The Essence of Not Forgetting Your Roots

    On Dec 31^st 2011, I was in Bangalore at a shopping mall to pick up some fresh and lush salad leaves and fruits (not available in our town) before driving back home. I decided to visit a school friend who resides a little further away. Since my husband was not familiar with the roads and the location to my friends place, he suggested that I take an auto rickshaw. I hailed a passing auto rickshaw, gave him the address and asked him whether he could wait for 15 minutes and bring me back to the mall. He agreed very politely.

  On the way, after some pleasantries, like where I was from etc, he told me about himself which amazed me. It seems, a few years earlier he had come to Bangalore and started his career as an auto rickshaw driver .Gradually, he branched out to other side businesses like Real estate, Rail ticketing and Car Rentals. He now owns cars and has 3 running businesses .But on  Dec 31^st every year, he takes out his auto rickshaw himself and plies passengers around the city. He wants to devote one day of the year to the profession that made him what he is today! Here is a person who did not want to ‘forget his roots’. I was full of admiration!

  How often we see people throwing their weight around when they gain power, position or money. They would love to forget their humble beginnings! Their inflated egos, makes them think that they are invincible and infallible. Success and fame can come to anyone, but the one who never forgets his roots will be able to sustain his success and fame. Pride and arrogance are the result of forgetting one’s roots and has been the cause of many a great men’s downfall!

  

There’s a saying…

‘Do not forget your roots,

 And know,

Without roots there are no fruits’

  The very essence of not forgetting your roots is that you know who you really are and what made you into whatever you are now! Your head is indeed firmly placed on your shoulders! 

 Above all, never forget to remember the people who raised you, reared you and gave you the sense of self! They gave you roots so that you can take wings!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie take  an auto rickshaw ride during their stay in India for the filming of 'A Mighty Heart'

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