‘When everyone welcomes diversity’

Monday, 02 July 2018

‘When everyone welcomes diversity’

Editorial by Sreedevi Madhavan

An office training session attended by a diverse group taught SREEDEVI MADHAVAN key lessons on inclusiveness

The world is changing right before your eyes…” went the lyrics of a popular Eagles song. Of course, the southern California band wrote the lyrics in the context of the then prevailing rock culture.This line, however, rings truer than ever today: the world is changing at a dizzying pace, thanks to the continued exponential growth in technology. To keep up with this pace, it is important that we welcome diversity.

As a part of joining a new organisation, we had trainers coming in from another country to train us in a new software.The excitement in the air was palpable, and in fact,I remember counting the days to get started with the training.The schedule was hectic, yet, each trainee had only good things to say about the training. After our trainers left, I found myself wondering what was it that had made the trainings so special. I had attended trainings in the past, some of them by experts in the industry.With all due respect, none of them left quite an indelible impact as this one. Of course, as is the nature of all good training programmes, the trainers had put in a good deal of hard work in preparing the training material. Yet, there were some other factors that made these training sessions marvellous. It appears that while leaving for Indian shores, not only did the trainers pack their routine luggage, they also packed with them truckloads of goodwill.They knew that they were going to meet people with a culture and belief system different from their own. So, they planned to the minutest detail, lest they offend the hosts in any way.

trainees were excited, but a tad apprehensive as well since this was all new to most of them. One trainee sitting next to me remarked, “I don’t know what to expect.”However, the moment the trainers saw the trainees, they expressed so much joy as if they had seen their near and dear ones.They kept on repeating “so excited to see you” with such conviction that one had no option other than to believe that they were indeed looking forward to meet us.The slide presentations had key points beautifully done in diyas in tune with the Indian festival of lights.

We also had a wonderful cooking session, which served as a platform for exchanging ideas and forging new friendships with its foundation in mutual respect and collaboration. Maya Angelou once famously remarked, “In diversity there is beauty and there is strength”. Outwardly, we appeared so different. Our dressing was different, our accents were different, yet within this diversity there was an inherent oneness. We were all working as one towards the common objective of making lives better for whom we serve, that is, our customers. Now, take the case of our own body. A look at our palm will reveal that the Almighty created each finger different from the other, and the thumb almost appears deviant at first glance, standing aloof from the rest of the fingers. Yet, a mighty fist is created only when the thumb along with the fingers, including the little finger hold together as one. Let us all welcome diversity and work towards a more inclusive world — Vasudhaiva kutumbakam.

Qoute from the True Charm and Power of Vednata

Looking for Happiness

  Economic Times in The Speaking Tree | Edit Page, India  

By SISTER B K SHIVANI

Suresh Oberoi: What is the meaning of happiness?

Sr Shivani: Happiness is the one thing that everyone is looking for, irrespective of what we are doing, what relationships we have established, what we are trying to achieve, and so on.

SO: Are we looking for happiness in the right places?

SS: We do it through different means: it could be through possessions, property, relationships, achievements, through good health.

like, if you ask someone what they want in life, they often say, ‘success’. Why they want success is primarily because it makes them happy. Again, you ask someone what they get out of a relationship. Yet again, the response is often ‘happiness’.

So, finally everyone is looking for that one thing: happiness.

SO: Is happiness a momentary thing or is it everlasting?

SS: Happiness should be permanent.

If happiness is something that I like, if it’s something that I desire, and it comes naturally to me, then it won’t be dependent on anything else outside.

If it’s dependent on something, then it can never be constant. Let’s say I feel good if the weatheris pleasant; my feeling good is then dependent on the weather.

SO: Can one find happiness without desires and dependency?

SS: We have this long-held belief that happiness is derived from the outside.

So, the dependency is on the act being performed in the right manner. A child is conditioned to believe that if my parents feel happy, then I will feel happy, and if my parents are not happy, then, how can I be happy?

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week In Fifa s. Koreas no 7 son scored a goal, French no 7 scored a goal, no 10 scored two goals, .