Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Sunday 15 October 2023

Competition with Ourselves- Rishona Chopra

Image Courtesy - Petsy

It is vital to compete not with someone else but with ourselves. We can continually improve ourselves by doing better than before. In every situation, we can improve. Competing with ourselves is one of the keys to success. It helps us to set up a better goal each time. Slowly, as we improve, we can reach the sky. 

Suppose during exams, if I got 93% last time, I'd set my goal to be 95% this time. Setting small goals helps me achieve big ones with time. 

Therefore, competing with oneself and being the better version of ourselves is great. How others see you is unimportant; how you see yourself matters. 

These are a few lines I would like to quote:
"If you continuously compete with others, you become BITTER, but if you compete with yourself, you become BETTER. "

Rishona Chopra
Grade VII Gyanshree School

The Ocean's tales - Rishona Chopra

 
Photo by - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9owSlBRf0-w for representation only


The ocean has many tales to tell,
From a seashell to a fish’s farewell.
All the stories have a uniqueness,
Each is enriching and fresh!


So why not take a break from our day,
And hear the ocean say.
The whales go jumping upside down,
The school moves together in their town.

A salmon’s funeral takes place,
They all grieve and cry, calling humans a disgrace!

On the other way,      
The penguins find their prey.

The seagulls run after the small fish,
Eager to make them their dish.
Haddocks swim as far from the Shark’s home,
Wishing they were in Rome!

The underwater world is indeed as adventurous,
As the world above is tedious.
These stories are what make it so pretty,
And yet so witty!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VII B
Gyanshree School

Friday 13 October 2023

Two men looked out the prison bars; one saw a mud, one saw stars - Pasang Sherpa

Life is strange, and so are the humans. We have very different perspectives and ways of doing things. Some people get up and continue their journey even after knowing their chosen path is difficult. But some people seem to be hopeless. Likewise, this quote emphasises the different perspectives of two people for one thing. As it is said, "Two men looked out the prison bars: one saw mud, one saw stars". The first person who saw mud was hopeless and thought whatever he was doing was futile, while the other had an optimistic feeling that one day, like stars, he would attain glory and freedom.

Name-Pasang Sherpa
Pestalozzi Children's Village Society
Image Courtesy- Flickr

Sunday 8 October 2023

Looking for happiness - Rishona Chopra

Happiness. 

It is something we all try to look for in everything. Everything temporary. We look for happiness in a cup of ice cream, but when that ice cream finishes, so does our happiness. Why isn't our happiness long-lasting and in our control? If we look for happiness in a pen, once the pen is broken, our happiness will be broken, too. We are the authors of our books. We are the hand that controls the pen. But in this case, isn't the pen controlling the hand? Aren't our feelings going in control of someone else?

When someone does something not to our satisfaction, we lose our happiness. In that way, can't that external person take control of when we are happy and when we are sad?

Another instance is when we see one of our family members or friends sad, we often tell them, "If you are sad, I will also be sad," but that is not the way. Again, someone else is controlling our feelings. Why not cheer them up instead?

The journey of looking for happiness is quite an interesting one. At every moment, we realise that we are giving control to someone else or something else. Even though I always hear this, I have not fully found happiness in myself. I have not found happiness being alone with nothing, but we all learn at every step of life, and so am I. 

There are a few lines I remember from a book I read, they were:
"Never search for your happiness in others; it will make you feel alone. Search it yourself, and you will feel happy even if you are left alone."

Rishona Chopra
Grade VII
Gyanshree School

Saturday 30 September 2023

Reflection on Life - Tenzin Jambey

Life is a journey where we encounter many things that give us beautiful moments and memories. Sometimes, life provides us with a bundle of happiness, but sometimes, it gives us a lot of sadness and sorrow. Happiness and sadness, failing and winning and laughing and crying are part of our lives, but still, we get depressed thinking about the things that make us sad. 

My friend said that life is short; instead of doing what you like, why are you doing what you don't like. I said that life is strange sometimes to fit in the community; we need to sacrifice our happiness. Sometimes thinking about the future makes me feel worried, but sometimes it makes me feel happy that life may make you a successful person in future. 

We never know how unpredictable our life is when our last goodbye is. At last, we should live our every second with happiness because the moment we are sad, we love every second of joy. Therefore, come out from the world of sadness and live happily.

Image courtesy- Unsplash

Tenzin Jambey
Pestalozzi Children Village India

Friday 29 September 2023

My Contribution To Change The World - Monika Pundir

Changing the world doesn't mean that a person has to change the whole world at once; it can be done by making minor changes in their society that would help spread the changes.

I would like to contribute to changing the world by teaching basic things about life to the poor people in our society. Teaching them the meaning of one's value in life, how important life could be, and how it would affect the future.

Monika Pundir Pestalozzi Children's Village India



Friday 15 September 2023

Life At My Pace - Aati Pema


While I procrastinate, I remember some things that make me want to curl up and stop existing and others that make me grateful for them happening.

What you're about to read would be hard to actually sympathise with and enjoy if I do not give you the setup, so I hope you enjoy it.

I was a young boy almost in 5th grade, and being raised in Ladakh, I was like many drawn to the waters not by the thirst to drink but with the desire to immerse myself in the bone-chilling waters; though many could not swim, it did not stop us from enjoying it. For me personally, I remember embracing and enjoying every aspect of it, the bone-chilling river young from the glaciers making our nose redder than Rudolf's, the clear sky with its thin atmosphere letting the scorching sun bath us with its warmth as we lay on the sandy banks. The whole experience was perfected by the breathtaking views of the mighty mountains touching the clouds with their tips where it snowed permanently.

Now that you know how it was to be there, I will tell you a secret: we were not allowed to go near the river. But it only made it more of an adventure, so we used to make these plans to go to which place when, and we were always on the lookout for new spots. One day, one of my friends came excitedly and said that he had found a great place and we had to see it. The problem was that my hand was plastered, but I let it off and went anyway.

When we went there, we reached a gate with spikes, which I barely managed to get over. As we approached the pool, I saw why he was so excited. Usually, the waters would be high and were a continuous river, but from time to time, it lowered and let small ponds reveal themselves. It was one of such ponds, but it was unique because it was steaming, and the water was pleasantly warm a natural hot spring! 

We did not need any invite going bare; we jumped right in. I ensured my left arm was always above water and could enjoy just as much. After we were done it was almost dark we were glad that we had gone on a weekend, but as we reached the road I saw my mother searching for me, and when she saw she was not happy! We were scolded for a while, and my friends were asked whether they needed to be dropped home, but as their houses were just a bit away, they went after apologising. 

As I said bye to my friends, I told them where I had been and was again scolded for my carelessness. But till we reached our home, my mother's anger had subsided after having dinner as I lay in the bed with my mother watching a serial I did not know. I fell asleep while still thinking it was great. I did not know how to describe my feelings then, but I do now. It was a pure, immense sense of happiness and gratitude for everything: my mother, friends, and homeland.

This was one day of my life, but this made a part of me.

- Aati Pema
Pestalozzi Children's Village India

Monday 28 August 2023

Is social media distracting us? - Sakshi Singh

Picture Courtesy: https://www.minddevelopmentanddesign.com/blog/gaining-higher-exposure-on-social-media/

Social media, a double-edged sword,
It connects us all, yet ties us to strings. 
In virtual worlds, our thoughts are muddled. 
In screens we're lost, our focus blurred.

Pings and constant calls
Distracting us from life's moments, big and small.
Scrolling boundlessly, time slips away.

Likes and comments, we crave them so.
But are they worth the time we hold?
In this online crowd, reflect and find a harmony where you truly belong.

Sakshi Singh 
Class- IX C || Gyanshree School 

Wednesday 23 August 2023

There are many dimensions to every person - Kiran Vehniwal

Picture Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Dimension

'There are many dimensions to every person'.

The statement in itself holds different meanings and perspectives. To some, it may be in physical dimensions and to some in the context of psychological aspects. 

Every individual has their own experiences. Some come from his inner self, and some from the outer world. Sometimes it matters the most to one person, but it may not to another. That does not make one right and the other wrong. It's just their insight to see things. 

The mind plays the most role in demonstrating different dimensions of a person. It has its logic and reasons to interpret a situation. Some see life as full of choices and risks to take and live it to the fullest. 

For some, life is just an assigned challenge they take and pass on to make it to the other end. They fail to enjoy and cherish little moments in their journey when they get too busy making a life than living life.

And sometimes, the outer world changes the inner self. That's where the two dimensions collide, and the individual moves to a different personality dimension. 

The question that arises is how to understand an individual's needs to make them comfortable with him when a person has different extents and at some point fails to interpret what he wants.

Kiran Vehniwal
Prita Lee Lesson School

Tuesday 22 August 2023

Does believing help escape the person out of negativism? - Tenzin Nyesel

Picture Courtesy: https://devpost.com/software/escaping-the-negativity

Does believing in one help escape the person out of their negative thoughts?

I believe that. 

Sometimes trusting or having faith in one helps to come out of that difficult situation in our mind. It might even free your mind when you have someone beside you to give you that positive vibe. 

I have been through this situation many times - where you feel that you don't have self-love, self-confidence and self-respect towards yourself. 

But having someone with whom you can share all your innermost fears and ideas can heal those negative thoughts. It frees you from thoughts which have been bugging you in daily life. 

Tenzin Nyesel
Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Saturday 12 August 2023

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.

Monday 7 August 2023

Waiting to Live - Reveda Bhatt


"If we had to wait to live, sorry, but I'd prefer dying."


Okay, I say that practically, not literally. You know why - because, to live, we do not need to wait. So, why did I say that? That is because to figure out the mysteries of this circle, we need to strive constantly to be at our fullest. 


Be it in the dark,

Be it high up in the sky,

Never put yourself down,

Soar up and strive high.


You know what, 

Life is just too mysterious.

Now, ask yourself -

"Am I any less?"

No, of course not -

Discover your potential.

Don't wait to live.

Live life loud and make it memorable.


P. S. The quote is just statistical.


Reveda Bhatt

The Aryan School, Dehradun

Wednesday 2 August 2023

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

Appreciation - Kiran Vehniwal

Picture Courtesy- https://picpedia.org/handwriting/a/appreciation.html


Appreciation is a simple word that means 'to tell others that you are thankful for their efforts towards you'. Just a 12-letter word that can brighten up someone's day or make someone feel good about themselves.


We, being humans, tend to show appreciation only when someone does something for us.


Have you ever paused and thought about how people make a difference in our life just by being a part of it? Even if they are doing nothing extra to add value to our life?


I assume the answer will be no.


At points, we try our best to do better to make someone proud because that one person matters to us. That someone may not be doing anything in particular, but their existence drives us to achieve more.


Don't they deserve the most appreciation for giving us a motive in life. Definitely, they do.


Let's not only be appreciative just for showing a gesture in return for something but appreciate every living soul we come across, as they will definitely leave an impact on you to make your life better. 


Kiran Vehniwal 

Prita Lee Lesson School, Kapurthala 

Sunday 30 July 2023

All Lives Have Equal Value -Tenzin Jambey

Inspired by reading the book at our Sunday School.

Shouldn't we treat all living beings equally? Don't you agree that animals, plants and insects deserve respect?

If you think that they should not, then tell me the reason for that. We, humans, are exploiting wildlife, hunting and poaching animals and trading their body and their body illegally for the sake of earthly things called "money". What harm have they done to us? For what reason are we hurting them? Shouldn't we care for the cow which gives us milk? Shouldn't we care and protect the forest that provides us with a source of living?

Plants, flowers, trees and grasses all have equal value in life. If we pluck or take them, they will die like us. We pluck their leaves, and they will get hurt like we get. If we love and care for them, they will grow like healthy human beings. 

We don't like plants and animals. And we feel like they shouldn't exist in this world. For example- Mosquitoes and weeds. Similarly, now place yourself in an animal or a plant like a goat and Sundari tree and ask yourself- 'Would you let a human live who is exploiting you for their means and for earning money? Ask this yourself twice, thrice and thousands of times. And you'll get the answer by yourself. Next time, before killing an insect or before harming a plant, you will think thrice.

At last, life is tough for everyone, whether rich or poor, animal or human. Sometimes we feel like becoming a bird or sometimes a butterfly. But they have their life challenges. 

If poor people think rich men live a luxurious life, he is wrong. It's the rich man's hard work day and night that the poor man didn't do, but we cannot blame the poor people for being poor. As I have told you before, life is tough for everyone. There can be many causes that led him to poverty.

Tenzin Jambey
Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Saturday 29 July 2023

All people have equal value - Aati Pema


In the world that we live in today, we have to abstain from the "our people" mentality which is basically saying me, myself and I but in a more moderate manner. 

This is harmful as we stop seeing how lucky we are to have the company we have and end up losing them. Getting detached from reality and seeing the world through prejudice-filled eyes is not good. So for the times when you are either irritated or mad or not in the mood to be with the company you have and think that you are better off alone, keep in mind the thought that all people around are as important as you are to yourself. 

"We are fortunate to have the things we have as we just won a lottery of life."


Written By-
Aati Pema Tseagon 
Pestalozzi Children’s Village, India.

(Reflection from reading Live Life In Crescendo by Cynthia Covey Haller)

Saturday 22 July 2023

People are more important than things - Tenzin Jambey

Reflection from Sunday School

Some people will choose expensive things, luxury items and valuable commodities over human beings, and some will give more importance to humans than any other things, even over the bag of gold and diamond. We all know very well that everyone is not the same. And therefore, one person can not change or bring goodness to others. First, we should be one to improvise our mindset, and we should be the ones to bring a good change in ourselves.


It is so true that people who have been close to death always give importance to other humans. These people respect all classes of people- from young to old and from poor to rich. I still remember the tragedy of my uncle, who once almost lost his life after being stuck under a rock while working. Nowadays, he is earning his life by serving as a driver. He has a very kind heart. He respects everyone. And sometimes he gives a free ride to the labours and workers as he has also been a labour and he knows their conditions of working and the level of physical hard work they do. 


If we are kind to others, then goodness comes to us through 'Karma'. When we give others love, care and importance, we get it all back from others. Having a great affection towards earthly things like gold and diamond would make your heart much like coal. But if you give importance and are affectionate towards humans, your work and contribution will always be remembered and told. It is not only the humans to whom we should give importance but also the animals, plants and our mother Earth, as in this world, everything is interconnected to each other in some way or the other.


At last, I want to bring up a powerful thought to acknowledgement- "When we were born the world rejoiced while we cried. Therefore, do a work that the world will cry when you die with rejoicing and happiness”.



Written by-

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Friday 21 July 2023

People are more important than things - Aria Gupta

Reflection from Sunday School


Dear Readers,

From now on, I’ll be writing most blogs through short stories. I took this decision because I believe stories can share a message and captivate the reader at the same time. Feel free to give feedback in the comments. 

Here’s the first story:-

Amongst the mountains lived a young girl named Nidhi.

She had heard of a precious stone called 'Diranma'.

It could give powers to the owner and strengthen them in some way. Nidhi had been fascinated with the stone ever since she heard about it. One day, she told her parents, “Mumma, Papa, I want to look for Diranma!”. “Are you out of your mind!” exclaimed her mother. “It’s too dangerous, sweetheart,” said her father.

She didn’t listen to her parents. At midnight, she woke up and packed a sack containing five loaves of bread, two apples, some cashews, some water and a sleeping bag. She ventured out in the dark. After walking for a few hours, still determined to find the stone, she found herself in a forest.

There, she encountered a hunter and asked, “Do you know where Diranma is?” She asked, hoping he’d know the answer. “I do, but I advise you not to look for it. For I once was like you, looking for the precious stone. The consequences make the action hard not to regret,” he stated. “Please, I’m desperate!” begged Nidhi. “Since you want it so bad, I’ll give you a map, but never say I didn’t warn you”, said the hunter as he searched his pocket and gave a folded map leading to the stone. “Thank you so much!” exclaimed Nidhi as she took the map and opened it immediately. She followed the directions and walked for hours before munching on a loaf of bread and drinking some water.
 
Days went by, and she still hadn’t reached the gate leading to the stone yet. She was almost out of supplies. Soon, all her hard work paid off as she saw a beautiful gate. “Finally!”, she exclaimed at the sight of it. There stood a guard, watching her. He approached her and stated, “You need to pay one-third of your soul to enter. It will be paid back to you if you leave this gate without the precious stone, Diranma.” She thought, "I’m only giving one-third of my soul, not much." “Okay, but how do I give it to you?”, she asked. “We will take it ourselves.” stated the guard as he strangely moved his hands, chanting some prayer. As soon as his ritual ended, Nidhi felt less excited about the stone. “Thank you.”, she said as she went inside the gate and walked for a few minutes.

Soon she saw an overflowing river that was too deep. She didn't know about swimming. Fortunately, she saw a fisherman sitting on his boat with a fishing rod in the middle of the river. “Can you please drop me off the other side?”, she asked. “You’ll have to give me one-third of your soul. I’ll give it back if you come without Diranma.”, the fisherman stated. ‘I’ll still have one-third of my soul left’, she thought and agreed to pay one-third of her soul to the fisherman. “All right”, he said. He rowed to the side where Nidhi was and told her to get on the boat.

Nidhi was feeling less excited about the stone than ever. She hopped on the boat and soon reached the other side of the river. She saw a huge palace. A guard was standing, so she approached him and asked, “Can I enter this palace?” “You will have to pay a quarter of your soul.”, stated the guard. She cared the least at this point and just gave it to him like it was nothing but a piece of wood. The palace doors opened just like that. Nidhi found her curiosity strained about how it opened. She just walked in. There was The Diranma, placed on a huge table. But the remaining part of her soul rejected it. It longed for her parents, her friends, and her family. She thought for a while and headed back without the stone. She got all the pieces of her soul back. And when she reached the guard, he said, “I will teleport you back to your home now!” “Huh?”, Nidhi exclaimed.

But before she knew it, she was home with her parents. She hugged them tight and shrieked, “I missed you. I missed you a lot!” Her parents, eyes filled with tears, replied, “We missed you too!” “I went looking for the stone, but it was not worth it!”, said teared up Nidhi. She learnt that her loved ones were more important than any other stone in the world.

Written by-
Aria Gupta
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Imperfectly perfect! - Bob

 




Hello, Dearies!

I hope you remember me! It is me, Bob, from the EBD book cafe, Dehradun. Just when I thought my life was perfect, everything changed. Everyone in the bookshop takes my dear friend 'Speaker' away from me. Why? Why on Earth? How can people be so cruel and heartless? Can they not listen to music with me? They took my happiness and companion away from me. Oh, how I miss my friend 'Speaker'!

I have realised that humans are up to no good. They are useless. So now, I have decided to take things into my own hands and have adopted Toblerone (not the chocolate!). Toblerone is a sweetheart. He is kind and a great companion. He stays right in front of me , supporting and helping me sit up straight, resolving my back pain. He is also really cute.The only drawback is that he steals the spotlight from me. But still, he is a wonderful companion. 
He is a really great person and companion! I believe this change was good, not the best but good. Now, Toble is under my guidance. And I am sure he will grow up to be a man just like me, brave, humble and kind. I wish he never has to face the back pain that I do. I wish the best for him. And I know that he will do wonders in life. After all, under my guidance, no one can be any less.

And dear 'Speaker', if you are reading this, you must know I miss you every day. I know you are here in the bookshop, just a mile away. Please don't fall into the trap of envy. You must know that Toble is a wonderful person. When you meet him, you will know that too. I am always there for you, just like you were there, for me, in my pain. I know you haven't gone by choice, you wanted to be here, but every cloud has a silver lining. And perhaps things in the bookshop are just imperfectly perfect!


~Bob

[Written by- Rishona Chopra (School Captain, My Good School)]

Saturday 15 July 2023

Appreciation - Aati Pema


In a beautiful village in Kerala, a boy named Ramananda was fast asleep with his head resting amongst the crumbled pages of his efforts to write a 'note' to himself. His parents were proud, and his friends saw him as an intelligent kid, but when he used to ask himself how he was, no reply would be there. At the young age of ten, he saw how people thought of him. With this in his mind, his consciousness would let him rest, so he pushed himself repeatedly. Even when the results were good, he got frustrated it did not get better, and he was never content with his work. Even his teachers began to notice and praise him openly, giving him a hollow sense of satisfaction that he feared might make him complacent. Though he now studied at a prestigious university and was still appreciated by everyone around him, he felt increasingly lost. 

Day in and day out, he would work to be better, but he had sacrificed the sense of oneness with himself, and thus he now felt lost, so he did the only thing he thought might help. He had begun to ask himself why he felt no sense of achievement and could not find fulfilment in his everyday life. Now he was lost, and on top of that, he had to answer his question. Neither did he see his own worth nor anyone else's, and began to progress without purpose. He was always aware of his thoughts, so his academics also declined. Only then did he see how good he was before and learn to appreciate his work. Having done so he was again that brilliant child that everyone admired now, having also grown in the sense of ethics. 

Only when we appreciate and be compassionate to ourselves will we understand others' company and not only just live but also be mindful of life. 

Aati Pema
Pestoalozzi Children's Village India