Bidyashree Singh - Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

 

I am here to share my beautiful journey with Let’s Make A Difference so far. It was in the year 2022, I got first introduced to Let’s Make A Difference in Kerala Public School, Kadma, Jamshedpur. Being a Teacher there, my name was listed to attend the conference with other teachers and students. I had attended the conference as a participant. When I saw my name in the list to attend the conference, first question came in my mind, that is, what is Let’s Make A Difference and why this conference is for three days long? Usually as a teacher, we attend certain conference or seminars which lasts for maximum 2 hours. I was whining, because the conference was on Sunday also, and I was as ready for it as a cat is for a bath. So, the day came to attend the conference and I came to know about the purpose of the Youth conference led by Let’s Make A Difference. And it was something new and different for me. Quiet time, participants sharing and reflection on values, that is, Purity, Honesty, Unselfishness, and Love made me think about myself. As an introvert, I tend to be a little shy when it comes to speaking. Various past experiences related to my personal life, my family, and career were on my mind, but I chose not to express them.

Again in the year 2024, I got the chance to attend the Youth Conference in Eklavya Model Residential School, Tamar, Jharkhand. This time I did not attend as a participant, but as Volunteer. Once again, the first question came to my mind that, what I am going to do as a volunteer? How my help can bring a change? With these couple of questions I attended the conference. We were given groups, and in each group at least two to three volunteers were given. As it is rightly said, “the more you get involved, the more you open yourself to learning”. Although I was a volunteer to help the participants, in some way they have helped me to evolve myself. The stories they shared in group discussion was shocking, also motivated me to bring a change in their life. Tamar Youth Conference was a turning point for me. The family session was quite sensitive and emotional. Last time when I attended the conference to express but this time, with the help of Viral Sir, I took courage to express my emotions with my family. It is about my elder brother, he is a person with schizophrenia. He was a victim of bully in his school days and it started very bad when he was in class 9. His classmates used to put the class dustbin on his head, his books were stolen by his classmates, they have also spit on my brother’s mouth and hand. These were the incidents I remember clearly. I believe, A family is like the legs of the table. If even one leg is broken, it is difficult to keep the table stable. Similarly, when one member of the family is affected, it impacts the entire family. I took the opportunity to express what bully can do to a person and why it needs to be stopped. It is not cool at all. And it takes one’s life. This platform gives me the opportunity to support others by sharing a message close to my heart, that every person struggling with a mental disorder deserves compassion and understanding from those around them, not judgment, bullying, or shame. They should be included in the society, not excluded from the society. They need little encouragement, even a smile can bring a little change in them and make them feel happy. All they need is love. Love is priceless, it is an emotion and feeling given by God. The more you give, the more you receive. Tamar Youth Conference 2024 motivated me to encourage to help the students to be kind, to love and to accept. It was the second Youth Conference for me filled with Lots of learnings. But learning did not stop there and it will never. In the same year, it was the time of Jamshedpur Youth Conference. I participated as a volunteer with a little confidence. In this conference, I deeply introspected myself. This conference helped me to question myself as a human being where I stand. The Jar experiment helped me to look into my inner self. And what I found ? I found the lighting bulb was there, but it was deemed due to the dirt I have been carrying within me. It has made me think of my behaviour with my aunt. I have been little rude to her. I have been disrespecting her. However, the person may be, as an elder to me, I should be little courteous and kind to her. Love is a powerful word, and act of kindness can definetly change a person’s life. Its not just my aunt, because of my foolishness, I have also hurt my parents. At a point I have argued with them and I have lied to them. But I accepted my mistake and apologized. All past incidents just came in front of me like a flash.

Quiet time has helped me to overcome anxiety, I overthink a lot. And due to overthinking, I doubt myself, I fear, I feel underconfident. When I started writing my thoughts in quiet time, I felt a relief, and light in my mind. I would like to state that, I don’t do quiet time daily, but I pen down my thoughts whenever I feel discouraged and demean. Quiet time is like my listener. I speak and it listens without any interruption.

I have always felt , that I am a good person, I am kind, I am helpful. But no, there is much more of me to come. It’s just the starting. Every time when I attend the Youth Conference by Let’s Make A Difference, it’s a new learning for me and helping me to become a better person.

Heartfelt gratitude to Let’s Make A difference for bringing out good in me, helping me in self-realisation, and guiding me towards the right path.