Life Saving Station

[Azaad]

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little life-saving station grew.

Some of the members of the life-saving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now, the life-saving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as a sort of club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired life-boat crews to do this work. The life-saving motif still prevailed in this club's decoration, and there was a symbolic life-boat in the room where the club initiations were held. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick and some of them had black skin and some had yellow skin. The beautiful new club was in chaos. So the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's life-saving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. Some members insisted upon life-saving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a life-saving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives of all the various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own life-saving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another life-saving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that sea coast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown.

Now compare this to our Gurdwareh in society today. From where I live, I have 6 Gurdwareh within walking distance. But of these 6 Gurdwareh how many actually do today what they started off to do...do parchaar about Sikhi...and how many have become social clubs and lost the primary purpose??

[Sukhdeep Singhh]

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little life-saving station grew.

Some of the members of the life-saving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now, the life-saving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as a sort of club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired life-boat crews to do this work. The life-saving motif still prevailed in this club's decoration, and there was a symbolic life-boat in the room where the club initiations were held. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick and some of them had black skin and some had yellow skin. The beautiful new club was in chaos. So the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's life-saving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. Some members insisted upon life-saving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a life-saving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives of all the various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own life-saving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another life-saving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that sea coast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown.

Now compare this to our Gurdwareh in society today. From where I live, I have 6 Gurdwareh within walking distance. But of these 6 Gurdwareh how many actually do today what they started off to do...do parchaar about Sikhi...and how many have become social clubs and lost the primary purpose??

Sadly to say that story about the life station is the same story of Gurdwaras being built. Gurdwaras are meants to save peoples life but nowadays they are turning into social clubs.

[AmarjitKaur]

Now compare this to our Gurdwareh in society today. From where I live, I have 6 Gurdwareh within walking distance. But of these 6 Gurdwareh how many actually do today what they started off to do...do parchaar about Sikhi...and how many have become social clubs and lost the primary purpose??

Sadly to say that story about the life station is the same story of Gurdwaras being built. Gurdwaras are meants to save peoples life but nowadays they are turning into social clubs.

True, but we youth, have to find solution. We have to change it back into life saving stations, whichever way any of us can do according to the capabilities babaji has given to us. Put them to use, to be serving the community rather than always asking "what has community done for us?" Ask the question to ourselves, "what are we doing for community??" If we can find some answers for the questions in our day to day life, we are on right path, if not, then of course, the life saving stations would change into Clubs for socialization. Remember, we are and future generations (our kids) are going to be tomorrow's leaders. So better that we put our share by not only contributing but also preparing the little army we have or will have at homes (I mean our kids, even though they may be little yet).

[Sukhdeep Singhh]

Now compare this to our Gurdwareh in society today. From where I live, I have 6 Gurdwareh within walking distance. But of these 6 Gurdwareh how many actually do today what they started off to do...do parchaar about Sikhi...and how many have become social clubs and lost the primary purpose??

Sadly to say that story about the life station is the same story of Gurdwaras being built. Gurdwaras are meants to save peoples life but nowadays they are turning into social clubs.

True, but we youth, have to find solution. We have to change it back into life saving stations, whichever way any of us can do according to the capabilities babaji has given to us. Put them to use, to be serving the community rather than always asking "what has community done for us?" Ask the question to ourselves, "what are we doing for community??" If we can find some answers for the questions in our day to day life, we are on right path, if not, then of course, the life saving stations would change into Clubs for socialization. Remember, we are and future generations (our kids) are going to be tomorrow's leaders. So better that we put our share by not only contributing but also preparing the little army we have or will have at homes (I mean our kids, even though they may be little yet).

I agree but how many older people support the youth? The youth cant manage these Gurdwaras without the support of the elderly and the wider sangat. For example, there was a Gurdwara in Canada that was completely corrupt and full of manmat because of the committee members . Some youth decided that they will run for elections and change things around. With Guru Jis Kirpa they won but eventually the committee came up with false allegations about voting fraud and took the youth to court. These youth cant pay expensive court cases and not much elderly people were willing to help. The youth need to collobarate with those eldery people who are fair, reasonable and willing to make a stand then things will change for the better

[AmarjitKaur]

I agree but how many older people support the youth? The youth cant manage these Gurdwaras without the support of the elderly and the wider sangat. For example, there was a Gurdwara in Canada that was completely corrupt and full of manmat because of the committee members . Some youth decided that they will run for elections and change things around. With Guru Jis Kirpa they won but eventually the committee came up with false allegations about voting fraud and took the youth to court. These youth cant pay expensive court cases and not much elderly people were willing to help. The youth need to collobarate with those eldery people who are fair, reasonable and willing to make a stand then things will change for the better

exactly, veerji, I am not saying to put elderly behind. I am saying get involved with mix of elderly and youth being in there. Learn from their experience and give your fresh ideas too. Together we make things get better. Youth has to show that they could do something not just sit on the forum and discuss ideas. Babaji da na lai ke te poora vishvash baba jee te rakh ke, jad vee kum shuroo karonge, saflta jaroor milegee. This is how personally I go about it. I think to do something, and then think twice that what my intentions are, they are good, and to help things get better, then I do little ardas in my head/heart and say babaji this is what I wanna do, and in my eyes, I am going to do something good and don't intend to hurt anyone, if you feel too that my intentions are good, please be with me and let me be successful and make the difference. And Babaji kirpa karde hun ke, koi raste de vich aunda hee nahi roRa baN ke. sabh pason yes yes hee hundee chali jandi hai. The thing I usually say, all humans (and whole universe) are within the command of that one GOD. So why don't we put him on the driving seat and watch things unfolding.

[Azaad]

Waheguru