Month: April 2019

Time Bank…An Interesting Swiss Initiative!

| Chandru Gidwani

*Swiss Time Bank*

A student studying in Switzerland
observes:

While studying in
Switzerland,
I rented a house near the school.

The landlady Kristina is a
67-year-old single
old lady who had worked as a teacher in a secondary school before she retired.

Switzerland’s pension is
very good, enough to not worry her
about food and shelter in her later years.

However, she actually found “work” – to take care of an 87-year-old single old man.

I asked if she was
working for money.

Her answer surprised me: “I do not work for money, but I put my time in
the ‘time bank’, and
when I cannot move in my old age,
I could withdraw it.”

The first time I heard about this concept of “time bank”, I was very
curious and asked
the landlady more.

The original “Time Bank” was an old-age pension program developed
by the Swiss Federal Ministry of Social Security. People saved the
‘time’ taking care of
the elderly when
they were younger, and when they were old, ill or needed care could withdraw it.

Applicants must be healthy, good at communicating
and full of love.
Everyday they have to look after the elderly who need help.

Their service hours will be deposited into the personal ‘time’ accounts of the social security system.

She went to work twice a week, spending two
hours each time helping the
elderly, shopping, cleaning
their room, taking them out to sunbathe,
chatting with them.

According to the agreement, after one year of her
service, “Time Bank” will calculate her working hours and issue her
a “time bank card”.

When she needs someone to take care of her,
she can use
her “time bank card” to “time to
withdraw “time and time interest”. After the information
verification, “Time Bank” will assign other volunteers to take care of her at the hospital or her home.

One day, I was in school and the landlady called and said she fell
off the stool when
she was wiping the window.

I quickly took leave and sent her to the hospital for treatment.

The landlady broke her ankle and needed to stay in bed for a while.

While I was preparing to
apply for a home to take care of her,
the landlady told me that I need not worry about her.

She had already submitted a withdrawal request to the “Time Bank”.

Sure enough, in less than two hours “Time Bank”
sent a nursing worker to come and care for the landlady.

In the following month, the care worker took care
of the landlady everyday, chatted with her and made delicious meals for her.

Under the meticulous care
of the carer, the landlady soon recovered her health.

After recovering, the landlady went back to “work”.
She said that she intends to save more time in the “time bank” while she is still healthy.

Today, in Switzerland,
the use of “time banks” to support old age has become a common practice.

This not only saves the country pension expenses, but also solves other social problems.

Many Swiss citizens are very supportive of this kind of old-age pensions.

The survey conducted by the Swiss pension organization shows that more than half of Swiss people also want to participate in this type of old-age care service.

The Swiss government also passed legislation to support the “Time Bank” pension scheme.

At present the number of “empty-nest old people” in Asian
countries are increasing and it has gradually
become a social problem.

Switzerland style “time bank” pension may be a good option for us too.

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Yes, I am changing!

| Chandru Gidwani

*Approaching 70s I asked a friend of mine what is changing.
He sent me following lines:

Yes, I am changing.
*After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children, my friends, now I have started loving myself.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I just realised that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I now stopped bargaining with vegetables & fruits vendors. After all, a few shillings more is not going to burn a hole in my pocket but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I pay the taxi driver without waiting for the change. The extra money might bring a smile on his face. After all he is toiling much harder for a living than me*

Yes, I am changing.
*I stopped telling the elderly that they’ve already narrated that story many times. After all, the story makes them walk down the memory lane & relive the past.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I’ve learnt not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. After all, the onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I give compliments freely & generously. After all it’s a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me*.

Yes, I am changing.
*I’ve learnt not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. After all, personality speaks louder than appearances*.

Yes, I am changing.
*I walk away from people who don’t value me. After all, they might not know my worth, but I do*.

Yes, I am changing.
*I remain cool when someone plays dirty politics to outrun me in the rat race. After all, I am not a rat & neither am I in any race*.

Yes, I am changing.
*I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. After all, it’s my emotions that make me human.*

Yes, I am changing.
*I have learnt that its better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. After all, my ego will keep me aloof whereas with relationships I will never be alone*.

Yes, I am changing.
*I’ve learnt to live each day as if it’s the last. After all, it might be the last* .

Yes, I am changing.
*I am doing what makes me happy. After all, I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to me.*

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Hindu Theory on Success ……..Bansi Pandit

| Chandru Gidwani

According to the Hindu view, success is the product of effort and destiny. If we denote success by S, effort by E, and destiny by D, success can be mathematically represented as follows: S=E x D The above equation is the equation of success. In this equation S can range from zero to one. When S equals zero, there is zero success, or complete failure. When S equals one, there is one hundred per cent success. E also ranges from zero to one. When E equals zero, there is zero or no effort. When E equals one, there is one hundred per cent effort. Likewise D ranges from zero to one. If D equals zero, there is zero destiny or bad karma. If D equals one, there is good fortune or good karma. From the above equation, it follows that even if D is equal to one (good destiny), S will be equal to zero if E equals zero. Thus, even with the best destiny, success is directly proportional to one’s effort. Even when D equals one, the only way S can equal one is by having E equal one.

Therefore, we can logically conclude that destiny alone cannot lead to success unless effort is maximized On a broader level, this means that one must do the best one can and not worry about the results. In other words, one must not become attached to the fruits of one’s action. This leads to a fundamental doctrine in Hinduism “work without attachment”. This doctrine is repeatedly expressed in the Bhagvad Gita, especially in the following verse: “Set thy heart upon thy work, But never on its reward. Work not for a reward, but never cease to do thy work.” (BG 2.47) — Bansi Pandit

Easter Wishes

| Chandru Gidwani

Here’s wishing you a bright and shining Easter filled with family and friends. Make the most of the extra time to enjoy each other as you live and laugh together. May this blessed celebration of Easter bring you faith, hope, love and joy. Greet the miracle of Jesus’s Resurrection with joy and happiness!

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