Let’s be an asset

If there ever was a time for our community to unite and stand together, it is now. What is required today is a paradigm shift in the thinking process of our elders and our youth. We are at a crossroad, one road leading to unimaginable chaos, infighting, disunity and the other to undreamt of possibilities for growth and welfare. At such a juncture our great religious traditions, principles and teaching of Zara­thushtra have to be creatively interpreted and can help not only to bring about a deeper awareness of our problems but also enable us to solve them positively for the benefit of the entire community.

Orthodox thought that is obsolete continues to deprive our younger generation of an awareness of the essential value and quality of our faith and culture. By the infighting that has taken center stage today we are fostering negative attitudes in the minds of the youth which hinders their growth and this is not the legacy we want to leave behind for our future generations. The spiritual dimension will have to be given central importance in our new educational thinking.

Let us primarily learn to respect our elders and superiors. Honesty and integrity in one’s dealings is a benchmark of Zoroastrian values and is taught in the first prayers that we learn as children.

My personal request to the youngsters of the community is to utilize their ability to express themselves and be an asset to the community.

Zarathushtra talked about preservation of nature and we have such wonderful opportunities in today’s ecological context to demonstrate our talent and ability.

For the upliftment of our own brethren who are struggling through life our own youth can utilize their time and energy to offer assistance.

If you look at the statistics today we do not have Zoroastrians today in the local or central government and the number of entrants to the armed forces have almost diminished.

When I went to say thank you and goodbye to my principal and teacher in school who had nurtured and guided me for almost 10 years, he wrote the following in my autograph book which I still reflect on continuously:

"Dwell in thought upon the grandest and the grandest you shall see. Dwell in thought upon the greatest and the greatest you shall be.”

DADI E. MISTRY

New Delhi