Red says STOP. When the light is red, do not act; do not move, do not proceed. You can escape so many tears and heartbreaks in life; if you simply learn to see Red.
There are many who will offer you your tomorrow today. And you might feel the irresistible pull to go along.
But wait a minute. Did you forget to see the colour Red? Did you forget that one simple yet power-packed word you can and should say? NO! “No” is the bold word you should say when you see red!
Remember that the best things in life are worth waiting for. Don’t seek instant pleasure and satisfaction in anything. Secret things can thrill; but they also kill. It is one moment’s thoughtless adventure but a lifelong journey down to the depths of hell.
So learn to see red. And when you see red, say NO.
Know that consequences are there for every stand you take and every move you make. But you have got everything to lose if you dance to the tune others play for you.
So stand strong. And be bold. A fierce lion-like stance once you say NO might be your only hope.
As a young girl, there is nothing you need to learn that is more important than the word NO. Always, keep it ready like an arrow pulled back on the string. Shoot it without a second thought.
It will hurt some; but it is worth the risk. For it is your safety that matters most. A glass jar; if it breaks might not just be the same even if you glue it back again. So be bold enough to say NO.
Let me conclude. Life is beautiful; but there is red everywhere. Trust in God; be bold, and say NO when you see red.
We are all gathered here with hearts full of gratitude to felicitate her. Dear teacher, we your students are indeed proud of your achievement. We are immensely privileged to share with you the joy of you being selected as the best teacher.
There are three things I wish to highlight this evening.
One, your commitment to excellence. There is nothing that you do that is not stamped with your passion for making the best efforts possible.
Two, your depth of knowledge. There is a welcome freshness to your class each day. We are left yearning for more when the bell rings to signal the end of class.
Three, your personal touch in our lives. You had a gentle word of encouragement to each one of us when we were down. For all our little heartaches, you had time to listen to us. More than what you have taught us, it is the fact that you cared that has touched us.
Above all this we all know that you are a loving wife and an affectionate mother. We are happy that you have found a work-life balance that has given us such a wonderful teacher in you.
There is much more to say. But some things remain etched in memory when it is short and sweet.
So let me wish our very dear teacher many more awards and recognitions in the years ahead.
Life is God’s gift to you. Do not nip it in the bud.
Life might not have been fair to you. But that is not reason enough to take your own life.
You might have made mistakes. Yet when you choose to live, you get a chance to redeem those mistakes made. But if you choose to end your life that is the biggest mistake you can make. You cannot undo it.
Do you say no one cares for you? God will not forsake you even if your father and mother forsakes you.
Even if a mother forgets the baby at her breast and has no compassion on the child she has borne, God says, “I will not forget you!”
He has loved you with an everlasting love. His unfailing love for you will not be shaken for he has compassion on you.*
My dear friend, thoughts of suicide can attack you at any time; sometimes without any reason at all. What should you do then?
Let me ask you what you would do if an ugly worm falls on you when you are standing under a tree? You will shake it away in disgust; won’t you? Yes that is what you should do with all negative thoughts; always! Brush them away. Do not entertain them. Do not lovingly spread a bed for them. Instead, kick them out!
If you have a friend share your struggle with him or her. Accept his or her love and care. Never deceive yourself by thinking that no one cares. It’s a lie!
My dear friend, you can come back from life’s defeats, loss of confidence and failures. Just hold on. The Bible says, “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Remember my friend, God loves you even if you don’t feel like it. Even when your problems seem so huge and unsolvable, he has a plan and purpose* for your life.
Sometimes you might have faced abuse, mental torture, and been the subject of jokes. You might be going through shame and guilt and feelings of worthlessness. Yes, I admit some memories are hard to erase.
Yet you can have a brand new beginning* in life! Choose Life. My friend, that doesn’t mean life is going to be easy, but life will certainly be meaningful when you look forward with hope as God walks along with you!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — Jesus Christ (John 10:10, 11; 14:6 Bible NIV).
*Bible references: God’s child (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1), Father and mother forsake (Psalm 27:10), Mother forgetting (Isaiah 49:15), Loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) Unfailing love and compassion (Isaiah 54:10), Apple of God’s eye (Deuteronomy 32:10), weeping and rejoicing (Psalm 30:5b), Plan and purpose (Jeremiah 29:11), brand new beginning (2 Cor. 5:17).
I do not dream of greatness, but I do dream of making my life meaningful. You ask me, “How?” I can simply say, by showing love and genuine concern for others.
I do not dream of being famous, but I do dream of being a person of influence. You ask me “How?” I can simply say, by disciplining myself to do the best I can and excel every single time I am called to act.
I do not dream of becoming rich, but I do dream of giving as much as I can out of all that I have. You ask me “Why?” Well, there are things that money can’t buy; it can’t stretch your life by a nano second nor can it buy a heart of love. So let me do all the good I can and count myself rich by all that I can do without.
Finally, I dream of making the most of opportunities; and not let them go.
I dream of having a few real good friends; and not fall for a million likes and followers in the world of fantasy.
I dream, yet again, that I might be given grace to love those who are close to me; to value and cherish them, and hold them dear before like a lone bird on a barren tree my life becomes.
I dream, my friends, of fighting back when defeats come; of rising above my occasional loss of confidence and of making it to the finishing tape to win the race set out for me.
Above all this, I dream of finding my life’s purpose; the reason why God put me on Planet Earth. If I can not only dream but also fulfil all that God has called me to do; then my dream shall find its wings and soar high with great joy!
This is my dream, my friends, and I believe that this dream will come to pass with God helping me to make it come true not only for me but for each one of you too.
Teens, not surprisingly, is a time you commit many mistakes. Some of them are painful, some others embarrassing. Do not worry too much about what others think about you. Know that you are significant and have great value in God’s eyes. Some of his best selections are those who are failures in the world’s estimate. So do not despair.
Teens, is a time of yearning to be loved and respected. Love is mostly a feeling, an emotion, a sudden unexplainable connect with someone for most teens. Yet love is more than anything of these. Closely associated with love is respect. A safety line that can be drawn is not to trust anyone who does not respect your private or personal space.
Love that makes demands, love that manipulates,
love that tries to control, love that puts pressure on you to yield,
love that compares you to someone else,
love that demeans your dignity as an individual
and treats you like an object, exhibit or commodity,
love that bargains to make deals—these cannot be called love.
They are a cheap imitation, and at its worst, deception.
Teens, for some at least, is a time of heartbreaks. Broken promises, lies and deception, the luring world of instant messaging, cheating, rejection, having someone dump you are all sadly common. If you have been at the receiving end, do not think about yourself a failure. It is time to focus, have new dreams, and start working towards worthy goals in life.
Finally, if no one else is there to listen to you, God is there. When you feel worthless, when your thoughts like wild horses on the gallop uncontrollably go, when thoughts of suicide come, when others forsake you, make fun of you, and give up on you, you still have God. Teens, God loves you You will find acceptance with him just as you are. Always. God is near, much nearer to you than the breath you breathe.
Respected dignitaries on the dais, beloved teachers, dear parents and students,
Good evening to one and all.
We have just witnessed a magnificent display of talent by the students of our school. It is most fitting that such a variety of cultural events showcased the splendid history of the last 25 years of our school on this concluding programme of the Silver Jubilee Anniversary Celebrations.
As the head girl of this school it is my honour and privilege to propose the vote of thanks.
First of all, let me thank our Principal. Sir, the words of wisdom you shared with us today will remain in our hearts for the rest of our lives. You have challenged us to discipline ourselves to succeed in life and not to lose our human touch in the process of doing so.
I am sure this light you have lit this evening will blaze on in the lives of all the students gathered here. Thank you very much.
The Guest of honour today, [name], is one among us, who started dreaming sitting on the benches of the classrooms here. It is not often that students get a chance to listen to eminent persons like you. You have exemplified through your life what it means to fight against disabilities, and live without complaining about difficult circumstances in life.
Your enthusiasm is contagious. What touched our hearts this evening is your bold fight against gender discrimination and harassment of women in the workplace. Your words have inspired all the girl children in our school to be aware of their rights and privileges; and to have courage to speak out against injustice. Pledging our support to all your work on women empowerment; a big thank you for your gracious presence with us this evening.
Today we were blessed to have the megastar of [name] Malayalam movies as our celebrity guest. Well, we have seen so many of the wonderful characters you portrayed so well on the silver screen. For most of us, it was the first time, we got to see you so close. Your unassuming nature surprised us.
Now it is time to say thanks to our beloved teachers. What can I say!
Without your support, your care and concern for us, your constant endeavours to bring out the best in us, your instilling in us a sense of values and priorities in life, your teaching us the importance of managing time, and above all your being with us for any help that we needed; all this above and beyond what you teach from text books; yes, all these and more have made our life in this school the happiest and most meaningful period of our lives.
In a big way, more than words can say, from the depths of our hearts and with due respect, thank you all our beloved teachers.
A word about our parents gathered for this ceremony this evening. Your coming here, your presence with us means a thousand times more than all the expensive gifts you could have given us. For all your love and care, for all the sacrifices made to educate us in the best school in this part of the world, for gifting us with dreams and possibilities, a big thank you.
We assure you that nothing of what you have done for us will ever go wasted.
It is time to say goodbye. The Silver Jubilee celebrations of our school comes to an end; but the legacy lives on.
What has been achieved will be written in golden letters in the annals of our history; but what is yet to come will surpass all that in its magnitude, in its brilliance, and in its reach.
To all who came to witness this event, to all those who wished our school good luck on this momentous occasion, to all who toiled day and night to make the Silver Jubilee celebrations unforgettable, thank you once again.
Finally I thank God Almighty for showering his blessing upon today’s function.
As the star studded skies on this black velvety night twinkle in euphoric delight,
Wishing you all good night, sweet dreams and radiant memories. Thank you one and all.
On one side, man is exploiting, polluting, and wasting drinkable water. On the other side man is spending billions of dollars seeking signs of water in other planets. Pitiable, to say the least!
Water, I believe, is one of God’s priceless gifts to mankind. In the past civilizations and cultures took shape in the banks of rivers in acknowledgement of this fact.
Today, the post-modern culture revolves around bottled water. In this we see a loss of goodness that once was seen in offering a stranger a cup of cold water to drink as he walked by our homes.
Those of us who have constant access to fresh water resources should pause a moment and think about millions who do not enjoy this privilege. In fact, there are many, especially women and children who die for the lack of safe drinking water.
Now just thinking won’t do much good. We need action. In this case, we need practical steps to preserve our water resources for our children.
Think about it. How can the next generation survive if after having the best education and highly skilled jobs they don’t have water to drink?
The simplest thing you can do is to see that your taps don’t leak or drip. Once you are about to leave home ensure that all taps are closed.
Then explore the possibility of taking a shorter bath, consider reusing water from the kitchen for gardening, or using stored water in a bucket to wash dishes instead of running water.
There are several more of these practical tips. It is not creativity that is lacking to implement them; instead it is the will to do so. Remember the saying “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Perhaps there is no better way to end these thoughts than to quote what the missile man of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam predicted, “Future wars will be over water.”
With atomic, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons kept ready for the need and the hour, another world war would contaminate what little safe water that remains. Let us therefore unite to save water to save lives!
Before I conclude, let me remind you that water quenches thirst. It satisfies. Especially after having walked in the hot sun, how refreshing a splash of water onto one’s face and drink of cold water. Therefore water is a powerful symbol of the longing of man for truth, for God, for the meaning of life and for all that ultimately satisfies.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” — Jesus Christ
–(John 4:13, 14 Bible NIV.)
World Water Day–March 22
Life is
limited by time,
happening in space,
and destined for eternity.
Let me explore Time, Space, and Eternity one by one.
First of all Time is the stuff life on earth is made of. Though 24 hours is equally made available to all, the length of years one lives is beyond the scope of man to determine.
Time given is best utilized when one realizes that life has a purpose on earth and it has been God-ordained.
Secondly, Space is the platform on which life happens. Earth is just a tiny speck of dust; a blue and white jewel in the endless galaxies and stellar regions of space.
The stars shining at night are a constant reminder that life on earth is no accident and it has been God-designed in wisdom and sustained by his mighty power!
It is when you think of the vastness of space and its endless wonders that you cannot but exclaim with the Hebrew poet, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”*
Thirdly, God has set eternity in the hearts of men. Death is by no means the end of life.
Life becomes meaningful when it is lived in the perspective of eternity. What determines the quality of life in eternity are the choices we make here and now.
Life we live on earth is just a preparation; and what we sow here is reaped for ever and ever.
Let me conclude. In the light of what was spoken about Time, Space, and Eternity, go throw a pebble into the still waters of a pond and see what happens!
Isn’t there more to life than what you have seen so far? Truly,
“No eye has see,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Speaking is a matter of joy. So keep aside your fears. Seek God’s help, read much on your topic, get guidance from parents and teachers, and you are ready to go.
First of all think about a good beginning. It should get the attention of the audience. It can be a quote, a very short story or even an experience from your life said quickly.
Something like,
“When I was a child, my father used to take us to the children’s library in my hometown. Soon, primarily through the world of comics I entered into the world of fairy tales, fables, heroes, heroines, villains, and imaginative stories. Little did I know that I was going to fall in love with reading. But one thing I know, it has added depth to my understanding of the meaning of life, people, cultures, and the world at large.”
Now you can tell them the topic of the day. If you can use some creative ways to phrase your topic, it will be great. For example, “Is the Habit of Reading a Lost Art? Even plainly stating the topic, “The Importance of Reading,” is fine.
Follow it up with a quick statement of what all things your audience can expect from your speech. For example if you are speaking on The Importance of Reading, you can say something like, “Today I will be helping you to understand how reading informs, entertains, and inspires you.”
Now the audience knows that your speech will cover three main points. The expectation is clearly established. And they know what they will get to carry home with them from your speech.
Next try to find logical ideas and examples to support each main point you are dealing with.
For example, you can say that the reading of a book on Questions and Answers had given you basic knowledge about the human body, deep sea fishes, artificial intelligence, inventions and discoveries, computers etc; the reading of C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia had entertained you, and the reading of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam‘s autobiography The Wings of Fire had inspired you.
Now you can tell your audience about how to make reading a habit. If you have a habit of reading the Bible the first thing in the morning, you can tell them it is a good way to begin the day by seeking God and his wisdom.*
You can then tell them how to bring variety in your reading by mixing story books, travelogues, science fiction, comics, poetry, drama, novels and so on.
Perhaps, you can also tell them how to write notes about what they read so that they will be able to recall and put to good use what they have read.
Now it is time to conclude. Before you do so you can try to cement the importance of reading by using a well known quote from Bacon, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested,” or from Milton, “A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.”
After saying that, you can tell them what you told them till then. Something like “the headlines once again” as you hear in the reading of the NEWS on television. “Today, I have tried to show you how reading informs, entertains, and inspires you.”
Now you can try a flow chart to touch down.
If you want to remind them of the importance of reading say something like, “I hope that the habit of reading will grow along with you like an ever-widening and deepening stream.”
Or if you want to persuade them to take action, end by asking, “The libraries of the world have many books. You can’t read all of them . But still there are some you cannot afford to miss. So start reading today.”
Yet again you want an inspirational ending, go for this: “If my short speech has ignited your imagination and inspired you to open the windows of your mind a little wider through reading, I am sure you will build a life on solid rock, chiselled by discipline, and trusted for its character.
Ambition is the burning desire that enables you to achieve your goals in life. Without ambition no one has ever succeeded. Therefore it is important to have a healthy ambition in life.
Ambition keeps you motivated. So many people are like a football. They need to be kicked to move forward. But people with ambition are fuelled from within and fires forward like a rocket.
Again, ambition helps you to have a fighting attitude. See, life is no easy game; neither is it a fairy tale ending minus all the hardships that go before it. Defeats, failures, mistakes, setbacks, criticism, and opposition are plenty in the lives of all achievers. But it is ambition to achieve that helps them move on in spite of all this.
A distinction to be made however is between ambition and wishful thinking. So many people live in fool’s paradise thinking that they have great ambition. But when you question them, you will soon know that they are simply living on borrowed motivation. They are not realistic nor are they prepared to count the cost of high achievement.
Yet again, ambition can be spurred on by knowledge. Those who are driven by ambition are those who get maximum available information about where they are heading to? Do you think Christopher Columbus set out on his ambitious voyages without available maps, compass, and seasoned sailors? Unthinkable, isn’t it?
Finally, the ambitious ones always aim high. They are like eagles that soar high. Lesser things of life do not distract them. They do not waste time in frivolities nor do they take pleasure in finding fault with others. Instead, they discipline themselves to harness their full potential and resources to achieve greatness in life.
What Gladys Aylward, the British Missionary to China said, is relevant in this context. She said: “The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.”
Therefore you will find that those with ambition are in passionate love with excellence. And when it is rooted in strong character, they are unstoppable. That is why the world stands in admiration when the ambitious record wins, stand on top of summits, and touch the skies in their upward flight.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness” is a phrase that was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in 1778.
The first thought about it is related to spirituality itself. What would you think about a place of worship littered with dirty plastic cups and garbage? Would you feel like worshipping there? Would you feel the presence of God there? The simple answer is No. Without maintaining a clean environment it is not possible to have a meaningful spirituality.
The second thought is about health. Maintaining good physical and mental health is closely related to cleanliness. A sound mind can only reside in a healthy body. To have a healthy body cleanliness is a must. Think about it this way. A hospital is a place where patients are treated. What if hospitals are not maintaining proper cleanliness? The very place that is supposed to bring health and healing and wholeness will become the place where diseases and epidemics spread from. So it is very evident that cleanliness is an absolute must as far as health is concerned.
Now let us turn our thoughts to children going to school. They come in uniforms; don’t they? What if a huge majority of children come to school in dirty uniforms? That will be total lack of discipline and self-respect. Children and teachers when they come in neat and modest dress create an atmosphere in school where study becomes a joy and not a burden. There is a general sense of well-being. As we stretch this example, one of the impacts created by the armed forces as they march during the republic parade is the absolute clean dress codes they maintain. What a sense of pride in the nation they give to us!
Again, cleanliness in our surroundings is a civic responsibility. Each citizen of India is responsible for keeping our streets and open spaces clean. Most people have a selfish thought that they can dirty their neigbour’s place in order keep their own compounds clean. But that it a bad attitude. We need to work together to achieve cleanliness on a nationwide scale. We need to clean up our homes and neighbourhoods, residential areas and public places, streets and highways, and places of cultural heritage and tourist importance as well.
Let me now conclude. Would you like to visit a beach that is fully littered with plastic waste? I am sure you along with other visitors would prefer a place with clean surroundings; isn’t it? Again, when you travel and enter a wayside hotel or restaurant what if you are served food in an unwashed plate and the hotel itself has not been cleaned for days! Would you eat food there. NO. So it is very clear that cleanliness is next to godliness and those who wish to succeed in life should make it a discipline and habit to maintain cleanliness in life. Thank you.
Rabindranath Tagore opens one of his poems with these words, “Where the mind is without fear and head is held high.” But as we look around today, we find a young generation with their heads bowed down all the time. From the time of their birth they grew up with mobile phones and social media. They knew nothing better.
Now let us think about the impact of social media on youth.
First of all the impact is that of bad example. As we look at families today we find each one busy with social media; not just youngsters. See, youngsters look up to parents as their role models especially in the early stages of life. And what do they see. They find parents on social media all the time. WhatsApp and Facebook are the stuff they find joy in. And children are often neglected. No wonder they feel rejected.
Secondly, there is the impact of wrong priorities. Youth should learn that what they invest in now will yield benefits later in life. Now is the time to study and dream about a great career ahead. If that valuable time is stolen from them through social media chats, then they lose sense of priority.
Thirdly, there is the impact of wrong relationships. God has kept boundaries in life. This is for our freedom and highest good. The virtual world of social media with its ease of quick and instant communication encourages youngsters to cross boundaries. They chat on topics in private which they might not dare to talk about in front of others. This often leads youngsters to fall into relationships that promise great things. But usually they fall into traps, into blackmailing and disgrace.
Yet another impact is on health. The amount of time spent on social media creates health issues with the spine, neck, fingers, and eyes. Usually these problems show up only later in life. But then it is too late. Some youngsters spend hours chatting and also eat junk food while doing so. This leads to other health issues like obesity and diabetes which is a silent killer.
Finally there is the impact on personal safety and security. Often youngsters post selfies on social media. They reveal their travel plans and personal details like birthdays, names of parents and their work etc. These vital information can lead to blackmailing and other dangerous situation.
Let me conclude. The impact of social media on youth can be understood in the context of impact of bad example, the impact of wrong priorities, the impact of wrong relationships, the impact on health and the impact on personal safety.
Youngsters should remember that life is not without accountability. They should remember that the digital footprints they leave behind on social media are not just impacting them here a few hours but they are going to impact them for a life time.
Self-control is not a popular term with teens; but freedom is. Now freedom in excess without restrictions makes people slaves to whatever has mastered them.
So there is a responsibility on your part to exercise self-control. It can be in many areas.
One, exercise self-control in the area of speech. Too much talk can make you lose respect with teachers and elderly. It can create conflicts and quarrels with the best of friends.
Two, exercise self-control in the area of relationships. You cannot take advantage of others and expect to live a happy life. Avoiding haste in getting involved in relationships, maintaining purity in motives, and treating others with kindness instead of becoming judgmental; are all measures of self-control.
Three, exercise self-control in the area of food. Eating is necessary to live, but living to eat is yet another matter. Junk food is everywhere. When food is made a god, bad eating and drinking habits can prove harmful.
Four, exercise self-control in the area of social media. Do not spend too much time in it. Remember all your digital footprints are tracked. There is no escape. And do not be naive and reveal your personal information on social media.
Five, exercise self-control in money matters. Do not fall into the living on credit cards trap. Do not not spend lavishly on non-essentials. Money is so uncertain; there a hundred different ways through which a rich man can become penniless.
Six, exercise self-control in management of time. We are all given 24 hours a day. But no one knows for how long. Reduce time you spend for entertainment and try to live life in a purposeful manner. If you can utilize 15 minutes a day to learn a new skill, think about what difference it can make in your life and career.
Seven, and finally, exercise self-control in your thoughts. No one can read your mind but your eyes and face will bear the marks of what you think. Imagination is a wonderful gift; but make every effort to think on the lovely and the pure.* Try to think on achieving excellence. Do not leave your mind empty but fill it with good thoughts, reading great books, and generate ideas along with friends.
There are many other areas where one can learn to exercise self control. “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls,”* says the Bible. So discipline yourself. Exercise self-control. If not, your mind and behaviour will be like untamed horses running wild in the woods!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
*Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 25:28 Bible.
For those who stay connected to God, the Bible says that God himself will produce in people self-control. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).”
Sad to say, many look for happiness outside themselves. They look for riches, fame, power, and even entertainment to bring them happiness. Riches can be lost, fame can burst like a soap bubble, power can be taken away, and entertainment that excited you yesterday might not be enough for today’s happiness. But one thing is sure: men and women are constantly in the pursuit of happiness.
The whole world of advertisements, it seems, revolve around the concept of happiness. People are told that they will be happy if they have a new car, a dream home, travel to an exotic destination and so on. Anything is offered on credit. Surprisingly, the more attractive the advertisement sounds, the more people are ready to buy and invest.
Now if you want to be happy, there are a few things you can do. Be thankful.Have good friendships. Maintain contact with people you value and love. Have a passion in life. Study well. Do your work with skill, enthusiasm, and integrity. Give to others your time, talent, and treasure. Try to help others achieve their dreams. These are meaningful ways to find happiness.
At the same time many fall for the trap of happiness for the moment. For example, it can be entertaining wrong relationships. It can be substance abuse. It can be gambling. But somehow people in spite of warnings and red signals fail to read the price tag. It can spells the D’s–Despair, Disillusionment, Deception, Destruction, and finally Death. So happiness for the moment is not worth the game. You need to look for happiness that lasts.
Again, think about all those things that you don’t need. People love to accumulate things and try to find happiness in possessions. But when it is time to die, nothing matters except the love you had for others. Similarly technology these days is bringing more and more gadgets that makes you slaves to them. Think about it. Do gadgets make your really happy?
Finally, there has been many songs in the past titled, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Is it that simple? The truth possibly is people worry about not being happy. It is like a dog who went round and round trying to catch happiness which it believed was in its tail. While another dog seeing the other’s struggle simply said, “My happiness is also in my tail. But it follows me wherever I go!”
There are more than one lakh planes flying every day world wide. Can you imagine them take off and land without pilots listening to instructions from the control tower?
Similarly life and its safe flying depends much on listening to the control tower called wisdom. The Bible says, “The fear of the LORD–that is wisdom, to shun evil is understanding.”*
The fear of the Lord means to acknowledge that God is holy and he is to be worshipped with reverence and awe. It means to accept that God is the source of all true wisdom. Once you do so, you have a solid foundation to build your life upon.
The practical part of wisdom is avoiding evil. You cannot fear God on one side and allow yourself not to listen to his life-giving instructions on the other. Today, evil comes in innocent-looking attractive packages. It gnaws away at your life without you even being aware of it.
To avoid being trapped by them, ask yourself three questions:
Question number one,
“How much time are gadgets stealing away from my time to study?” Question number two,
“Does what I am doing a clear disobedience of instructions given by my parents and teachers?” Question number three,
“Are my relationships and friendships influencing me for good or bad?”
Time, obedience, relationships. If you can keep tabs on these three watchwords, you can walk in the ways of wisdom.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
*Job 28:28, Proverbs 3:16, 4:22
Two related thoughts from the wise king, Solomon: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7).” and “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).”
and one from Psalms:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).
A role model is a person whom I can look up to; learn from, and imitate. I can also be inspired to succeed the way he or she has done in his or her life.
A role model can be my father or mother; it can be my teacher, my best friend, a sports personality or a leader in my neighbourhood or community. What makes a role model impact my life is not the position he or she holds; but the positive influence and the way he or she sets an example by his or her behaviour, speech and courageous action.
Now we need to note that we either consciously choose role models or sometimes we are influenced by them without our even knowing it.
So just ask yourself this question, “Who am I looking up to as a standard of behaviour, and reference point to emulate or follow?” The next question to ask yourself is “What makes his or her life a success?” Once you have identified those elements like honesty, discipline or courage; the third question to ask is, “What character traits of that person can I copy, implement, and reproduce in my life so that I too can shine a light for others?”
Again, a role model is one who brings about a positive change in me. He or she is someone whom I can relate to in my struggles as well as my dreams.
Personally, I have had not one; but many role models in my life. At each stage of life’s journey I have looked up to someone for motivation to live life better.
If I look at them close; they may not be perfect but there is something good about them which makes me respect and admire them and also push myself to excel in life.
Surprisingly, many role models that I have had are not public figures, but unsung heroes and heroines whose lives shone a bright light for me!
If you have got one true friend, you are rich.
If you have got two, you are a billionaire.
If you say, you have more; you know nothing about friendship.
Well, you may not agree. But good friends are rare.
Friends are, I believe, God’s priceless gifts to us.
Valuing, cherishing, nurturing, and maintaining friendship is the way we say “thank you” for what has been gifted to us.
Friendship primarily is a relationship. It is based on love, acceptance, and mutual respect.
That means you love not to get something out of your friend, but to give the best you have.
That means you accept your friend with all his goodness and shortcomings as well.
Beyond all this it is a relationship that seeks to honour your friend and never take him for granted.
Friendship again is an investment. It takes time to build good friendships.
You need to invest quality time with your friend on a regular basis. Social media can help; but is never a substitute for face to face interaction.
Time that you get in your school and college days will never come back.
So utilize that to the maximum to build a solid foundation so that after graduation when you move out for work, you still have a huge deposit of memories, of conversations, and of good things you did together with your friend.
Friendship can also be a reflection.
A good friend is a mirror that reflects who you truly are.
It does not hide what is ugly, what is marred, and what is lacking in you.
It speaks truth.
In the words of King Solomon, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted; but an enemy multiplies kisses.”*
Friendship, again, is a bridge-building exercise.
Not always will you find your friend at his best.
Not always will you find him meeting your demands on his time, talent, or resources.
There will be times when he misunderstands you.
But one thing I have learned to do in those tough times is to think of the best things he has been to me.
It is in those challenging times that I deliberately focus on the kindnesses he has shown me in the past.
And then my heart warms up again.
Within no time I take the initiative to make a call and talk.
And it is good old times back again.
Life is too short. If God has given you good friends, thank God for them.
Value them, cherish them, be loyal to them, and above all, remember them in your daily prayers.
If you are yet to create good friendships, choose them carefully. Charm can be deceptive; beauty fleeting; handsomeness can turn ugly when you get close; and smiling faces can be masks whose paint washes off in the first rain.
So be warned; choose your friends carefully.
For a friend can build you up strong like a stone fortress or give you a massive pull down a black hole.
Finally, let me conclude by saying that a good friend brings out the best in you.
He does not yield to your stories of defeat and despair.
Instead he motivates you to be the best God wanted you to be.
So thank God for your friend who holds you true to your God-given purpose in life. Thank you.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
*Proverbs 27:6
Quotes on friendship
“My father always used to say that when you die, if you’ve got five real friends, then you’ve had a great life.” — Lee Iacocca (Former Chairman, Chrysler Corporation and Former President, Ford Motor Company.).
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” — King Solomon (Proverbs 27:17).
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — Jesus Christ (John 15:13).
The most important thing it has taught me is sportsman spirit. There are good days and bad days in cricket. One cannot be at his best on all days, be it batting, bowling, or fielding. I also earned to treat the opposition with respect, and not to underestimate a weak team.
Yet another lesson learned was how to plan an innings. Playing cricket also helped me learn to persevere, which has been that one quality that has kept me going through tough times in life.
I cannot but mention some of the leadership lessons cricket has taught me as I got opportunities to captain my team.
Captaincy is an art. The most important quality you need as a leader is calmness under pressure. This I had in plenty then. One should have deep reservoirs of optimism even when everything around you is falling apart. Sudden loss of wickets or the opposition team tearing your bowling attack apart should not pull you down.
Again, the art of captaincy demands that your thinking should be fast forward. Decisive action and ability to communicate commands effectively are leadership qualities a cricket captain has to exercise and I got well-trained in it.
Daniela B. Peter @ 3 years playing cricket in the evening at terrace of our home.
But beyond all this cricket as a hobby gave me great joy. More than the physical exercise it provided, it was the gelling between friends that provided the greatest satisfaction. Even today memories of matches played bring a smile on my face.
And if you want me to pick out one thing—yes, that one thing that I fine-tuned, polished, and brought to a class act through playing cricket, it is the art of finishing strong and finishing well. For nothing has given me a greater sense of satisfaction than hitting the winning run or taking the final wicket.
Let me conclude by saying that cricket is a beautiful game. It not only entertains but educates as well. Winning a game of cricket remains a great art. And not all teams win all the time. Perhaps more important is how you played the game.
When someone needs to get a major surgery done he or she will seek out a surgeon with tremendous experience. It emphasizes the fact that we all value people with experience.
That brings us to the topic of the day “Experience Is the Best Teacher.”
Learning from text books is one thing and teachers do play a vital role in shaping our capabilities. But no amount of learning in classrooms can substitute practical experience. For it is in real life situations that we learn to apply what we were taught; make mistakes in the process and become wise in a true sense. We mature by doing.
Another important thing to note is how we learn to improvise. Whether it be medicine or sports or driving a vehicle what was taught has to be implemented using moment by judgement of people, situations and contexts. This can happen only through experience; and it is here that experience makes a vital difference.
Again, experience helps you to do things effectively with minimal effort. If you tried to gift wrap something you might have experienced some difficulty before you did it. But if you observe people who are assigned to do the gift wrapping in certain shopping malls we find them wrapping gifts quickly and efficiently. There is no labouring, no sense of frustration, but a positive feel of the easiness with which they do it. That is art at its best.
But the best of all is that experience helps you stay calm under pressure. When you face dangers, or when you are facing defeat during a game, or when you are racing against time in meeting a deadline; in all these and many more situations experienced people stay calm under pressure. That helps them to think with clarity. And it can drive the opposition to commit errors and leave you the winner.
So how do you gain experience? You gain that by doing things. If that is backed by knowledge and you are blessed with a teacher then the experience you gain will be worth its weight in gold.
You should therefore be alert to grab every opportunity to get invaluable experience in life. Variety is the key. You don’t drive a car only forward. Experience comes as you learn to do parallel parking, drive the car in very narrow roads, learn to start a vehicle when it stops as it climbs a steep uphill curve, and you learn to stay calm in a real nerve-racking wait in a crawling traffic jam.
Even though it is pointed out that “Experience is a comb life gives you after you lose your hair,”* there is something about the experienced man or woman that commands trust and respect. To sum it all up, let me quote a Faroese proverb which says, “Old ravens are not easy to fool.”
And I end on that note; that wisdom that comes with experience makes experience the best teacher. Thank you.
Respected Principal, honoured guests, beloved teachers, and my dear friends,
Good morning to one and all.
Let me first of all thank God as well as the Principal of the School for giving me this opportunity to speak to you on Christmas. I wish to talk to you about the meaning of gifts during Christmas.
Christmas is a beautiful time of the year when family and friends come together. And gifts are exchanged. One group that is always excited at Christmas are children. This is because children love gifts. They look forward to receive gifts during this time of the year. In fact, it is this sense of expectation that makes Christmas special.
Let me tell you how gifts can make Christmas special. There was a lovely young husband and wife who were poor. Both of them, Jim and Della, loved each other dearly. As Christmas came near both of them secretly thought about gifting each other with a lovely Christmas gift. But they did not have much money.
Della had long and beautiful hair. So Jim thought of buying her a beautiful hair clip. Della saw that the strap of Jim’s watch was broken. So she thought of buying him a watch strap. And on Christmas Eve both of them wished each other Happy Christmas and gave the gifts to each other.
But children there were tears in both their eyes. Do you know why? It was because Della had cut her long hair and sold it to get money to buy Jim a watch strap. And Jim had sold his watch to buy Della a hair clip.
This spirit of sacrifice is the true meaning of Christmas as this classic short story from O. Henry highlights. Likewise, it was not easy for God to send his Son Jesus to this world. It was a sacrifice. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Therefore let us celebrate Christmas by thanking God for his indescribable gift—the gift of God’s Son Jesus!
Remember my dear children; he came just for you and for me!
Let me also tell you the story of a young boy who was an orphan. He was poor. During Christmas time he used to go to the street and watch the lovely gifts displayed inside shops. He would press his nose against the glass to have a closer look.
But he was sad because there was no one to give him a gift. One day, he saw a small cat on the road. He also saw a car coming against it. On seeing this the boy jumped in front of the car and saved the cat. But the car hit him. And he was taken to hospital.
There was a good nurse who took care of him. On Christmas day she gifted him with a toy. The boy opened the packet and found a toy train inside it. The nurse asked him, “Do you like it?”
The boy with great joy cried out: “There is no glass between.” Saying so he put the toy train close to his heart. See how happy he was when he had a toy for himself.
Dear children, may God gift you with the real joy of finding Jesus this Christmas. So that you too can say with this boy, “Now there is no glass between; I too have found the true joy of Christmas.”
Finally, during Christmas time we remember the journey of the Wise Men who came from far way to worship baby Jesus. They had seen a star and travelled from far away to meet Jesus. And when the star led them to Jesus, they gave gifts of gold and myrrh and incense to Jesus. That is why in remembrance of their act of worship we also give gifts to each other during Christmas.
So think about it. When you meet Jesus, what will be the gift you wish to give him? I am sure Jesus will be happy to see your love towards him more than anything else. So try to love Jesus more this Christmas.
Wish all of you a blessed Christmas and a prosperous new year. Thank you.
Thank you. —Stefan B. Peter, PP II K, St. Thomas School, Kumarapuram.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
— John 3:16 Bible.
Welcome Speech
Respected Dignitaries, teachers, parents and my dear friends,
A warm good morning to one and all.
We are celebrating Christmas at our school today. It is a time we think of baby Jesus in Bethlehem. I stand here now to welcome all of you.
First of all, let me welcome all the dignitaries present here. We are so glad you came to watch our program. On behalf of the school I happily welcome all of you.
Next, I welcome our Respected Principal, teachers, parents, kochammas [caretakers] and friends to this program. May this Christmas program touch our hearts with joy.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Once again I welcome all of you.
Thank you. —Daniela B. Peter, PP II K, St. Thomas School, Kumarapuram.
Until some years ago, when children talked about games it meant team games like football, cricket, hockey, basketball, shuttle, tennis and the like. But today games are more or less dominated by computer games in the minds of youngsters.
Again, until some time ago, blue whale was the answer to the question “Which is the biggest animal on earth?” But no longer. Blue Whale is the name of an online computer game played over social networks which encourages youngsters to do certain tasks ending in suicide.
So let me spell out the topic for my speech. It is the Impact of Computer Games on Youth. It is very clear that youngsters interact with video games in much deeper ways physically, emotionally, and mentally than with other popular media like films. You can also read Gaming as Career, Entertainment, and Addiction! for further insight on gaming.
First let me focus on the benefits of computer games.
Many claim that computer games improve co-ordination, attention, concentration and problem-solving skills. It also enhances memory, helps in multitasking capability and can also be used as excellent teaching tools.
There are video games like building a city or helping others. These can help a youngster to be socially responsible and behave with care and concern for others.
Computer games, some people say, help youngsters to get familiar with the online world. It allows them to become smart kids and builds perseverance in them as many computer games have different levels which the gamer has to master.
Quick thinking, fast analysis, intelligent use of resources and management, planning and strategy and situational awareness are some other benefits that people highlight.
Let us assume that all these are good. Let us now look at some of the negatives.
Very young children are also exposed to the world of computer gaming. Sometimes these games can encourage violence and crime. So there should be a supervision of what type of game is played.
Secondly, the amount of time one spends on computer games have to be limited. There are known cases of people spending long hours on games without eating, mingling with friends or studying. This affects health as well as the person’s ability to interact with other people face to face.
Thirdly women are generally portrayed in games as weak and as kind of objects. It is a kind of negative stereotyping. It can wrongly impact the young boys and the way they treat women.
Again, there are studies which show that video games can lead to aggressive behaviour because of constantly playing games which require the gamer to take part in violence.
Another difficulty with video games is that parents rarely spend time with their children trying to find out what games they play. So parents lose a chance of bonding with their children; they lose the chance to spend quality time with their kids and of course they lose the chance to understand what type of behaviour change is occurring in their children because of the video games they play.
Finally, there is the danger of not differentiating between the real world and the fantasy world. Unless the youngsters are taught between the differences in the gaming world and the real world there can come moments of confusion and disappointment.
Let me conclude by saying that we cannot forget the fact video games and gaming have become a multi-billion dollar industry. It might easily be the fastest growing entertainment in the world today.The high quality of graphics giving a greater sense of virtual reality is drawing people more and more into a different world far removed from the real one. And it is impacting youngsters in a big way. Only time will tell of how the life of youth changed with video games dominating their play, study, thinking, and relationships.
Every age has its scientific discoveries and inventions. But today’s scientific advancements can impact globally in very short time. Such is the progress made in the field of artificial intelligence or AI.
AI is in simple terms machines and computers learning, thinking and doing what human intelligence does. Instead of doing certain tasks repeatedly, with AI, machines operate from data that we feed them with to recognize human voices, use human language, drive cars or even the ability to suggest the next course of treatment or an article or book you might like to read.
Artificial Intelligence is something which impacts our everyday life. If you have ever used the Google search engine they give you optimized, so near to what you asked for results based on AI. On the other extreme AI is used in Robotics and even in weaponry which can function without human aid.
Now let me ask this vital question, why is there a surge in the field of AI? Several thrusts can be pointed out. But science and technology is trying to create a super intelligence that can outperform human beings not just in specific tasks but in complex cognitive activity which includes decision-making, problem-solving, memory, speech recognition, attention and judgement.
This can lead mankind to a life of ease like never known before when lot of what they had to perform is done to perfection with the help of AI aided robots or machines. But then there is a danger here. What if AI through some chance or misjudged human calculation acquires smarter intelligence that can control human beings or wreck disasters unheard of?
Yes, there are benefits of AI that we are yet to see that far outweighs these assumed dangers. Maybe no one can stop the march of science or those with scientific pursuit and perseverance who are passionately working in the R & D of AI. Soon someday what many thought as Science Fiction, which people read about in novels or watched in movies as future becomes real and operational now.
If AI creates automated jobs in plenty, will that replace much of human skill and labour? That might be an interesting question of concern to many. Or will AI create more careers or at least offer a few career paths which intelligent kids might be tempted to pursue?
Likewise AI created by man to have the complex ability to think and act like human beings can act in destructive mode if something goes wrong. Hacking and programming errors or even robots starting to communicate with each other in a language man will not be able to understand can well be the nightmare of tomorrow.
As the world’s leading technology Companies are competing with each other to show the world their prowess through pioneering AI; as efforts are being made to deify AI to semi-god status, robots can some day gain enough intelligence to challenge the might of man. Though it might be in the future, we might lose our sleep on it this very night. Thank you.
Loudspeakers blaring with appeals to vote for a particular candidate.
Banners, flags, and colourful posters waved by rallying masses.
Speeches spitting fire. Debates and arguments.
Motorcades and walks and marches.
House to house campaigns. Leaflets and pamphlets being distributed.
Candidates appearing on television.
Well, here in these images that flashed across your mind’s eye the gateway opens to your understanding of democracy. Let us forget the excitement of elections for a moment. And ask ourselves, What is democracy? Let us try to find out.
Freedom that brings responsibility, to borrow a thought from Nehru’s Tryst with Destiny speech, is the bedrock of democracy. Its power is vested in people or as the word democracy literally means “rule of the people.” Leadership that arises out of the people’s will and mandate is what drives a democracy forward.
The right to free speech as well as the right to choose are fundamental to democracy. One way to look at democracy is the way oration of leaders have played in shaping history. Even the popular definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is the concluding thought of Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address.
Democracy thrives when there is a free flow of ideas.
It thrives when the dignity of individuals and their basic rights are upheld, preserved and cherished.
It thrives when oppositions are strong and bring forth constructive criticism of government policies.
Of course, where there are constitutions, the judiciary plays a significant and vital role in upholding the values enshrined in the constitution. When respect to the legislature, the law-making body of democracy is violated then it is the first step to the disintegration of democratic values.
The challenges of democracy are many:
The kind of corruption that is rampant in democratic institutions is phenomenal.
Criminalization of politics is another.
The dearth of women representation is an area of concern when half of the population is women.
Regional parties playing a kingmaker’s role in national politics is not desirable as it weakens the national outlook.
The lack of political will in implementing beneficial policies is often seen when governments play vote bank appeasing politics.
These are some serious challenges faced by democracy. Even then much good has been done in terms of equality, justice for all, freedom of speech and religion, and inclusion of the weaker and marginalized sections of society into the mainstream of public life, education, employment and the like.
Again, the role of the media as shaping public opinion is worthy of consideration. That is why whenever a dictator takes over in a democracy his first act is to shut down and put a curb on all media. In this 21st century, technology in the form of internet and social media has made everyone capable of contributing their ideas and critiques. This has created greater visibility to politicians and also it acts as a deterrent as anything done wrong can instantly go viral.
Democracy is best seen when governments are voted out of power. It reminds great leaders and their political parties that ultimately it is people who reign and they are at best ministers or servants of the masses.
To conclude, there is no other better or satirical presentation of democracy than found in G. B. Shaw’s preface to The Apple Cart. He says that “I am going to ask you to begin our study of Democracy by considering it first as a big balloon, filled with gas or hot air, and sent up so that you shall be kept looking up at the sky whilst other people are picking your pockets.”
But not all is negative about democracy. What is now required is for people to become more aware and educated about the power of their vote; how important it is to exercise their franchise when they get a chance to do so.
Even as political slogans and sound bites still sway the hearts and minds of the masses;
even as the excitement and frenzy of campaigning takes over every few years;
the hope expressed by Abraham Lincoln will live on:
the “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth!” Thank you.
Once upon a time two angels went from heaven to earth with two huge baskets to collect the prayers of people. One basket was labelled Requests and the other Thanks. When the angels returned to God, the basket of Requests was full and overflowing; but the basket of Thanks was almost empty.
Dear friends, the lesson is quite clear. An attitude of gratitude is often absent in our lives. The lack of a thankful heart may be the root cause of many human illnesses as well.
Let me now point out two things:
Firstly, an attitude of gratitude means you learn to count your blessings in life. When you do so you will find that they far outnumber the difficulties or problems you face in life. Moreover it gives you a joyous heart as well.
You can be thankful for the gift of life, your parents, home and school, your teachers, relatives and friends, for the clothes you wear, the food you eat and the place you live in. The list is endless.
Secondly, an attitude of gratitude helps you value simple joys of life. You may not have the latest gadgets to play with. Instead a thankful heart will help you to be content and satisfied in whatever situation you find yourself in.
A thankful heart will value people more than things, it will value a smile more than riches, it will find joy in giving than grabbing, and it will hold on to hope even when life’s ship moves in troubled waters.
Bless the LORD, O My Soul!
—
Daniela B. Peter and Stefan B. Peter sings the song, “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart” as part of Little Kingdom program on Harvest TV.
Today is a very special day because it is God’s gift to us. That is why it is called the Present.
Today presents us with opportunity to do good. Today is very special again because it gives us a chance to love others and encourage the weak.
Today is a very special day because it gives us a chance to act on our dreams and achieve our goals. That is why Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream today.” He said that because today’s dream is tomorrow’s reality.
Therefore let us not postpone for tomorrow what can be done today. Whoever you are, God has gifted you with an equal opportunity of 24 hours.
Let me end with the words of Jesus Christ who said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
Yes, yesterday is gone, tomorrow might never come. So let us grab the present moment and live life to the fullest for today is a very special day. Thank you.
Mobile phones have changed the way people communicate. Everywhere you see people talking over phone while on the move.
For many people life revolves around mobile phones. The advantage is that you can keep in touch with people with ease. You can maintain friendships and relationships. Through mobile phones and a variety of apps, distances and memories are bridged in real time. It is nothing less than amazing what technology has wrought through mobile phones.
That is about connection.
Another advantage is the sense of security it gives to people. For example elderly parents when alone at home can get in touch with their children in an instant in case of an emergency. Mothers can keep in constant touch with their daughters while they travel alone. Or even if your vehicle gets punctured on the road or meets with an accident you can call for help right from there. These advantages cannot be overlooked.
That is about confidence.
Third advantage is that most mobile phones give you access to world wide web and the information super highway. Knowledge is just a search away. Whether it be referring to a dictionary, or looking up “how to” do something in a Youtube video, or gathering information from Wikipedia, websites, blogs and the like; people find it at lightning speed with the help of search engines like google.
That is about comprehension.
If you still try to analyze the benefits of mobile phones it includes banking, shopping, purchasing tickets, photography, music and to mention the ease of switching on the light in case of a sudden power cut. In that sense some people say mobiles are extension of their hands.
That is about convenience.
So, the benefits of mobile phones can be summed up in four words: Connection, Confidence, Comprehension, and Convenience.
Now let me mention how mobile phones can become a bane.
First and foremost mobile phones can easily make people addicted to its use. The long hours people spend on mobile phones certainly steal from quality time you can spend at work, with family and friends. In other words mobile phones are a distraction preventing you from sharply focusing on your task ahead.
Secondly, people do use mobile phones to engage in secretive relationships. It is used to violate private spaces including the sacred marriage relationship. Somehow Facebook, WhatsApp and other apps have given a sense of ease and a false sense of freedom to people to engage in clandestine relationships. This has destroyed many families. Children are growing up seeing their parents spend long hours chatting with strangers neglecting their family responsibilities. Of course, you might call me outdated when I say so. But I prefer to be labelled than to stop saying the truth. Let me repeat again, this is a dangerous aspect of mobile phones.
That is about demolition.
Yet another negative of mobile phones is the damage it does to one’s body in the long run. Whether radiation is causing harm or not is still debated. But today we find people engaging with their mobiles with heads bowed down. There are people who injure their necks and back and wrists and eyes and ears because of long use of mobile phones. How can I fail to point out the great number of accidents caused by people using mobile phones while driving.
That is about destruction.
Finally, what about the market influence of mobiles? Why is there such flashy media hype about new mobiles arriving at the market? Why is it that even selfies, a kind of social disease, are made the stuff of advertisements? It is amazing to see how people get so choosy and obsessed with gadgets. Mobiles beyond their functionality and variety of uses often becomes a style statement. It becomes synonymous with a man’s purchasing power and social status. Gadgets and their possession is a terribly deluded way to compute one’s attempt to define the meaning of one’s life.
That is about display.
Let me once again note the four words related to the negative influences of mobiles: Distraction, Demolition, Destruction and Display.
Now that both sides have been heard and let me conclude.
None of us today can afford to avoid mobile phones. But certainly we can ensure that mobile phones are our servants and not our masters. We can fix boundaries for the time we spend with mobile phones; boundaries that should not be stretched or crossed. We can then live with dignity with the assurance that mobile phones serve our cause and that they will not dictate us to a life of bondage and slavery and unending boredom with so called entertainment.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” — Jesus Christ (Luke 12:15 Bible)
Respected Principal, Beloved Teachers and my dear friends,
A warm good morning to one and all.
Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is with this vision I aspire to be your leader. If selected, I would love to lead by example not just in academic pursuits but in all co-curricular activities as well.
The focus of my talk this morning is about three R’s. They are Reach, Respect, and Relationship.
First of all let me talk about Reach.
Most of us have potential. And many of us have not discovered what it is all about. One of my first priorities will be to create opportunities for everyone to display their skills and talent. We cannot do it on our own. We need the guidance and support and encouragement of our teachers.
I am sure they will extend all possible help in this regard. In fact we are blessed to have the opportunity to study in this School which has always set standards of excellence not only in academic results but more importantly in student-teacher relationship.
The second thought I want to share with you is about Respect.
Why is this important? This is important because we live in a world where mind, muscle and money power rules. Human rights are constantly being violated. Intolerance between communities is growing. It is in this context that respect for others should be taught and understood and appreciated in our classrooms.
It is good to begin while we are young. I would like to create an atmosphere of respect in classrooms. We should learn to respect our parents, our teachers and elders. We should learn to respect the law of the land and be law-abiding citizens.
The third thought is about Relationship.
What is the point in studying in the same school and sitting on the same bench and not knowing what your friend’s difficulties in life are? We have become too selfish that we do not care for those who are hurting. So as your leader one of my priorities will be to create healthy relationships in classrooms thus paving the foundation of friendships that will last a lifetime.
This is very important because today children are spending more and more time with gadgets; chatting, gaming, and living in a virtual world. I wish that our students would spend more time in face to face interaction and joyful communication thus cementing good relationships.
So these are my main thoughts:
One, Let us strive to reach our full potential.
Two, Let us create an atmosphere of respect.
And three, Let us also try to build lasting relationships.
So I seek your cooperation. For nothing can be done by a leader alone. A leader is one who has a vision and has the ability to share it.
This I have done with all my heart! Now it is your turn to respond to this vision.
Success to me is not one person achieving. Instead, it is about helping others achieve. It is about enabling others to realize their dreams. So let us begin to realize our full potential. Let us do this in an atmosphere of respect and sportsman spirit. In this process let us build lasting relationships.
Let me assure you my friends we are not going to be defeated, we will certainly win. And the beauty of the victory will be that we all shall win together and make our teachers and parents proud. So my dear friends, when you cast your votes remember me and my vision I have shared with you. Do cast your precious votes in my favour.
Reach, Respect, Relationship. This is my vision, my dream and my goal. I cannot do it in my own strength but in the strength God shall provide. I cannot do it alone; we shall do it together. Thank you.
The ability to laugh is God-given. It is best seen when children come together and play. What an amazing thing it is how they laugh and have fun. Those are moments when life is bubbling over with joy and sheer enthusiasm.
Yes, such laughter can have echoes of heaven in it too. As Corrie ten Boom pointed out, “I had always thought that the laughter of the little children in an empty cathedral was the most beautiful of all hymns of praise.” You cannot give laughter a nearer place to the heart of God than that, can you?
When you laugh, there are many good things that happen. It helps you connect with people. For laughter is positively contagious. People laughing together is an excellent way to build relationships. It helps friends and members of family bond with each other. It helps increase trust and intimacy as well.
Again laughter is an expression of joy in one’s heart. Sadly, anxiety and worry, depression and loneliness are ills of modern society that prevent people from laughing out loud. It is in this context that laughter is understood to be the best medicine.
For laughter can relieve stress and increase our health in many different ways. While the smile of babies and the elderly are incomparably beautiful, it is the hearty laughter that acts as a stress buster.
One area of life that has been often seen as off-limits for laughter is one’s relationship with God. Though it is true that God is holy and no man or woman can stand in his presence based on his or her merits, goodness or achievements in life; it is also true that God wishes to impart gladness and joy to those who love him.
King David expressed his sincere hope that God will fill him with joy in his presence and eternal pleasures at his right hand.* Therefore it is clear that God gives joy and laughter to those who love him. It is indeed a sad thing to go through life and never laugh. For, as the noted theologian Karl Barth said, “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.”
Again, King Solomon many centuries ago expressed this truth in these words, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”* It is up to you to decide to step out of despair into a mode of thankfulness and praise. Laughter is absent from many lives, simply because people allow negative circumstances to crowd out their joy. So it is up to you again to see that your joy is not stolen from you.
Finally, let me ask you one question? What prevents you from laughing? Whatever be the reason you cannot afford not to laugh. Therefore take time to go out with friends and family. Do something positive and creative together. Enjoy healthy fun and entertainment.
Let me conclude with a wish and prayer for you. May God send long-cherished blessings your way today. May you find things close to your heart restored to you. Then you will be like “men who dreamed,” and your “mouths be filled with laughter and your tongues with songs of joy.”* Thank you.
Did it not make your heart leap to see those beautiful diamonds out there against the dark velvet black of the night sky? Yes, it did. As a young boy resting his head on his mother’s lap and gazing up at the night sky said, “Mummy, if the underside of heaven is so beautiful, I wonder what the real side would be like!”
But I am certain that it is not just beauty that attracts us to the stars. There is a sense of wonder, amazement, and mystery at these shining pearl drops in the sky.
They make us look up. They make us think, “Who created all these?” We wonder at the wisdom of God the Creator and his power beyond imagination that makes the universe so densely punctuated with stars.
Above all, the twinkling stars whisper hope in our hearts. That is what the nursery rhyme, “Twinkle twinkle little star” speaks about. It talks about the bright and tiny spark lighting up the way for the traveller in the dark.
In life’s journey as we encounter dark nights and uncertain days ahead, let us hold on to the hope held out by the stars. There is light to shine on our life’s journey.
It is because of this hope that “Twinkle twinkle little star” has always been my favourite nursery rhyme! Thank you.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” — Isaiah 40:25. 26 Bible NIV
“He [God] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” — Psalm 147:3, 4 Bible NIV.
