Badly delayed monsoon. Dryspell continues. Elders are succumbing. Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Gujarat on 16 June.
Gandhi Prize to Geeta Press!
16 June – Elders’ Abuse Awareness. A person moves into pre-elderly in her/his fifties, say 55. Elderly at 60. Nowadays, people retire only after they become elderly, those who have that ‘luxury’. Government servants are retiring at 60/61/62. Professors and Judges retire at 65/67. Political servants can go on till death. 75 is an indicative informal norm. Senior Citizenship status is theoretically from 60/65. Sahasra Chandra Darshan status from 82. Life expectancy at 60 is 79, and at 80, it is 89. The number itself is now 10% and growing. Precisely, we are a greying nation. 90% of elderly continue to work till their last days. However, most elderly in general and women in particular are becoming more and more invisible as they add days to their age, day-by-day. They get neglected. Their dignity is compromised most often. Many a time, they do not know/cannot access redressal if they are abused or if their rights and entitlements are denied. Banks deny loans. Insurance companies do not offer insurance. Many organisations do not enrol in knowledge-skill development.
How do we work? As an employee. Employer. Freelancer. Consultant with a portfolio of works. Board member/office-bearer. Owner/co-founder/trustee. Independent Director. Government – local, state, central. Private, Public Limited, Public Company. Partnership. Firm. Not for profit Company, Society, Association, Trust, Foundation. Local, National, International. Bilaterals. Multilaterals. Hybrid Organization, Network of Organizations. Grantee, Grant. CSR. Charity. Private Foundation for Public good. Social Enterprise. Social Impact Organization. Academic organisation. Implementation. Support. What should we do? How do we choose? How do we navigate our way up?
Collective wisdom-intelligence. Wisdom-intelligence of the Universe. Sum total. Can we grow it? Can we share it? Can we amplify it? Can we transform it into a public good for larger good? Can we go towards Commons of Open Accesses, Co-creations, Connections, Discoveries, Technologies, Mechanisms, etc.? Can we nurture the values of hope, faith, promise, love and coexistence/co creation? Can we offer the agency to ourselves?
Most of us are in non-profit leadership, wherever we are. Do we have it within us? Do we have empathy? Do we think strategically? Are we authentic from deep within? Are we willing to articulate our vulnerabilities? Are we humble from within? Are we quick, double quick in responding? Are we understanding our people deeply? Their needs, and perspectives. Are we curious and agile to perceive changes and steer forward? Are we adaptable to embrace change for being useful and impactful? Do we have business sense/acumen? Are we entrepreneurial, in relentless pursuit? Are we self-aware, critical of limitations and hidden strengths? Are we open, or open-minded? Do we have a sense of purpose, direction, focus, seizing ladders and tackling snakes? A sense of humour? A sense of culture, diversity, and inclusion? Tolerance, tenacity, perseverance, endurance and patience? Are we servant leaders?
Most work, to some work, to ‘no’ work. How do we move to leveraging? How do we move to critical but high impact works? Right work? Then, we do not get burnt out, lost, or frustrated. Can we keep moving in this direction, with a framework, plan, tools, skills and knowledge-wisdom? Can we become organized for high effectiveness and efficiency, in this direction? Can we reflect and track the direction daily, weekly, and periodically? For violation, compliance and improvement.
If the quality of our usefulness is good/great, do we need to articulate? Advertise? Will it not spread on its own? Do we not need to keep responding? Is the mediocrity within us seeking advertisement? Can we turn it around? How do we drive agenda, synergies then? Can we have conversations going? Can we have care going? Can we have life in harmony with nature, and the universe going? In harmony with our deepest values – hope, faith, promise, love, coexistence. In meaningful fulfilling usefulness. Experiential. Can we?
Yes, we can. If our values become our drives and drivers towards our life purposes. The flow of N. For 7L.
Join us in the yoga of inner consciousness in nature – saarathiyoga for 7L.
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