Khelein kyun na koi aisa KHEL jisme sab hi ki ho jeet
Contributed by: Shiviksha Kaushik
Life at first job is never an easy transition. You go from living a carefree college student life to following a strict 9-5 rule. From binge watching an entire series the whole night to putting yourself to sleep early because you have to drag yourself out of the bed early the next morning. From relying on your parents for pocket money and all your unimportant expenses to going financially independent. Too much to handle but that’s how it is. Actual adulting begins at your first job.
My transition, however, was nothing like how I have mentioned it above. Needless to say that life changes after you begin with a job but how it changes is a completely different topic. I went from being an irresponsible college student to being responsible and taking ownership of my work. From dragging myself out of the bed to getting up, sometimes as early as 6, looking forward to the day. First few days into the organization and I knew this is where I want to be. This place is where I would want to learn and grow.
Before joining Project KHEL I didn’t imagine how much play can impact our lives as kids. I didn’t realize what worth did the Sports lesson during those school days held in raising me the way I am today.
I attended my first session here as an observer. As soon as I entered the gate I was in awe. The kids gave us such a warm welcome, not because they knew us from before, but just because they knew that we belonged to Project KHEL. In that moment, I understood what our presence meant to them.
One location after the other, I experienced the same thing. Their warmest welcomes and the joy in their eyes were a proof of the work that had been done there before. Their energy makes me want to push my limits to give them the best I can, but more importantly, to give them what they deserve.
At Project KHEL, you’ll experience team work more than individuality, empathy more than sympathy, conversations more than professing. Here, you’ll experience the joy of playing more than the joy of winning. Winning or losing is not as important as learning something out of it, actual winning happens when you learn from your failure. Kids here justify and explain the lyrics I’ve always loved but never understood khelein kyun na koi aisa khel jisme sab hi ki ho jeet. Play can teach us things books can’t, and witnessing the kids and the youth leaders here is the biggest example of it.
With time spent here, I have realized how important it is for each child to grow up in a safe space. A place where kids can be themselves, a place where they can express, grow, involve and evolve.
With all these thoughts in mind, I look forward to embark upon this journey where I grow to be a better person while trying to impact other lives positively, one kid at a time.