Vision Over Goals

Two years ago when Pallav and I had sat over a cup of coffee at Kuzart Lane and discussed doing something - I'm not quite sure we knew what it meant or what we wanted out of it. For me it was rather a challenge - something I had to do. The back story in a nutshell is when I was in school I wanted to start a business of my own; I wanted to prove to my family amongst many others that "I can". I hated how people simply assumed, I wasn't capable of it. Now don't assume my family looked at me as a dud guy, I was quite casual with life - I mean to an extent I still am. I like to do things because they interest me, not because they hold any greater value. Anyway, 17 and charged me along with two of my mates decided to go ahead and start a venture of our own - which failed. Needless to say, I wasn't going to stop. I told one of them, that I will get something on and I'll go somewhere with it.

Now understand something - Together For A Cause isn't a business. Not quite yet. We're working out our product. And we're working very hard for it. I have seen the look people give me when I tell them I work with an Youth Led Organization and I intend to make money. I don't get it. I mean - I have always believed in life you have to give back to the people who helped you reach where you are. Sometime it's your family, sometime friends, sometime it's the world. In my case, it was all three.

But this post ins't about the concrete idea of what we intend to become. This is of much more value. It's about where we were, and where we have come to. It's a journey that I know only starts now - but seeing this length I know it's going to be nothing short of thrilling, yet sheer hard work. Two years ago, when I had my first meeting with a team - who much like myself had no idea what to do - were just engaged and engulfed with a reason to do something met me. I the novice self, was lost in the idea of ranks and hierarchy - elsewhere the core idea of work and a vision suffered. That's fine however, I don't quite mind - a young blood, full of ambition - I started backwards - and I know I'm moving forwards which is fine. 

It was a tough first meeting - I was scared to death of our Research Head. She was older, smarter, and I knew she knew better. That in my head and the knowledge that I'm to lead in my heart - having never done that before (well at least in this circumstance. And then came meetings and meetings and meetings. As I said young blood - I was also stupid. I was over my head of the initial response (not success) of what I was doing and I assumed this will function. The problem however remained there was no product. It was all intangible.

I became arrogant, wrong, and to sum it up - a butthole. I was managing the whole organization in the worst possible manner. I had no idea of what I was doing (or at least in retrospect it seems) and I was trying to make something of nothing. Till a point in time when the whole thing came to a haul. For a long time. And I thought this is it. One more of my endless part-time adventures. Which ended in nothing but futile efforts. But then it hit me. Together For A Cause isn't "Nirjhar". It's not "I". And it's most definitely not "mine". It's about a team which had worked timelessly and with all their heart and soul which I would let down if I didn't pick up my game. That an organization does not run simply because of one person - who leads. But because of leaders who work twice as hard than you to make sure your work is easier. At that point I realized much had to change. We couldn't be a team with aimless working and just ideas and no product. Withing a scope of 2 months from that deadlock we had a classroom in collaboration with Save The Quest in the National Association for the Blind. Where we met bunch of wonderfully talented kids, who taught us that world is indeed beautiful - and you need not see it to understand that.

Eight - None months from that deadlock - I can assure you - we're to hit many more speed bumps. But these stop overs are the only thing that make the journey more meaningful. We're expanding the three other locations with over 5 classrooms in hand. And we will grow only bigger in size and opportunity. We have lost a lot of people in the organization - who expected better of us and we couldn't stand to that, others who found better venues. And we thank them all. They have indeed made Together For A Cause what it is. They helped us build ideas, network, and most of all - people management. Today, we're stronger as team and I'm stronger as a part of that. We're not one, but we're all.

The world wasn't changed by those who said they'll try. It's not for those who think they can. It's for those who go out and find out. People have called me crazy to dream so big. And I know I haven't done much. But I know one thing in my heart, if I don't dream big - I'll never wake up to big reality. And that I will never compromise on.

"If they wanted money they would have asked for it. They wanted something bigger, more persistent - Success."

Bits & pieces of yesterday we'll have tomorrow.

It's forty minutes past twelve. Not much to do at this time, else than sleeping, until and unless of course you're being a retard like me and posting things up here, without much of any readers.! I remember this particular Graduation Speech that really moved me. "THE TWILIGHT SAGE: ECLIPSE"'s speech by Jessica. It's by far one of THE most influential speech of all time. Considering i'm a senior myself, and there aint much of anytime left for us to graduate. I really don't know how to really handle it all.

It seems like just yesterday that i had joined this school. Middle school seemed so scary. Coming from a different background, not being able to speak in Hindi, the most valuable asset found in India, really messed up a lot of things. But all that seems, just yesterday. Today, I'm a senior, who's on his way to finish this HUGE chapter of the Fat Arse book "Life" and is about to go to the next one. 

When i look back at this though, so many memories come back. It's hard to tell which is the bad one and which is the good one, cause, standing here and looking back, it ALL seems so worth it.All those fights. No i really mean fights not those bitchy 'lil kiss-and-make-up-stories . . . i quite mean the part where you don't want to see each other's face so bad, that you'd "ACTUALLY" skip school just so that you don't see it. And yet end up going and mess around with them. And all of those . . . deciding who's who, which girl is out of bound, which girl is not worth any bounds, and stepping all over that line of bound to see what if the out-of-bound works out. Standing in front of the canteen (and may i remind you, not a cafeteria, but canteen) and asking for "TEN RUPEES" knowing you have more that One Thousand Rupees in you wallet. Finding that one friend, who you can always bully, with them knowing you'd never harm them. And Finding that one friend who you'd ALWAYS want to hurt, but won't because you love them.

Being a Senior is quite amazing. Because, right now . . . Is the time we all want to make all of the mistakes and want somebody else to correct it for us. But when they do we want to tell them, "Back off, it's my life, and i know my highway directions pretty good". Even funnier, we know we're still screwing up. But this is the most innocent and bold time to fall, crumble, and to get back up. 'Cause this is the time, when mistakes aren't just mistakes, it's a lesson. 

One aspect of being senior that NEVER fails to show it's importance is THE Love. See you can always fall in love up above or down below of the "SENIOR" tag, but quite NOTHING like the High School Love.Quite nothing like loving someone now, and knowing it will last forever. Maybe it wont, but trust me it always leaves a very pleasant memory. Plus the statistic shows, most of the couple that end up being together forever, start here. Right now we're so up on our hormones, that nothing seems wrong, all the wrongs can be corrected, and all that needs to be wronged can be ignored. Who you love now, will always leave an impression in you life and how you shape it. Love now, and live forever. 

Good Memories, aren't they? But sadly, Memories, which means separation is on it's way. Sucks To say it, but in few more months, we will all move on. Some will stay connected, some will try to, others like most of us will move on. And it sucks the most when that happens. But it IS something that will. Down the line, we won't remember each other's face, name, number and we wouldn't care. That will be the time we'll look back and smile at these memories and say, oh that girl, yeah she rejected me, that was funny. Or oh yeah that guy, i screwed his case, and i slapped him, that was funny. Trust me that guy will also laugh about getting slapped.

So as of now, live these last few days as much as you can. Cause they won't last forever. Make these bitter-sweet memories. Make life. Cause someday, this will all be  gone. No more secretly meeting up your girlfriend, and not telling your parent your grades, and no more hiding behind an excuse and expect everything to turn up right. Don't wait for it to happen, let it. :)

TO ALL THOSE WHO READ THIS. 

THANK YOU.

TO ALL THOSE WHO WILL. COMMENT XD