Example

Father Crab and his child were taking a stroll on the sand. ‘Child,’ pointed out the father, ‘you are walking very ungracefully. You should adjust to walking straight forward without twisting from side to side.’

‘Sure father,’ said the young one, ‘but set the example yourself, and I will follow you.’


So often, so many of us expect others to do what we ourselves are unable to do. While it is good to encourage others to do things we have failed in, most of us are speaking from the high chair of being pompously judgemental. We urge others to be aligned to the path that we refuse to step on.

It is said so well that example is the best precept. We must involve and participate in the choices which we find worthy to be recommended for others. And we must walk the walk that we expect others to embark on. Like Gandhi said it so well we must be the change we want to see in the world.

The greater lesson is that we should not expect others to do what we have never tried to do. Too many armchair critics find fault so easily in the performances of others. We must, at all times, ask the important poser to our self, ‘Can I be a living example of what I recommend to others to be?’

Before asking others to do what you say
Be a living example by walking the way!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Blind Walk

On 15 October, NAB Goa (National Association for the Blind) had organised a walk on occasion of the International White Cane Day. In this cause of social outreach and to solidarity towards the blind, seven of us chose to walk wearing blindfolds. Indeed, it was an eye opening experience!

The blind walk was not strange to me, as I have done it many times before in training and theatre… but this time it was along a road with traffic passing by… under the watchful eye of guiding volunteers… with a white cane in hand and the senses of hearing and touch to show the way…

The most important thing we learnt was to trust the person giving directions. If it was someone who could not see, he/she would share their experience with the person behind. The ones who could see would be sharing details with a tone of caring in their voice. None would get irritated because they got hit by the white cane or repeated questions of ‘where have we reached?’

It was wonderful to hold on to the ability to trust based on belief in human goodness. It was great to be able to discover that handicaps are hurdles that can be overcome. It was empowering to move from the discomfort of feeling helpless to the committed resolve to march ahead, taking all help required from within and without. And of course, we embraced empathy for the ones who cannot see!

To walk the dark way, we must learn to trust. We must choose to overcome every hurdle. We must take all assistance required with grace and dignity. The visually challenged are doing it all the time… marching on to worthy visions. While we do our bit to assist them in every way we can, we must emulate their attitude of walking in the dark towards the enlightening vision of life!

the blind walk shows what it feels and reckons…
a worthy vision of resolve and empathy beckons!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Drop of Water

A Zen master instructed his disciple to bring him a pail of water to have his bath. After filling the bath bucket, the pupil threw, to the floor, the little water that remained. The master chided him, ‘Why didn’t you give the water to the plants? What right have you to waste even one drop of water?’ The young student attained Zen in that instant and changed his name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water.

While this story would be apt for “save-water” campaigns, it holds greater lessons for attitudes towards resource management. We all know that it is the little drop of water that creates the ocean. Yet we tend to be wasteful and indiscriminate in our use of resources. We must learn to focus on waste reduction and alternate use.

We must recognize the significance of what may seem insignificant. Every drop of water counts. We must introspect and evaluate our attitude which is reflected in the way we use every resource… be it materials, be it energy or be it human resource... We must be careful to not be careless with any ‘little drop of water’!

The challenge is to live life less wastefully. The accountability is on us to look at the larger ownership of our world. Our rights to our resources come intertwined with the onus of responsibility. Ignoring the larger liability would result in nurturing our own peril. Let’s learn to deal with every ‘drop of water’ in a responsible manner.

We must ensure that we do not carelessly waste
any ‘drop of water’ at the altar of needless haste!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Play well

The veteran may score a blank
The senior may walk the plank...
but the score book doesn’t mind
If the debutante turns into a find!

Best is yesterday, be better today
Great past goes easily astray...
The present play is what matters
Previous scores can turn tatters...

So don't put down another on age
Wise often is the younger sage...
For while experience has its worth
Youth can break free of the dearth...

The unburdened mind we oft find
Is sans shackles of the doubt grind..
It may be wayward or off the mark
It may be just a shot in the dark...

But score books don't really care
Whether a honed skill or just a dare...
Those who play well are a treasure
Performance is the only measure!

So ensure the focus and play well
Our true calibre only time will tell...
And when it does, don't turn smug
Around the turn, lies the failure plug!

We must play well all the time
Speaking with the humility chime
Especially when we grow real tall
And comes along a player small...

The veteran may score a blank
The senior may walk the plank...
But the score book will only tell
The tale of the one who played well!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis