Three years ago, I was asked to take up this task of being the Economer of the Province. At first when told, it did not make any sense to me. All my Salesian life I was being prepared and had been working in the formation line, that too teaching Philosophy. Now all of a sudden, one is asked to take up a task, which is astronomically miles away from teaching philosophy!
The first time that the actual reality of taking on a totally different responsibility hit me was when measuring land at Mallepally. Thathi was still around. It was not even a month after taking charge and both of us were at Mallelpally, assisting in the land survey. While assisting, at one point, it was just Thathi and myself at one end of the measuring tape and he smiled. When asked what that smile meant, he replied, "Instead of a chalk you are now holding a measuring tape!" Of course, he was kidding and he knew the context even before his tenure as the Provincial.
Even this morning was a crude reminder of the same 'change of line'. It struck me that the toilet pipeline of the second floor need not come down right to the ground level and run under the basement of the dining hall and kitchen to exit at the other end of the building. Now that there evidently is some issue with its free flow, why break our head (again) digging up and investigating that 'underground' pipeline. Why not run the sewage pipe along the first floor parapet and get it down at the other end of the building. There is no toilet or bathroom on that side of the building, neither on the ground floor nor on the first floor!!
And I said to myself, what lovely philosophical thoughts are these!!!
That said, I hold no regrets! Being a Salesian has helped me see the great value of diversity and the utility of being a jack of all trades!
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