So, there was a little storm brewing in the cup with a young nephew aged 11 years! He was born in Greece with a Greek father and a Persian mother, so with both cultures in his background, the boy combines two great dynasties in his family tree portfolio.
It also happens that he is doing very well in school. Besides his excellent academic performance, he is active in sports, traditional Greek dancing and martial arts.
So, having high grades has qualified him for a very interesting role that we do not see enough in schools world over. Moreover, schools have become international and very difficult to associate with just one nationality.
His role is to hold the Greek flag during a parade organised by the school, while marching through the main streets of towns and villages.
One such occasion coming up is on October 28, on which day in 1940, Italy demanded that Greece allows Axis troops to enter Greece, but the then Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas, said ‘No’ and this created a huge sense of national pride as a symbol of resistance to Mussolini’s ultimatum, the day is now called the Ohi (OXI) day, which means ‘No’ in Greek.
For two consecutive years, my young nephew had the opportunity to hold the flag in front to his school parade and in his young mind, it was clear that everyone appreciated him for being an excellent student. Of course, this brought joy to his parents’ and grandparents’ hearts. However, as success path is not always rosy and smooth.
This year, there were new students who joined the school and the administrators decided to have a lottery between the four best ones, and my nephew lost. Hell broke loose! Of course, it took a lot of counselling to make him understand that it is okay not to be always at the forefront and that sharing with other deserving people is good for everyone. At the end of the day, it all worked out.
He was reminded by his best mentor, his grandmother, that it is not such ranks that make a real difference in his life, but being at the forefront in rendering service to his community that really counts.
Also, having a mother that is always involved in activities and charities that benefit the whole community, his young soul had the best example just in front of him.
In fact in a recent yearly campaign for cancer awareness week, he was actively participating as a volunteer alongside his mother, helping in raising funds that are earmarked for buying hospital equipment to help cancer patients. He was even interviewed by the local radio station as one of the youngest volunteers in this year’s campaign.
As a member of the Baha’i Faith, I grew up reading and learning by heart this quote by Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet founder of the Baha’i Faith, where he says ‘It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens’.
Of course, this does not negate our love for our countries; on the contrary, it merges love with the love for the whole world. Indeed Earth is one country and we are all its citizens.