Two impacting lessons

This post is about two of the most impacting works of literature that were a part of our curriculum in the tenth grade.

 Let me begin with A Psalm of Life, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This was a poem that really changed the way I think about life. What is the purpose of life? So many people have answered that question in so many ways. My answer is that the purpose of your life is to make it worthwhile. To be someone who is remembered forever after, by the work you do, which shall be left behind for future generations to depend upon and cherish forever. It has taught me that your life isn't just something that should matter to no one but you and the people who are closely related to you. It should not just perish with your body; your body shouldn't be the only thing that keeps you alive! Your actions, your deeds, and your contributions to the world should leave such an everlasting impact on the world that you live on forever, even after you're dead materially. Your time on Earth has more potential than to end up as just a multitude of varying emotions; it can be used to make a difference. Your life should be an inspiration to those who come after you!

The other very impacting read, that was also a part of the curriculum in the tenth grade was a book known as The Village by the Sea, by Anita Desai. It is a story of a poor family who lived in a village called Thul near Mumbai. The elder two children of the four had to make a living, cook, clean and play grown up, since their mother was gravely sick, though no one knew exactly what was wrong with her. The father was a good-for-nothing alcoholic. The twelve and thirteen year-old boy and girl give up their hopes and dreams, and quit school, to look after the family. It breaks your heart to imagine such austere circumstances imposed on the siblings at such a young age. Nearing the end of the book, the girl manages to win the battle and take her mother to the hospital. The diagnosis came as a huge surprise to me; her main problem was severe anaemia. That is something that could so easily be managed by proper nutrition and care; such is the situation of our country's medical system! So hopeless that it requires hard work and perseverance from people in remote villages just to reach a hospital to find a diagnosis? One lesson of these posed a question; where does my passion lie? What do I want to devote my life to? And the other answered it. I want to be a doctor and serve those in need!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.