Electric Youth

There was something special about the way Jason walked. He sauntered forward in a rhythmic way as though he was responding to a musical beat in his mind. In fact it appeared he did everything as though he was executing a plan. At the same time it had that casualness and the effortless flow of something spontaneous.

For someone who met him for the very first time, he would appear to be reserved and bashful. But once he started to speak, he would come across as a person inhabiting disparate worlds of thought. It was one of those cases of intellect married to shyness.

Jason met Aparna at a fundraising event for environmental causes. The first thing he noticed was how strong she appeared to be when she stood ramrod straight, drawing the full length of her short, well-toned body. A fitness enthusiast that Jason was, he could easily discern a well exercised body when he saw one.

When a mutual friend introduced her to him, she gave him a broad smile and something happened in that very moment. As they both discussed their backgrounds and interests over the next few meetings, they realized how many things they had in common. The fact that they hailed from different religions didn’t act as a deterrent. In fact, it seemed to add to the allure of attraction as they had totally different upbringings.

As they worked out together, ran races together and hit trekking expeditions together, it became more and more clear to them that they belonged together. Soon they convinced their parents and got married, twice; once in the Church and then in a temple.

Both of them settled into their married life comfortably. They would hike together, jog together and camp together over weekends as much as their corporate careers allowed them to. 

But as months rolled by, Jason started feeling restless. The environmentalist in him was getting deeply saddened by the way nature was getting pilferaged, abused and driven to the brink of annihilation in some respect. Sensing that something was troubling Jason, Aparna checked with him about it.

After a long pause Jason said, “I have been thinking of quitting my job Apu.”

It was Aparna’s time to fall quiet this time around as Jason continued.

“I want to start an NGO for the cause of protecting the environment. With a corporate job, I don’t think I would be able to devote any time towards doing what I love to do. You know we are really running out of time and we need to do as much as we can to save the earth and life on it. I strongly feel, it is the responsibility of young people like us to take up this cause so that the next generation has a breathing chance to survive well on our planet.

Apu, perhaps this is coming as a shock to you. But I really cannot go on like this.”

“How long have you been thinking of this?” Aparna asked.

“Though the idea has been there at the back of my mind since the day I graduated, it got crystallized a few months back. I have even worked out a blue print of how I want to go about it. I desire to launch it on 15th August this year for its symbolic value of setting me free.”

“If you feel it so strongly, you should do it J. I would support you.”

Jason was overcome with emotion at this. “Are you sure Apu? It would put you under a lot of pressure.”

“Not as much as it would put you under J. Setting up an NGO is a cake walk or what?’ quipped Aparna trying to make light of the talk.

Jason knew that was really very magnanimous on the part of Aparna to say. He knew she would have to not only foot the entire bill for running their household, but also have to face the criticism of her own parents in the near future.

                                           *****

Jason looked at the sea of the young faces in front of him. As expected, they all were alight with stars in their eyes. Why wouldn’t they, he wondered. They reminded him of his own graduation day way back from that very institute. He too was full of dreams, and that’s what he was going to talk about that day. 

He started his address with the unique greeting of his alma mater and the crowd went crazy repeating it after him. 

Then he talked about his decade long journey till the current year of his receiving an award for his NGO from the government. He said more than the award, he was proud of the change that was brought about by the work he and his team did over the years. When he said “Youth is the time to invest in living your dream, not someone else’s dream” there was a huge round of applause.

Jason ended saying, “In our imagination, castles are built out of thin air. But in reality, they are built over strong foundations. So be ready to slog through your best years to shape your dreams into reality.”

During the Q&A session, when a student asked him how he keeps himself motivated despite such low participation levels for environmental causes, Jason replied that each house, each street and each factory getting powered with solar energy, also powers him with extra bout of energy and keeps his enthusiasm alive. 

And then he went on to add “There is also someone else who keeps me motivated. In fact without this person nothing would have been possible for me. I am so lucky to have her in my life. I invite my life partner to join me on the stage.”

Aparna joined her husband on the stage to the thunderous applause from the crowd.

This story is dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the entrepreneurial youth out there on the occasion of “International Youth Day” on 12th August.