Five star hotels and posh restaurants, with high quality cutlery encrusted or engraved in them, have one problem with their privileged customers pilferage of these items meant for in - house use like towels, nightgowns, cutleries etc., that are slipped into their deep pockets, vanity bags or into their baggage. However, the holy books like Bible, Dhammapada are pass?I have a collection of over 10 of them so far and I love giving them to my spiritually disposed friends just as I love giving Johnnie Walker to my spirit loving friends.
Recently, I was staying in Hotel Marriott in San Francisco, the hotel group which had its Islamabad Marriott reduced to ashes by terrorists just as the twin tower of New York. Of course, I enjoyed staying at Marriott without fear of terrorists for the reason that, unlike in India, the sovereign government of America had a sovereign will to curb terrorism in its many ugly facets that we face in India. It is an eloquent testimony to our Central and State governments lack of sovereign will to curb home - grown terrorism as also the imported ones. By the way, are we really a sovereign nation?
As a consequence, despite our Police doing an equally competent job as their American counterparts, we are unable to contain terrorists. And then, how many of them have we sentenced? Just yesterday, I was listening to two senior retired IPS officers being interviewed on Udaya TV and felt more than ever convinced that there is nothing wrong in our stars, as Cassius says to Brutus in the Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. The wrong lies in our political leadership. All for the sake of votes. Has gathering votes during elections become more important than the blood of our innocent people? Children, women and men of all ages?
Be that as it may, to revert to the world of Hotel Marriott, I also picked up, apart from the Bible, another booklet brought out by the Marriott under the title, "Our Stories - Spirit to serve." It is a book of experiences and memories of a number of employees who worked in the hotel in different departments over many years. I wish this kind of books are made compulsory reading for students of 10th standard or PUC because it will do a lot of good inculcating in our youngsters certain finer and higher qualities of life like character, morals, discipline, commitment to work, need to accept challenges of life and career under diverse, also adverse, circumstances and many such socially and professionally needed qualities. Also qualities that build confidence even in those who suffer from complexes and defeatist mindset.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International Corporation, J. W. Marriott, Jr, in his foreword says that the company built by his Mom and Dad over the years has provided opportunities to millions of people from all walks of life from many countries in the world. Maybe he will have second thoughts when it comes to building hotels in some Muslim countries. Why, even in a secular country like India where every other day there is a terrorist attack. Let it be.
The Chairman says that in his company many have risen from the lowest level to executive level positions and gives the example of the company’s President of International Lodging who began his Marriott career as a night watchman and a similar position has been occupied by a former waiter of the hotel. But let me come to the main theme of my writing. Your morning power walk.
One of the articles in the book is by one Bob Lemen. He is a Fitness Center Attendant, Desert Springs Marriott, California. He is a very old man, born in 1915. He was a sports person. He was also in the US Army. When he retired in 1978 he found himself as a Fitness Instructor in Marriott. In that responsibility, he used to take his guests on a morning power walk. The way he inspired his guests was so convincing, many of them, who were not enthusiastic about morning walk back at their homes, became enthused to walking once they returned home. According to Lemen, what is important in old age is, staying active. He says, "Too many of my contemporaries, now long gone sat down and never got up. My mother, on other hand, worked till she died at 89. The Army teaches you that a moving target is hard to hit."
Did you get the message, old man? So keep moving!
I have been seeing an advertisement about Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky with a huge visual and a one - liner message which simply says, "Johnnie Walker, Keep Walking". I have taken this message very seriously. Have you?
Moral: Be a moving target, never a sitting duck!
