Chicken soup stories have always influenced my thinking a great deal. There is this story of a little girl throwing star fishes washed to the shore back into the sea. A curious observer asks –
“I have been watching you for sometime. What is it that you are trying to do?
“I m saving the fishes”
“But there are thousands of those on the beach and you can only do as much. What difference is it gonna make?”
“It will to that fish!” 🙂
Mother Teresa said –
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop”
Sri M Visveswaraiah said –
“Practice what you preach and preach what you practice”
The result is this freako that I have become – walk the talk and talk the walk – do wat you can while you can!
Having pestered the many frens with my persistence (read nagging) on an eco friendly living – I have come to a point where I wonder if it is really worth being the odd one out! 🙂 Be it byking, thrift usage of paper, plastic n such, vegetarianism, etc. advocated it all and aggressively so. Wincing each time someone carelessly picks a tissue to wipe his/her hands when (s)he might very well have used a handkerchief doesn’t help at all…
Today a friend put it all in a rather interesting way – “You know what – you are trying to save this huge 5 storey sinking ship running around doing all you can with only a bucket in your hand. The ship will sink nevertheless – you might as well relax!” 🙂 Interestingly he was the same person who insisted that I go vote and u know what I did vote today (Yay!!!:). It was a painful experience to just get my name onto the list (no voter id despite the effort). I voted for Captain Gopinath who is from Army and revolutionized air travel by making it accessible to the common man (not sure it is the best thing considering the environmental impact much like the nano). If I am to be consistent in thought I should not bother voting. But I don’t know how that’s gonna help. When people believe that each person’s vote matters so also their stand in each little thing that they do…
Imagine if all the people who could afford to (you could be one if you sincerely try), choose a cycle over a motor vehicle – we would be able to crack so many problems together – traffic congestion, pollution, obesity, etc. If people could use paper, plastic, power, etc in a sane manner then the same wouldn’t land up in a landfill – resulting in health issues. Why people fail to see the connect between this recent trend of floods (Bihar/Orissa/)or hurricanes in US and their choosing to drive a car/motorbike. If they only moved to public transport. “Oh but the govt is doing nothing to improve the same!!!” Who voted them to power (rather let them come to power by not voting!:))?
So all problems come to the same single point – what each one of us chooses to do and to what extent? 🙂 This is the power of one. You set an example – if people follow the trend shall bring about the needed change – if not the ship will _probably_ sink but your heart will _definitely_ soar!:D
But you shouldn’t give up cycling mayank and all the awesome things you do..! “Never doubt the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. That’s about the only way it has ever happened in the past.” ~ Margaret Mead
Regarding Raghu’s comment, I am really for it. What you wrote was very close to home.
I read someplace recently that "A revolution seems impossible before it happens, and inevitable after it has taken place". All revolutions are sparked by a small group who sensed the need before others, and hence take the lead with a "I told you so". At the same time, as I have been crying myself hoarse – we need solutions that account for human nature & we need bold policy-level action. Maybe all those fighting for a cause need to read Desmond Morris first (esp. Human Zoo) 🙂