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Waste Turns Into Precious

by Vaman Acharya
(Bengaluru, Karntaka, India)

Soon after returning from the school in the afternoon, Ajay directly went to the sit out place of his home, where the old news papers and magazines were kept in a shelf. To his astonishment the shelf was empty. He realized that the six months collection was sold to a waste paper buying shop. He went to dad, who had just returned from the College and was relaxing.

“Dad, I had requested you not to dispose off the old news papers and magazines.”

Anand gazed at his son amusingly.

“Ajay, why are you so nervous? Utility of these papers is zero, when the contents have been read. Now these papers are nothing but a waste. Therefore, I have sold it. Here the gaining money out of it is not important. For the hygienic point of view, it is not advisable to accumulate old papers for a long period,” said Ajay’s dad Anand Desai.

Ajay’s mom Ankita intervened, “Ajay, I had told your dad to wait till you return from the school.”

“Dad, I disagree with your opinion. It is a mistaken notion that a particular thing used for sometime must be thrown out as the utility of the item has been completely exhausted. But before throwing or discontinuing the use of a thing, it is better to think properly, whether such things can be further utilized and benefit can be derived out of it. It is a well known fact that majority of the people will not revise or read twice, thrice the same newspaper and prefer to sell it to a shop where the waste papers are purchased. In their opinion the newspapers already read is waste!” Ajay expressed his displeasure.

His dad became dumb for a moment, unable to convince his son.

“Ajay, your ideas are fine. Can you explain to me exactly what is in your mind?” asked Anand.

“Dad, most valuable treasury of knowledge is hidden in the old news papers. Only few pages are exclusively meant for Spiritual, Religious, children knowledge, quotations and quiz etc. I do not know how many persons are interested to go through these columns and try to understand it. If you go through it once or twice you do not understand fully these thought-provoking articles. Such articles should be read repeatedly to understand their inner meaning. In my opinion, these are precious things to enhance one's knowledge.”

“Ajay, you might be aware that there is a recycling of old news papers. This concept is not popular in our country. There are number of benefits, when the old news paper is reused. Your suggestion is one among them.”

Ajay became curious. “Dad, how can we make best use of the old news papers other than the one mentioned by me?”

“You can use them in several ways. Use it to cover tables, on floors when painting picture, kids crafts and arts, wash windows, origami, scrap book, make hat, boat, small cup to keep seeds, paste window pane for protection from sun light, wrap for gifts and colored comics, packing, bottom of bird cage, mattress etc.” said Anand.

Ankita again intervened

and said, “Placing thought provoking articles, children knowledge stories, quotations in one place to read and refer it within no time would be a best thing for children and adults.”

“Yes mom. With this view in my mind, I thought of taking out all such writings from the newspaper and arrange it in a serial order, by giving index and then paste them section wise in a beautiful large exercise book. Rest of the bulk pages may be sold to the shop.”

“Ajay, you're right. Now I have realized the importance of keeping such useful pages for a permanent record.”

“Please tell me dad to whom you have sold the papers?”

“I think the paper boy Ramu may be moving somewhere here. You can meet him and request him to get back the papers. Let him come tomorrow to collect the papers. Your wish will be fulfilled.”

Ajay went out in search of Ramu, who took the papers just few minutes back. Luckily, Ajay heard the loud voice of him and went there.

“Ramu, just half an hour back, my dad had sold waste papers to you. Please return the papers, as I have kept some personal things in it. You may take back the same tomorrow. My house is located on 3rd lane bearing No. 3520.”

Ramu agreed and returned the papers at his door step.

“Ajay, are you happy now?” asked Anand.

“Yes! Thank you very much dad for understanding me.” Ajay smiled.

“Take rest for some time son, and then start your work.” Anand too had a smile on his lips.

After one hour, Ajay took out the papers date wise. The useful pages were taken out. There was a slight less weight in the papers. He wanted to finish the work not hurriedly and allotted just thirty minutes daily. The exercise was over after one week. He himself went to the shop with the bunch of remaining bulk papers and sold it. He was not worried about the monetary gains from those papers.

“Dad, can you please get me a large size beautiful exercise book, glue and scissors?”

“Why do you put so much of labour? I will get you a large size beautiful book, wherein you can insert the paper cuttings properly. ”

He brought the special insertable note book for his son. Ajay took special care in inserting the cuttings serially with an index. The neat register was ready for reading after one month. He showed it to his dad.

His dad was happy and said, “Ajay, I have read these articles earlier. You have rightly said that every time you read such thought provoking articles, you get new ideas. I'm of the opinion that this will be helpful for the interested persons.”

“Dad, I want to keep this register for public use.”

Anand was the Principal of Nayagaon Model College. He decided to keep the book in the College Library for public use. Before keeping it in the College Library, it was brought to the notice of the staff and students.

Everybody appreciated the innovative ideas of a 12 year old boy Ajay.

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May 11, 2015
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Ideas of Children are Great and Thoughts Wonderful
by: Vaman Acharya

Ideas are coming out from children only when he or she applies mind. Some people consider ideas flowing from a child are great. It is a fact that in some occasion’s children beat elders in expressing their ideas. Generally, most of the elders think that the ideas put forward by the children were not matured and not deserve for appreciation. But if elders spare few minutes and ponder over the child’s ideas, it would be certainly great. In the present short story, author tried to focus on the readers that never ignore the ideas of children that may always be great. Finding useful materials in the old news papers or magazines may not be great for some persons. But the purpose behind it is certainly great. As such, the author never agrees to the point that the ideas of children are not great. The author is of the opinion that always great ideas would pave the way for wonderful thoughts.

Feb 26, 2011
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Though Ideas is not Great; Thoughts Wonderful
by: Harisarvottam

Children are having many times a matured understandings and should be encouraged for their useful thoughts. Although the idea is not great one to appreciate that at that tender age the child has such a wounderful thoughts. Here in the given story the child asalso the parents needs to be complimented for positive thinking. ---Harisarvotham.

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