Gazing at stars ... on earth

This afternoon fulfilled a long-standing desire: watched Taare Zameen par directed by Aamir Khan. A very touching tale of a dyslexic boy who is helped to realise his full potential through an understanding teacher who realises the situation of the boy .... all because he sees himself in him! There are very touching scenes in this movie: when the mother go through the flip book, when Ishan receives the best prize for his drawing, the short conversation that the art teacher Ram Nikumbh has with the father of Ishan, his silent telephonic conversation with his mother and brother, the frustration of Nikumbh when he sees Ishan being driven to the wall...

There is a moment in the movie when Nikumbh says to his friend: "I saw myself in the mirror today." I think it is the turning point of the movie, the story... when the teacher sees in the child who is struggling, himself! What follows is a story of guidance, assistance, encouragement, support and friendship... but what triggered it is, I feel the realisation that the boy needs help, just as I have been helped. Having reached a stage of life where you feel you are in control, you know things, you know that you can manage, we sometimes feel so powerful and mighty that we forget where we started from. We expect everyone and everything around us to be as powerful and mighty as ourselves. I remember reading the writings of Jean Vanier while in Shillong. I'd say, every Salesian assistant - for that matter every Salesian - ought to read that. In the context of a house where mentally challenged people are taken care of, those who take care of them are most vulnerable - not the most powerful. They are those who have really touched their vulnerability and therefore are humble enough to help the other in their moments of vulnerability.