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Beware of gradual change
Your Pink Slip was written the first time you passed up an opportunity to learn. It was just sent to you on the day you received it. What is sad is not the Pink Slip but that it was you who wrote it for yourself.
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Corporate Realities – Thought-share
For in the end, people work for themselves, not for others. They work for others who appear to be enablers to help them achieve their own goals. I don’t mean to sound cynical. This is the reality as I have experienced it and something that shows us what we need to do to influence others.…
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Teaching to Transform
Education is not the responsibility of schools and teachers alone but must be a partnership in parenting between parents, teachers, and children. All three are stakeholders and must have a say in what happens. Parenting can’t be outsourced. You can’t pay someone to raise your children just like you can’t pay someone to diet on…
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Our window is open now
Remember that learning about human beings is only done by experience. Not on TV or social media but by meeting the walking, talking, breathing, warm body called _______ fill in the blank. Do that respectfully, sensitively, in a spirit of enquiry. For that, learn something about their culture, taboos, preferences, and beliefs, non-judgmentally. Judging builds…
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Of dogs and men
I love animals. And among those I love dogs and horses. I also love cats. But there is a very distinct difference between a dog and a cat. A dog looks at you and says, ‘He must be God because he is looking after me.’ A cat looks at you and says, ‘I must be…
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Looking back in Happiness
I was 24 when the plane landed with me but without my luggage in Guyana in 1979. My first move from home and I lost every possession I ever had. I felt light and thrilled – though the loss of my graduation certificate did occupy me for all of ten minutes. Then I reasoned to…
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In defense of YET
To question is indeed a virtue. All progress depends on questioning; on not accepting status quo; on not accepting that change is impossible. The most heroic effort depends on believing that success is possible. I may not know how or why or when. But I know that it can be done. That will happen only…
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Advice to a friend going off to university
Last but not least, be kind. Especially to those who have no power to benefit you. They are the most important because the one who has nobody, has Allah and his voice reaches the Throne of Allah even if he doesn’t worship Him. Fear the dua (prayer) of the oppressed for there is no barrier…
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Controlling our future
Our challenge, as educators, parents, leaders, and concerned citizens is to make this happen not for one person but on a scale that will show a difference in a short time. The longer we take to create a core group of independent people who can think, solve problems, take risk, own responsibility, and stand up…
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Give me happiness
Let us carry on the fight. Let us pledge to fight all hatred, all discrimination, all racism, all apartheid, no matter where it exists. All hatred is fire. All fire burns and the result is always ash. Say this loudly, clearly, and always. Say it especially if you are the only one saying it. Because…