Everyone can be happy

Article written by Srishti Singh for certificate course HOSD 2015, Christ University 

"It's all about finding your calm amidst the chaos", said my grandfather when I sat down with him the other day and asked him what was his take on life. My grandfather (baba,as I call him), Sri Jai Prakash Singh is my hero, somebody who has always been my driving force, somebody I can always look upto for inspiration, who has always taught me to do what is right and to always aim high.

   His life has had two sides to it. One of those is the side which he has spent for himself and his family, where he has faced a lot of challenges; He got married while studying in college and dropped out of college while doing his B.Com due unavoidable family issues. He wanted to join the military, but circumstances took over his dreams. Due to his father's, my great grandfather's, sudden illness, my baba took over the business in Kolkata all alone. He sent his father, mother and his wife to their native, while he worked in Kolkata and managed the business which had incurred a heavy loss at that time, all alone. It took him about 5 years to get everything stabilised.

As a father of four children, he was a man of discipline. He wanted all his children to study and be independent. He gave them everything the needed. A very large part of the credit, for everything his children have turned out to be, goes to him.

The other side, a very large and pretty isolated part of his life is the life he has lived for others, is what has actually inspired me. He has always taught his children and grandchildren to help everyone who seeks your help if you can. He has spent his entire life helping others with whatever little he could do. If I start writing how and what he has done, well then that will require another 500 word essay. He told me once that God has given us more than what we require, so that we in turn can help the ones who actually are in need, with this he also added that there will be times when you find the people you were within their hard times would turn you down when you need them, but that is when you should remember that Peace begins where expectations end.

There are a lot of things he has learned from his life, and a lot of it has become an integrated part of me. He definitely is, and will always be my hero and someday, I dream of making him my proud grandfather. Lastly, I just wanted to mention the moment when I asked him whether today, after 67 years of his life, he is happy, he said "Everyone can be happy, if only they are satisfied with what they have and I am."