To Love is to Serve :)

Contributor: Prakhar Bhartiya

Yesterday, I went to bank to withdraw some money for Change Festival, only to know that banks are closed on every 1st April and then closed on 2nd for Mahavir Jayanti, 3rd for Good Friday. All in all bank will be closed for next three days and 3rd, 4th April is our much awaited Change Festival. Thinking of people from whom I would borrow some money for the event, I prepared a list in my head.

I entered the office & shared this with our team (mostly comprising of college students) that has been working relentlessly for the upcoming festival. I shared the bank scenario and said that we need to crowd source a significant amount for next three days. In next one minute what happened moved me completely and strengthened my belief in power of collaborative community. The team offered to pool in a huge amount for next three days, good enough to meet urgent requirements. It was a powerful moment for everyone, each one of us was happy seeing the ownership in the team. This is true interdependence :)

This is one such incident in the series of such things that have been happening at Youth Alliance office. Each one has been trying to make it as special as possible. Often with the race of time we prefer things that are ready-made but this team has been working day and night to make every little thing from the quotes, to gifts, to backdrop everything has been made with love, trust and compassion. It has been a truly collective effort, where each one has risen to the occasion and given her or his best. 

There have been times over last couple of weeks when I have stopped one of them and said, "Isn't this too much of work for you? Can you do this alone? Start only if you can complete it?" and the reply has been,"Bhaiya, it will done! Don't worry. I will do it at home."

I feel proud to be part of an organization rather team that is so special. This is a true community, where everyone brings their gifts together, share them with each other and surrenders in trust :) The artist takes care of art and gives space to others for expressing; the critical thinker asks the right questions and surrenders in trust; the (main)host makes sure that everyone has space to do what they want to do; the believer takes care that everyone understands the true meaning of gift economy/ multiple form of capital and maintains the ethos; the writer makes sure that every word is written with love; the invisible is busy arranging the logistics and running across the city to make sure that everyone's stay is blessed, the list goes on...

This is like a dream come true for all of us. Now, it is just a day away :) Youth Alliance is going to host its largest gathering ever. We all can feel butterflies in our stomach, I trust the festival will be blissful but I am sure that the process has brought us closer to each other and this is what we all aspire :)

To love, is to SERVE and we have loved :)

P.S. - Thank you Shashank and Ashi for asking me to right today :) Shefali I am missing you back here!