Nishan Karki

Pestallozi Children's Village, India.

All 'Lives' have equal 'Value' - Aria Gupta

Photo: https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/equality-inclusion-and-diversity/fair-and-equal/

This blog is about a book I’ve read and loved known as “The War that Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. There are no spoilers ahead; I’ll just briefly introduce the protagonists' life. Her name is Ada, and she has a twisted foot.

"I was waving from the window when Ma'am smacked me in the face. “I gave you some time to look out the window out of kindness, and you decided to wave!” she bellowed. “I was just waving to Stephen White!” I cried back in defence. “You ain't waving to nobody with that crippled foot!” she exclaimed. “Jamie's out there,” I said quietly. “He ain’t a cripple like you!” responded Ma'am. Soon, she left for work. It was a perfect time. I was crawling, and I tried to stand up. “Aaah!” I cried in pain as tears rolled down my eyes. I could also see a little blood in the place, where I kept my bad foot as I fell back down to the ground, crawling again. I tried a second time, doing it more slowly and cautiously. First, my good foot, then my bad one. Still, the pain wasn’t any less. I shrank back down to the ground, deciding I’ll stop this walking thing for today. I cleaned the blood on the floor so that Ma'am couldn’t notice and stayed there for a while. Suddenly, Jamie burst through the door. “Why are you so late?” I scolded. Jamie was left speechless. When he was younger, we had always played together. As he grew older, he wanted to play with the kids on the street. I told him to be where I could see him. At first, he did, but then he made friends with a gang of boys and always went running out of sight. I was lonely in the one-room apartment. I dreaded being lonely. I could go out. I’m not that helpless. It’s just that the last time I went outdoors, ma'am beat me until my shoulders bled. I’m not even allowed to go to school. So, I just had to stay in this apartment, all alone, waiting for someone to come."

- Taken from the book 'The war that saved my life'.

Ada, here, is being mistreated because she is specially-abled, which is incredibly wrong. All lives are equal, and you can't label a person as 'not so important' or a 'disgrace to the family' just because of their occupation, weaknesses, etc. This is because even though they might need more attention and help than us, they are still humans who deserve to be treated right.

Aria Gupta
Grade VI | Gyanshree School

Respect, let's blog this November - Arav Agarwal

Poster courtesy Arav Agarwal, Billabong Thane

November and time to appreciate the value of Respect.

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