Guru Purnima – everyone around us is a guru

Parents are first gurus and we emulate them. School exposes us to our teachers who teach us basics of education that helps us seeing through the challenges of life. College professors give us specialised education that transforms us into professionals. At work place, we encounter bosses, colleagues, juniors and learn throughout our careers by imbibing new skills and honing the existing through experience. And as we grow old, we form new relationships- spouse , in laws, children, their spouses, grandchildren etc and each of these helps us evolve as a person and a human being.

Therefore, the scope of guru is not limited to only to parents and teachers, but anyone whom we come across during this journey called life and from whom we learn anything, becomes eligible to be our Guru, worthy of our respect and obeisance.

But I am also wary of not getting carried over by the sobriquet of Guru being bestowed upon by me by some of my colleagues and their resultant devotion to me. It’s not attributable to modesty in any form, but a genuine conviction that they got my support, guidance and appreciation for they thoroughly deserved it. Good begets good and this has been my lifelong experience of both sides – being a giver as well as receiver.

True celebration of Guru Purnima would be our overall appreciation of all the good, irrespective of the person’s nature or scope of work! Didn’t we all learn during the Covid pandemic who the real heroes were? Apart from medical fraternity, the municipal employees who provided cleanliness, public transport employees, postal employees, security personnel etc all emerged as heroes, earning our heartfelt gratitude. Therefore, respecting all good around us and learning something new from everyone around is each day, will describe the essence of Guru Purnima in real sense.

Parents, teachers, elders are all our Gurus,

But they are not the only ones;

From whomsoever we learn anything in life,

Are worthy of our gratitude in tons!