Love is not Blind

Several years ago, I happened to read a blog post by a good old friend on Zen principles. The last few lines of the post went like this – ‘Everything that moves around is a creation of the mind, and if we firmly have our feet on the ground, we will see that every moment we live life itself is a miracle of nature. The way our organs work, the way we breathe without any sound, the way the earth spins without we spinning - all are perfect examples of miracles at work’.

How very true! We often don’t count our blessings, but keep searching for new miracles. God makes us walk through difficult times so that we learn through adversities. The two weeks that I spent with my mother at the hospital when she was very ill several years ago, made me look at life with a totally different perspective. I firmly believe that God had a reason for putting us through difficult times, and in my case I just became a better person - to thank God everyday for what I have and do whatever I can for the needy.

Over the last few years, my association with some good old friends has got me involved in several noble causes for the society, and I feel blessed that God has been using me in small ways to make a big difference in the lives of a few people, some of whom I have not even met.

I am writing this post specially to make an appeal to readers for a Trust for the Blind.

Padhmam Blind Welfare & Charitable Trust (PBWCT) is a Charitable Trust formed in the year 2014, and is managed  by Mr. Padmaraj Jain, a retired Professor from a City College. Incidentally, Mr.Padmaraj Jain is also blind. 

The Trust runs a hostel for the poor, blind girls who are pursuing their higher studies in various colleges in Chennai. All the inmates of the hostel hail from very poor families in the small towns and villages of Tamilnadu. Being blind and poor girls, they need a secure place to stay and this need is fulfilled by Padhmam Blind Welfare & Charitable Trust (PBWCT). The Trust is run largely with the funds from the Public and has no other concrete source of income. 

I visited them a few weeks ago, and also interacted with some of the girls residing there. I felt very sad when I saw all those young girls confined to a small space which was smaller than even the size of my living room! Ever since we came to know about this Trust, some of us have got together to buy them educational and other material that they badly needed.

I must mention there that while many of us would want to spend our retired life in the comfort of our homes, here is one gentleman - Mr.Padmaraj Jain, who has spent a considerable sum of money from his retirement benefits for the upkeep of the Trust as he feels it is his duty to be of help to people like himself. Many a time, in order to pay the rent and meet the regular expenses of the hostel like food, he shells money from his own pension.

It is very rare to find people like him around, and it would be a great Punyam (am not able to find an equivalent English word) if each one of us can do something to bring light to the lives of these very poor, blind girls.

Am giving below the contact and bank details of this Trust. Please also take some time to call and speak to this nice gentleman.  There are so many way that you can extend your support.

a) Sponsor the expenses of atleast one girl for a year

b) Sponsor food for a day on your birthday, wedding anniversary or some other special occasion

c) Donate some essential grocery items - like rice, dal, oil, sugar and salt

d) Donate some essential study materials

e) Donate a sum of money - whatever you can afford

Padhmam Blind Welfare & Charitable Trust

Old No: 101, 1st Floor, Natesan Road,
Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004
(Behind City Centre )

Mobile No: +91: 80564 76316 / 94441 68100

Website - www.padhmamblindwelfare.org

E-mail: padhmamblindwelfare@gmail.com

Bank Information

 

State Bank of India
Account Number: 34198242929
IFS Code - SBIN0013067
RK Salai Branch, Mylapore
Chennai, Tamilnadu.

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain

I pray and hope that many of you who come across this post will help and support this Trust in some form or the other.

We never know when our last day on earth will be. So, face each day with a smile and thank God for giving you yet another day to live, and love.

God bless!