456. "The Squirrels"

"Ours is a big firm. We have five branches in Chennai alone. More than a thousand people are working in the five branches put together. The employees have formed various groups, for pursuing activities outside the office hours. There are groups for music, drama, literature, poetry, spirituality etc. People interested in a particular activity become the members of the group and pursue their interests. They will meet during the weekends and participate in the activities of the group. You can join the group formed for the activity that interests you" said Murali.

Raghu, who had joined the firm only recently, asked Murali, "In which group have you joined?"

"Well, I am not a member in any of the popular groups. A few of my friends and I have been engaged in doing a service. But not many people will be interested in what we do" said Murali, sounding enigmatic.

"Tell me about what you do" asked Raghu.

"We have a meeting at the residence of a member of our group this Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Come there and observe the proceedings. You will have a first hand idea of what we do. If what we do appeals to your interest, you can join our group" said Muralidharan. "It appears to me that you will join us!" he added, smiling.

Raghu went to the meeting. Including Raghu, eight people had assembled there.

Observing the proceedings during the next couple of hours, Raghu learnt that the group called 'The Squirrels' had the objective of using the free time of the members, to help people at the lower strata of society. The services rendered by the members of the group varied from getting medicines and other essential things needed by old and sick people with no one to help, to giving proper guidance and help to the poor and the uneducated people, for getting various services and welfare benefits from the government departments and other agencies.

Raghu learnt that the group was open to render any kind of help to the downtrodden people that was permissible under the law, if it was within their means or capability. Every weekend, the members would assemble at the residence of one of the members, share the requests for help received from various people, discuss the modalities of taking up the requests and allocate the tasks among the members.

After the meeting was over and the members disbursed, Muralidharan asked Raghu, "What do you think?"

"I would also like to be a 'squirrel' and contribute my mite" said Raghu.

Raghu retired from the firm, after thirty years of service.

Speaking at the function organized to give a farewell to him, Raghu said, "During the thirty years of my service in this firm, I got several opportunities to perform various tasks and received several promotions, rewards, recognitions etc. I also had the fortune of gaining the friendship of many good people working in this firm. I am grateful to the management of the firm and the employees I worked with, for these blessings."

'However, I consider the opportunity I got to become a part of the movement called 'Squirrels' the most valuable. There is no retirement for me from this organization. I don't have to part from the people I work with. And I don't have to ever lose the satisfaction of my serving in that organization' he told himself.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 46
Shunning the Company of Mean People

Verse 456 (in Tamil):

manam thUyArkku echcham nanRAgum inam thUyArkku
illai nanRu AgA vinai.

Meaning:

Those who have purity of mind will leave a good legacy behind. Those who have the company of people with good heart, nothing they do will fail to be a good deed.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'aNilgaL' by the same author.)

Verse 457
Verse 455