A day of oaths

It was a Day of Oaths, indeed. I had never imagined that there would be a day when thousands of students would take one oath after another to make the world a better place. But I won’t mind how many oaths I take if it is administered by a person like the former president of India, APJ Abdul Kalam.

While attending lectures at the Sharjah International Book Fair, the Missile Man of India made us take a vow to start a home library, give importance to mothers and have beauty in our character.

Explaining why it is important to have a home library, he told parents to help their children in maintaining a library. One can start with 10 good books and then keep adding to it because books are real treasures.

Administrating another pledge, he said that if my mother is happy, my home is happy. And if my home is happy, the society will be happy. If societies are happy, State will be happy. And if state is happy, the nation will be happy. And thus it is necessary to keep our mother happy.

And the last oath he made us take was about having righteousness in the heart. I learnt that if there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in character. When there is beauty in character, there will be harmony in the home. And if there is harmony in the home then there will be order in the nation. And when there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world. So it all starts with righteousness in our hearts.

Although his speech was over, he left an impact on us. It was a wonderful learning experience, indeed.

Published in The Gulf Today on November 9, 2013)