A group of about 10 to 12 girls were sitting in a circle and
talking their hearts out. One girl refused to participate and just sat sullen,
watching and listening. When everyone had finished, she finally opened up. Before
coming to this meeting, she had made up her mind to commit suicide; but
listening to the other participants narrate their problems, she had realized
that her difficulties were nothing in comparison. She said she would take them
as a challenge and prove her mettle by making a mark for herself in the world.
This was one of the most moving vignettes shared during the
DISHA coordinator’s enrichment program I attended today.
Caught in a hectic lifestyle, stressed by the need to fit in
with their peers, having to compete for recognition, with no one to listen
without judging or advising, our youngsters may be social media savvy but
emotionally, they are often lost.
During the DISHA
workshops for college students, we have a group counseling session where one counselor
sits with a small group of students, encouraging them to think and talk about
their strengths, weaknesses and challenges. We ask them to share how they have
felt when their actions brought someone joy or pain.
It is amazing how, voluntarily,
these young people open up and share their innermost thoughts and feelings, sometimes
even weeping, grateful for the opportunity to give voice to burdens they’ve
been bearing silently. They say the process is cathartic – they feel relieved and
cleansed and ready to face the world yet again.
As the DISHA coordinators shared many such of their
experiences during today’s program, the common thread running through it all
was the hard-hitting realization of how a small act of reaching out from our
side has the potential to touch some youngster’s life in such a deep way.
Another aspect that almost all the coordinators spoke about
was how these opportunities to interact with the youth act as a personal
learning process, opening their eyes to the immense promise the youngsters
show.
All in all, it turns out that DISHA is
fulfilling its role of enriching and providing direction to many, many lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Do share your thoughts on this through the comment section. All you need to do is click on the hyperlinked word "comments" at the end of the blog and then enter your message in the box that opens up. If you so wish, you may also get in touch with me through email: anuranganathan31@gmail.com