#Sunday Snippets - #The Second Chance

Sunday Snippets
Following is an excerpt from the opening scene of the book ‘The Second Chance’.
…
The community hall in Vasant Kunj’s Radhe Sham Colony was abuzz with excited voices. It was an extra special occasion for the residents of Radhe Sham Colony. Three of their children had appeared for the tenth grade exams that year and all three of them had passed in the first division with good marks. The three families decided to collectively host a party to celebrate their children’s unflinching efforts. The stars of the party were of course the three diligent children– Arvind Malhotra, Vinod Gupta and Shekhar Bhatia. They almost felt like celebrities at an award ceremony.
A 5-kg cake had been especially ordered from ‘New Cake Palace’ to mark the special occasion. The children’s favourite teacher, Ram Prasad Sharma was also present.
The topic of discussion drifted on the future career of these three friends. Vinod’s grandfather, Shivaram Gupta asked the three children about their career aspirations. 
Shivaram advised, “Dear children, remember one thing. Choose a career path that will make you happy. Identify your passion. Confucius rightly said, ‘Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life!’ If you select a career that you are passionate about, you will enjoy life. However, if you make a mistake and select a career path that does not interest you, you will suffer throughout your life. This is your life…live it well!”
At that point, Arvind’s father, Akash Malhotra spoke in a tone that was indicative of worldly wisdom gained with years of experience. “Children, have you thought about it yet? We don’t want to push you towards anything today itself. All we want to do is to set the thought process rolling in your minds, so that you don’t end up with an eleventh hour decision. So please speak out what interests you have. We would like to hear from you about your dreams and ambitions.”
The pressure further increased on the children, when they were asked to speak out their mind. The tension was palpable on their innocent faces.
Finally, Vinod cleared his throat and started speaking with unflagging enthusiasm. “I want to become a journalist. I believe that journalism is the fourth pillar of democracy. The first three pillars are the legislative, which makes the law, the executive, which implements the law and the judiciary, which protects the law. Journalism aims to ensure that these three pillars function efficiently, by working as a watchdog on them. After the movie stars, cricketers and politicians, the journalists are the most popular category of people in our country. They influence the opinions of millions of fellow citizens with effective presentation of their viewpoints on important and sensitive topics of national interest. I wish to be an influencer…
Arvind said in a firm voice, “I want to be a lawyer. I want to be instrumental in giving justice to the common masses. I am impressed with the manner in which eminent lawyers put forward their clever arguments in courtrooms, in order to explore the finer and hidden elements of truth. Apart from God, who operates from heaven, the courtrooms are the only place, where justice is meted out to the people’s pleas. It is a very powerful position and I want to use that power for the benefit of the society. I want to be powerful…”
Shekhar said in a very balanced voice, “I want to become a doctor. A doctor is nonetheless God in human form. Doctors save the lives of people. They treat you when you are sick. Without good health, one cannot reach far in his life, and the doctors facilitate you in leading a healthy life. They are the most blessed people in this world. I want to experience the magic of healing people and see the feelings of genuine gratitude in their eyes. I want to be a savior…”
At that point, Ram Prasad Sharma stood up and congratulated the boys for having decided their goals in life. He said, “For any teacher, the biggest happiness comes from seeing his students stretching their wings and savouring the sweet taste of success. Being a facilitator and guiding a child to realize his potential is a teacher’s greatest joy! Seeing a child turn from a young student to a mature adult making positive contribution to the world is a feeling that only a teacher or a parent can truly understand. Today, I can blissfully say that I am riding the crest of a wave as my three students have not only made wise career choices but also elicited their desire to walk in the light of creative altruism. So step out into this glorious world and inspire and catalyze others to be good!”
Ram Prasad Sharma’s positive emotional overwhelm left the gathering speechless. The deep look of contentment was writ large on his face.
He continued with his string of stellar advice, “My dear students, on this momentous occasion, I would like to offer one important piece of advice to you. Always remember one thing in life - On your path of professional advancement, occasionally you might be tempted to digress from your originally intended path. Pangs of greed might start gnawing at you. And unfortunately, greed is a powerful motivator. However, in such situations, let your conscience be your guide. Please remain undaunted in your approach. Do not compromise your ethics and moral values at any cost. Always ask yourselves, whether you truly deserve the money earned by you. A good character is one’s most valuable asset, which no one can purchase at any cost. You have to toil and work hard for it and it is the foundation for success in life. You are still very young to understand the gravity of my statements, but at some appropriate time, you will know the importance of what I am saying now. Best of luck…!”
…‘The Second Chance’ releases in May 2018.